There's a special group of people that can be called citizens of the world. Rick Udler is one of them. The guitarist knows how to extract superb musical lessons from the places he's been."

Guitar Player/Brazilian Edition – July 2007

Born in Santiago, Chile, to Argentine parents of Eastern European extraction, guitarist, composer and arranger Rick Udler was 2 when his family moved to the U.S.A. Here's the short version of where he's been: From ages 2-11 he lived in the United States, (including 3 years in Baltimore!) and at age 11 moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he attended junior high school and high school. From 1981-1987, he lived in New Orleans, Los Angeles and Miami, to study music and perform. "And for the last 21 years I've lived, taught and performed in Sao Paulo," says Udler. "Now I'm starting to spend more time in the U.S. touring and sharing what I picked up all these years in the tropics.” Brazil has a lot to offer the world in music. Brazilians are very spontaneous, affectionate and extremely musical."

In 1990, he teamed up with vocalist extraordinaire Maria AlvimIn and in 1996, Rhythm and Romance, the highly anticipated debut CD of the Udler-Alvim duo, was released in the U.S. The two continue to perform together to this day.

Publications such as JazzTimes, Jazziz, Just Jazz Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Rhythm Music, and The Beat gave the recording outstanding reviews, and it was chosen “best debut album of the year” by the nationally syndicated radio program The Sounds of Brazil.

For a complete change of pace and a bow to his childhood idol, Rick performed as George Harrison in a 2002 Beatles-revival theater production in São Paulo.

Rick’s first entirely instrumental CD, Papaya, was released in Brazil in 2006. The album, conceived as an homage to the acoustic guitar, features the instrument in assorted settings. Percussion ace João Parahyba once more adds his unmistakable touch along with the superb Zé Alexandre on acoustic bass and on one track, Lika Meinberg on piano. The Brazilian and international press have been unanimous in their praise.

In 2007 Rick toured Brazil and the United States, which included a performance and Brazilian guitar workshop at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in Nashville,Tennessee, one of the major fingerstyle guitar events in the USA.

Rick arrived once again in the United States on April 14th 2008 for three weeks of concerts and workshops that will take him to Chicago, Milwaukee, Berkeley, Washington DC, Baltimore and New York City, and he has been playing to packed houses. Udler plans to play music from his 2006 critically-acclaimed "Papaya" CD, which contains 12 original compositions, as well as "music by some of my favorite Brazilian composers, some jazz and blues, ragtime and even a Nashville-style piece in the Chet Atkins tradition, which I wrote after going to Nashville."

Critic Jorge Fernando dos Santos said recently of Rick's new CD "Papaya”: "Rick Udler is brilliant. His compositions and execution leave the listener in a state of grace."

Currently Rick is finishing a book of his solo guitar pieces and preparing material for his next CD.