Jazzway 6004 welcomes back Brazilian guitarist Rick Udler in his only scheduled Baltimore area appearance on his US CD release tour. Rick Udler - guitar Bruno Lucini - drums & percussion Featured vocalist - Kathleen Kolman And other special guests (Jim Orr -piano, Russell Kirk- saxophone, Marianne Matheny-Katz - vocals)    

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 "Udler's disc is truly a gem - not the typical "Girl from Ipanema" cover disc by the average guitarist. Udler possesses a lyrical sense for melody and harmony that shines through his compositions" Eric Elias -Just Jazz Guitar 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. As a child, the sound of the Beatles and other bands of that era had a profound impact on him and awakened his passion for music.  

When Rick was 11, his family moved to São Paulo, Brazil, and soon after he took up the guitar. While still in his teens, he began performing professionally in São Paulo. From 1981-1987, Rick lived in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Miami, where he studied, performed, and built a reputation as a versatile player with a remarkable command of bossa nova. Rick headed back to Brazil in 1987 to rub elbows with the players he admires so much, as well as to research Brazilian music straight from the source – he's been living there ever since. In 1990, he teamed up with vocalist extraordinaire Maria Alvim; the two continue to perform together to this day. In 1993 and 1994, Rick was commissioned to compose for the award-winning Grupo de Dois dance company. In 1996, Rhythm and Romance, the highly anticipated debut CD of the Udler-Alvim duo, was released in the U.S. The CD includes Rick's compositions with famed Brazilian lyricists Paulo Cesar Pinheiro and J.C. Costa Netto and guest appearances by some of Brazil’s top musicians, including world-renown artists João Parahyba (percussion) and Bocato (trombone). 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. In 1999, Rick had the pleasure to produce legendary Brazilian guitarist Paulinho Nogueira’s first U.S. release, Reflections, which received superb reviews. 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 was conceived as an homage to the acoustic guitar and recorded, mixed and co-produced by studio veteran Eduardo Gebara. 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 and 2008 Rick toured in Brazil and the United States, which included performances and Brazilian guitar workshops at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in Nashville,Tennessee, one of the major fingerstyle guitar events in the USA. The Brazilian Sound for Fingerstyle Guitar, a DVD lesson taught by Rick and produced by Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop was released in 2009. During the lesson, Rick shares many of the essential techiniques that are unique to Brazilian guitar styles and which are appreciated around the world. Rick has been performing with the Brazilian quartet Sampa Blue since 2011 as well as with the Maria Alvim & Rick Udler duo. September 2013 is the release date for his newest instrumental CD, which will be followed by tours in Brazil and North America.