A New Kind Of Prog-Rock:
Music That Defies Assumptions And Recreates Expectations
The Ra Quintet is fundamentally an instrumental rock group, one that finds amazing new melodic ideas and harmonies by infusing rock with concepts from contemporary classical music and jazz (and a little shred guitar here and there). The instrumentation by itself is enough to raise eyebrows - two guitars, vibraphone, upright bass, and drums.
The band is currently recording their debut CD, "Ra Quintet", at Boston Recording Studio and they're booking dates for early 2009. Stay tuned for more!
Brant Grieshaber - guitars, composer
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Perhaps most known for his stylistic breadth and for playing the guitar as though it were a different instrument, Brant Grieshaber recently shared the stage with jazz giant Bill Frisell. ("Wow, let me see your hands!" said Mr. Frisell after hearing him perform.) Brant plays all over New England, from the Maine Music Society to the Beantown Swing Orchestra, from Johnny D’s to The Good Life, and with faculty from the Berklee College of Music. Brant is proud to endorse Godin Guitars and JazzKat Amplifiers.   He also teaches guitar and composition at his studio in Boston, where students come literally from across the globe to explore the fingerboard. He published "The Guitarist's Ultimate Survival Guide" in 2007. At the age of 8, Brant began classical and ragtime piano, studying with Bates College professor Dr. Marion Anderson. At 13, Brant took up jazz and rock guitar. He earned his BA at Berklee College of Music, studying with Garrison Feuel and Bret Wilmott. At the Boston Conservatory, he did graduate studies in classical composition with Osvaldo Golijov. He has also studied guitar with Frank Gambale. |
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Rich Greenblatt - vibes
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Rich Greenblatt is a musician with "dazzling speed and a truly magical touch" writes John Blenn in Good Times magazine. Rich has played in jazz and blues festivals in the U.S. and Europe and recorded with The Jazz Composers' Alliance, Hide Tokunaga, The Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, The Paramount Brass Quintet, and the rhythm and blues group, Inspector Tuppence. Over the years he has played with such great artists as Billy Mitchell, Kevin Hayes, Valery Ponamarev, Bill Charlap, Greg Hutchinson, Dennis Irwin, Winard Harper, Joe Hunt and Teddy Charles, just to name a few. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music. |
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John Servo - upright bass
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John Servo recently performed with shred-guitar legend Greg Howe and Guitarist / Producer Tim Bradshaw (David Grey). He has had the pleasure of performing, and recording with some of Boston's premier artists/musicians: Daniel Bennett Group, JK & The Servomatics, The Boston Jazz Quartet, Phil Ayoub, Colin Stack, The Kode, Driving Blind and The Elbow Room. | |
Rick Landwehr - drums
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Drummer Rick Landwehr brings incredible grooves and rhythmic counterpoint to the Ra Quintet. He's shared the stage with such musicians as Bill Frisell and Vernon Reid of Living Color. Like Brant and Rich, he is also a prominent educator in New England, having spent several summers at the National Guitar Summer Workshop. Rick proudly endorses Vic Firth products. |
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Brendan Burns - guitars
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Brendan is the newest member of Ra Quintet and is pleased to join the crew on classical & electric guitar. Over the past 15 years he has been up & down New England as a Solo Guitarist playing countless weddings & private parties. He is a staple of the greater Boston music education world and is co-chair of the Guitar Department at Brookline Music School. He proudly endorses the double-long espresso. |
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