RICK HOWARD BASICS

Rick Howard's fifty one years of guitar playing and vocalizing have put him into every situation and every musical genre. At age fourteen Rick was performing at local functions and by seventeen playing parties and weddings. By nineteen he was getting his Jazz legs playing nightclubs while teaching guitar in a Brooklyn music school.

Rick first attended college in his twenties. The local 802 program for professional musicians at Kingsborough College gave him a chance to hone his arranging, composing and orchestration skills.

The late seventies saw Rick form a group called "Whapp." This Zappa influenced ensemble mixed intricate music with a humorous theatrical approach. In 1977 they recorded a four song demo at Phil Ramone’s A&R Studios, in the legendary A-1 room ( Sinatra, Paul Simon...).

In the Eighties, Rick worked with a top coumtry/oldies band called Music Box, touring the US and Caribbean with many of the greats, while applying his talents to doing session work, playing guitar on movie scores and jingles. He contributed to recordings by King Sunny Ade, Betty Wright, Bob Marley, and Shania Twain to name a few.

Rick toured extensively with artists such as the Drifters and Chuck Berry, and he has shared the stage in LA with Keith Emerson, Birelli Legrene, Jeff Baxter, John Entwhistle and others. Rick was heavily involved in the
jazz and blues scene in NY, performing with his group "The Wolfpack." Rick recorded two albums with his 7 piece Latin Jazz group IGUAZU...the first self titled "Iguazu" in 1998, and the second, "All You Need" in 2003.

"All You Need" featured guests Paquito D'Rivera, Slide Hampton and Antonio Hart. Iguazu played at many Jazz festivals sharing the bill
with Acoustic Alchemy, Alex Bugnon and David Valentin, to name a few.

Rick Howard is known by his peers to be one of the most diversified
and eclectic guitarists on the scene. He plays ( and writes ) every musical style with authenticity and taste. Rick considers his style to be the culmination of all his musical experience and influences. These influences include Kenny Burrell, Larry Carlton, Carlos Santana,
Frank Zappa, Herb Ellis,Tal Farlow, David Gilmour, Alvin Lee,
Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix and Joe Pass.

Rick now resides in Southwest Florida, enjoying the tropical climate and playing and singing as much music as humanly possible! His recent bands....
MUDBONE: Blues, Funk

RICK HOWARD AND THE SPEEDBUMPS: Rockabilly THE INCORRIGIBLES: Rock and Pop
THE DEAD KAHUNAS: Instrumental Surf
RICK HOWARD QUARTET: Jazz

DISCOGRAPHY:

Beginnings:1989-1990(1999)-Shania Twain

Soul Almighty:The Formative Years,Vol.1 (enhanced) 2001-Bob Marley

Iguazu-1998
Conversion( 2000 )-Chris Simpson
Oracle ( 2000 )- Daezaster
All You Need ( 2001 )- Iguazu
Dust Bunnies ( 2006 )- Howard Kaylan 

Pathways ( 2008 ) Rick Howard
Guitar Magic ( 2012 ) Rick Howard Compilation 

Lil’ Noir ( 2018 ) Rick Howard Jazz