At the Rongovian Embassy

Rick has been playing bass with various bands in the Corning and Ithaca areas for 31 years, and recently moved from 4-string to 5-string bass. He joined the Purple Valley in September of 1997. By day, Rick is the Data Manager of the Spacecraft Planetary Imaging Facility (SPIF) at Cornell University, in Ithaca, NY.

He received an AAS in Electrical Engineering Technology from Corning Community College, worked at NCR in Ithaca, and repaired microcomputers at Cornell before coming to SPIF in 1987.

As bassist, his duties include:

• Provide bottom end.
• Hook up with drummer and keyboardist to form rhythm section.
• Jump around and kick in time to the music (if possible).
• Sing backup.
• Clown around as much as possible, without losing all connection with the groove.
• Tell funny, witty jokes (in a Garrison voice) during equipment breakdowns
• Smile
• Pay his bass infraction tickets in a timely fashion

He annually attends the National Guitar Summer Workshop's bass summits, where he has had the opportunity and honor to study with such bass greats as Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Dave LaRue,John Patitucci, Gary Willis, Sharon Ray, Troy Millard, and Sean Malone.

Currently, he's taking private jazz bass lessons from Peter Chwazik, a real bass monster who plays with cellist Hank Roberts, Molly MacMillan, and Gap Mangione. Thanks, Peter!

Thanks, also, to the rest of the Purple Valley gang, youse guys are a gas!

• Sue Compton: keyboards, vocals
• Mark Cushman: drums, vocals
• Seth Kibel: tenor sax
• John Saylor: fearless leader, guitars, vocals
• Mike Tolomeo: guitars, vocals
• Ken Zeserson: alto sax, vocals

Special thanks go to my lovely wife, Anne, without whose help, encouragement, tolerance, and willingness to share me with the Purps, this page would not have been possible. You're the best, babe! xoxo

Peace.

Rick

e-mail me here
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