Pianist Rick Montalbano is known throughout Central New York as a musician who can play exactly what is needed in any musical situation imaginable. He has performed with Lionel Hampton, J.R. Montrose, Phil Woods and Nick Brignola.
Rick is in constant demand as a piano soloist, accompanist, arranger and teacher, and is an adjunct faculty at three area colleges. He operates his own recording studio and is preparing a CD release of his own which includes a number of his original compositions.
Monk's first steady gig in the Central New York area was with Rick and he considers Rick his "graduate school." Just by playing with him Monk learned a great deal about the requirements of a working musician, in other words, everything he didn't learn in college.