Kurt Ribak Trio

In 2001 Kurt created the Kurt Ribak Trio, which features Kurt's own compositions but includes select jazz standards and under-appreciated tunes from the Great American Songbook. He considers himself a jazz musician first and foremost, but his compositions reflect his eclectic experiences as a working musician. He has played in everything from Latin groups to R&B and reggae bands, with stints in blues groups and circus bands breaking things up.
Kurt cites Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus as his original primary influences as a songwriter. Over time Duke Ellington as well as music of the Caribbean and Latin America increasingly influenced Kurt's writing. Other tunes of his reflect a love of the music of New Orleans, both its traditional jazz and its rhythm and blues music.
Kurt's compositions continue to be the bulk of the repertoire of his Trio but featured tunes include select standards by Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, and other contributors to the Great American Songbook.