Rick Weingarten

I started playing music when was about 18 years old. After a lot of hard practice, some lessons and a couple of seasons with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corp, I began playing drums in a Rock/Variety band that played across the midwest United States for about a year and a half. I had some great experiences on the road, but after awhile my love for the vibes, playing different styles of music and just wanting to learn, got the best of me. So in 1988 I decided to go to school for music and focus my efforts on learning how to play the vibraphone. In 1992 I graduated from The University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Music Education. About the same year I decided to form my own group The Good Vibes Quartet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Good Vibes Quartet has performed at the Westcliffe Jazz Festival, The Peoples Fair, The Taste of Colorado, The Boulder Creek Festival, The Cherry Creek Arts Festival and The Vail Market Jazz Festival. The group has also recorded and performed two live shows for KUVO, Denvers Jazz station. We have also been the opening act for the Don Byron Quintet and The Maynard Ferguson Big Band. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The song "Chocolate Milk/Cold Fusion" written by guitarist Robert Tiernan and recorded on "The Bad Side of the Good Vibes Quartet" CD has been featured and reviewed in the Feb. 2008 Edition of Guitar Player magazine, p. 54. To hear this smokin’ number please go to Robert’s website at myspace.com/Robert Tiernan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I also Co-lead an exciting 6-piece Dixieland Jazz Band called the "Vibe Tribe", play smooth standards with the "Summit Jazz Consort "in Brecknridge, play in the versatile "Good as Gold" duet with guitarist/vocalist Cliff Spratt and play in an experimental blues fusion rock jazz group called "Pugsley". I have has also had the honor and privelege of performing with some amazing folks. Some, but by no means all are: Jazz piano virtuoso Joe Bonner, Jim Cullum, Ken Walker, Les James, Dr. Doug Walter, The Pearl Street Jazz Band, The Joe Bonner Quartet, Mitch Chmara, Tony Black, Roger Topliff, After Midnight, Steve Glotzer, Bill Stephens, The Summitt Jazz Consort, Sal Mancini, The Fred Moldenhauer Sextet, Larry Meeks, John Bartman, Mike Hubanks, Kevin Smith, Bill Blackman, Charlie Burrel, James Dapogny, Pete Wernicks Flexigrass and The Hot Tomatoes Dance Orchestra. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For the last three years I have also enjoyed working as a solo act, playing vibes, drums, singing, sound effects, bongos, flutes and various percussion often accompanied by backup tracks that I have arranged and run through a PA system. I enjoy the challenge of performing by myself, writing my own arrangements, and putting together theme shows and programs that are exciting and varied. I would love to play one for you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~VIDEOS ~~~~1.)Rick’s solo show-Bongo fury solo on"El Cumbanchero"!~~~~2.)The Vibe Tribe- plays a sentimental "Do You know What it means to Miss New Orleans" at the Boulder Public Library. ~~~~3.)Rick’s solo show-" Honeysuckle Rose".~~~~4.)Rick, Cliff and Rex Backup up Drew Rapppin’ at 9 Cares Colorado Shares.~~~~5.) Cliff and Rick duo- Play "Never on Sunday~~~~6.) Rick’s Solo show -"The Can Can~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also dabble into the other arts, you will find some of my paintings and drawings in the pics section. Enjoy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~