BACKGROUND

Biography

Rick Peralta, a San Francisco Bay Area native, is equally comfortable backing Tony Award Winning Stars, playing with Big Band Jazz Ensembles, Small Group Jazz, Solo Jazz Guitar, Concerts, and Musical Pit Orchestras.  He manages a consistent performance schedule of about 90 shows per year, playing for over 15,000 people annually.  Rick has played at major festivals throughout the country to include the Honolulu Music Festival, Stanford Jazz Festival, Alexandria Jazz Festival; and prominent venues such as the Kennedy Center, Washington DC; Berklee Performance Center, Boston MA; and the Jazz Dock, Prague Czech Republic.

Rick is working toward a Jazz Studies Degree at Howard University, Washington DC to complete his formal training and achieve a long sought after personal goal.  He has also studied or augmented his formal education at San Jose State University; Berklee College of Music; the Stanford Jazz Workshop and the Prague Jazz Workshop, Jaroslav Jezek Conservatory, Prague Czech Republic. 

He received an Outstanding Musicianship Certificate from Berklee College of Music and as a Pit Orchestra Guitarist, has won 2 "Best Musical" Washington Area Theatre Community Honors (WATCH) Awards.  The Washington Post described his playing as "smooth and lively" and Leesburg Today said his musicianship is "wonderful."  A National Tour Music Director described his playing as "Broadway-caliber."

Current Projects

Back to Zero- Funk/R&B/Pop;
voted One of the Best Bands
in the Washington DC Area
www.back-to-zero.com

Laissez Foure - Acoustic Swing Quartet;
lounge and private event favorite in the DC Metro Area
www.laissezfoure.com

Difficult Run Jazz Band - Swing Era
and High Energy Contemporary Big Band
www.drjb-bigband.com

Orchestra Guitarist for numerous Musical Productions annually.
Please see the Schedule page for upcoming shows.

Upcoming Musicals:

• Elden Street Players production of "Rent" Jul/Aug 2010
• The Arlington Players production of "Cabaret" Oct 2010
• Rockville Musical Theatre production of "The Pajama Game" Oct/Nov 2010
• The Arlington Players production of "42nd Street" Spring 2011
• Rockville Musical Theatre production of "Kiss Me Kate" Fall 2011
• Kensington Art's Theatre production of "the Last 5 Years" Winter 2011
  

 

Smooth Jazz Artist Alan King has released his CD and it's available via his web site www.alankingmusic.com or www.smoothjazz.com.

I was honored to play guitar on this project.

Influences: the Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind and Fire, Journey, Boston, Van Halen, Tower of Power, George Benson, Pat Martino, Barry Galbraith, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Bruno, Chuck Loeb, Doc Powell, Ed Hamilton, Paul Jackson Jr., Richard Smith, Joe Pass, Norman Brown, Brian Bromberg, Charlie Parker, Hank Mobley, Diana Krall, Hawaii, Praha, SF 49ers

Rick would like to thank: Mom & Dad, Frank P, Michelle D, my teachers John Fogleman, Shawn Purcell, Gerry Kunkel; Dee Chin M ("I want you to be my manager"), Dr. Diana J, Pacific Horizons (you know who you are), Miss Paulette, B52P, The Difficult Run Jazz Band, Ken Matthews, my brothers in Back to Zero - Ronnie, Garey, Wes and Tommy; Norio Imai of Imai Guitars NYC (for flawless maintenance of my guitars), Hexagon (2001-03); the USAF; Col B. Washington, Roger Sadowsky and Sadowsky Guitars NYC, Swissvale Music PA; and Anderson Guitars