Born: April 11, 1977 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Greg Ruggiero has resided in Brooklyn, New York since 2004. In May 2007, Greg’s debut record as a leader “Balance” was released on the jazz record label Fresh Sound New Talent. As a side man, Greg has recorded on vocalist, Luisa Sobral’s debut record, on Universal/Portugal records, saxophonist Logan Richardson’s “ Ethos” for Greg Osby’s Inner Circle Records, two upcoming releases on Free Code Jazz Records, Drummer Nick Halley’s “Barnum Hill”, Kokyu’s self titled release, bassist Gavin Fallow’s self titled debut, and several recently recorded albums still in production.
In 2010, Greg had a wonderful experience as the featured artist at the Canjazz Festival in Galicia, Spain; teaching a week of workshops, recording two records, and performing in concert. Ruggiero is on the New School University Applied Music teaching roster and in 2009 taught at the Academy of Creative Education in Los Angeles, California. He was a 2004 guest artist and clinician at the Crossties Jazz Festival hosted by Delta State University in Greenville, Mississippi along with Mulgrew Miller. In 2005, Ruggiero was honored to take part in the Jazz of Enchantment radio program and educational series as one of the top 20 Jazz artists associated with his home state of New Mexico, including such artists as Frank Morgan, Bobby Shew and fellow colleagues Rob Wilkerson(Michael Buble) and Matt Brewer (Gonzalo Rubalcaba). Greg has performed with Mark Turner, Nasheet Waits, Greg Osby, Matt Brewer, Logan Richardson, and many others, as well as leading his own trio and quartet.
Of late, Greg has renewed his passion for the jazz standard repertoire. And has devoted much of his time to studying the earliest versions of these works, as well the classic vocal performances of artists such as Billy Holiday, Nat Cole, Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to name a few. Out of this passion, Greg has just released his latest record “My little One”, a collection of original music set to lyrics.
The eight original compositions that make up guitarist's Greg Ruggiero's debut recording have a deeply introspective air, with gently rocking rhythms and simply stated melodies that often give the album an instrumental pop feeling. But there's plenty of emotional depth here, too, as Ruggiero quietly draws delicate, ethereal designs with electric and acoustic guitars, levitating on Frank LoCrasto's sympathetic piano and keyboard patterns. Rob Wilkerson's sweet alto saxophone brings the quartet back to earth, while Tommy Crane's drumming supports the melodies and eases them forward. --JAZZ TIMES
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Primary Instrument:
Guitar
Willing to teach:
Intermediate to advanced students
Credentials/Background:
$60 per hour
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Eleven years of professional jazz guitar performance
• Fourteen years as guitar teacher including four years at private music studio
• Previous students range all ages, from 4 to 70
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
JAZZ GUITARIST
• 2007 International Jazz recording artist on the Fresh Sound/New Talent Jazz label
• 2004 Guest artist and clinician at the Crossties Jazz Festival hosted by Delta State University in Greenville, Mississippi
• 2000-2004 Guest clinician for the University of New Mexico Jazz History classes
• 2003 Curator of Outpost Performance Space Summer Series coordinating three months of performances and hosting each weekly event
GUITAR INSTRUCTOR
• 2009 Jazz educator at the Academy of Creative Education in Los Angeles, California
• In 2004 was added to New School University Applied Music Roster
• At Sunny Music Studio, taught individual and group lessons
• Fourteen years of self-employed guitar instruction
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Focusing on musical Conception
- Time feel
- Playing as a group
- Improvising/ Theory
- Sound/ Texture
• 2009 Jazz educator at the Academy of Creative Education in Los Angeles, California•
• 2004 Guest artist and clinician at the Crossties Jazz Festival hosted by Delta State University in Greenville, Mississippi
• 2000-2004 Guest clinician for the University of New Mexico Jazz History classes
• In 2004 was added to New School University Applied Music Roster
• At Sunny Music Studio, taught individual and group lessons
• Fourteen years of self-employed guitar instruction
