Rick Ruskin

Rick Ruskin started playing guitar in 1962 and in just one year became a respected professional musician in his native Detroit, Michigan. In 1964, while still in Jr. High School, he was chosen to open the bill for the Reverend Gary Davis at Detroit's legendary Retort Coffee House. This engagement resulted in a fast and permanent friendship with the master blues, ragtime, and gospel guitarist. Rev. Davis was so taken by the young Ruskin's skill and eagerness, that he invited Rick to spend the summer with him at his Long Island home. By the end of the summer, Davis stopped teaching Rick new material and told him, "It's time you started paying attention to your own music." Ruskin has been doing that ever since.

Rick Ruskin tours the United States regularly and performs locally in Seattle often. His discography spans over 20 releases and he is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Fingerstyle Guitar and Frets. He plays a number of different guitars, including a Stahl and Maurer guitar by the long defunct Larson Guitar Co. of Chicago, IL. He makes his home in Seattle, Washington.

"...so brilliant at times that he seems to transcend normal approaches to the guitar....Ruskin may be the smoothest technical player around. Flashy, fast, inventive, and musical and that isn't easy."
-- GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE

Rick presents artful arrangements of original and popular music. Some of the songs you may hear include:

Here Come The Sun, Here, There, Everywhere, You Won't See Me, Hotel California, The Nearness Of You, Georgia On My Mind, Lady Madonna, Riki Don't Lose That Number, Kuday Duxx, 6-String Conspiracy, Repeat After Me, Jamaican Graduation, Piano Rag, Whispers, Rock and Roll Music, Ain't No Ash Will Burn, Lullaby, Hey There Baby, Satchel, Model Railroad, See-Saw, Long walk Home, Places To Hide, Heavy Traffic, Art By Accident, Gratitude, Glass Guitar, And 50 Cents Gets You A Cup Of Coffee

Listen to a RealAudio sample:
(If you don't have it already, you can download the free RealAudio Player. The RealAudio format is very effective at compression, however the audio quality is low -- the sound is rather tinny, like an old pocket transistor radio. This is not a flaw of the recordings or of the artists).

Here, There, Everywhere
Here Comes The Sun
Repeat After Me

To book this group call (206) 923-0774
or email us at Booking@bluejaylivemusic.com

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