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Informal Biography of Richard Rabatin

The following is an informal biography from the Off-Broadway Playbill of Summer of '69 -- an original musical that ran in Manhattan and included some of the finer Rock music of the 1960's. Richard Rabatin transcribed the music from the original recordings, and arranged and orchestrated the music for a six-piece band that he designed and hand-picked (and three musicians of which were his former students).

Richard Rabatin (Arrangements, Transcriptions, Orchestrations, Underscores, Guitar, Band Design) has worked on Summer '69 since its inception. He is a self-taught blues/rock/acoustic guitarist and composer who studied Baroque and contemporary Jazz composition, arranging, music theory and ear training at Berklee College of Music. He also studied advanced improvisation with world-renowned Jazz pianist Hal Galper.

Richard began performing at the age of fourteen, has composed or co-written over fifty pieces of music, has published half a dozen books, and has had articles co-published with former Port Authority Chairman George Marlin, and the late John L. Swan -- some of which have been presented at Georgetown, Fordham and Seattle-Pacific Universities. A paper he wrote while attending St. John's Law School was a winner of the 1995 New York State Bar Association Award for a Paper on Legal Ethics. He is also a general editor of The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton, and is an attorney. He is a graduate of Suffolk County Community College, SUNY New York at Stony Brook, holds a M.A. from Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music in Boston. He also holds a degree of Juris Doctor from St. John's School of Law.

In the Summer of 2002, Richard was a clinician to a standing-room-only audience at the Riverhead Blues Festival. The festival was billed as the largest annual music festival on Long Island, and over its four day run it drew an audience in excess of forty-thousand people. The clinic was a presentation on "Seventy Years of The Sounds of Blues -- the Greatest Musical Invention of the 20th Century" featuring Blues-O-Rama, his ten piece band. The music in the workshop streched from Big Bill Broonzy and Benny Goodman to Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford, John Scofield and Rage Against the Machine.

His various efforts have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, The New York Law Journal, The Daily News, Atlantic, The New York Post, The American Scholar, Talkin' Broadway, Theater Reviews, Ltd., former U.S. Secretary of Education, William S. Bennett, John Cardinal O'Connor, William F. Buckley, Jr., Dave Richardson of WOR Radio, the late Russel Kirk, James V. Schall, S.J., among many other sources. He has his own law practice, owns, and teaches at Stony Brook School of Music, continues to compose and record his music for an original CD of acoustic 12-string guitar compositions, and performs regularly with his traditional Jazz band "Richard Rabatin & Friends". He is also organizing and writing for his wide-ranging Blues band "Blues-O-Rama."

Specific Critical Acclaim

Richard Rabatin, transcribed music from the original recordings, and arranged, composed, designed and picked the band for the off-Broadway musical Summer 69'. Here's what the critics in New York wrote about the music, arrangements and the band of Summer 69'.

"...a genuine treat for devotees of the popular music of a generation ago...captures the spirit [and] channels the soul of the 60's...by a fine six piece band that delivers plenty of musical pleasure..."
-----The New York Times

"...some of the best musicians in New York. Richard Rabatin (transcriptions, arrangements, guitar) plays as though he were directly connected to the energy and essence of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick."
-----Theater Reviews Limited

"Summer of "69" sizzles." This is one hot rock show with 19 songs that don't sound like oldies...You can thank the band assembled by Ellen Michelmore and the fresh but familiar arrangements of Richard Rabatin with music that...singes the eardrum with ripping renditions...with music that soars higher than the original bands in their prime."
-----Newsday

"Terrific Band..."
-----Talkin' Broadway

"The spotlight is shared with an extraordinary six-piece band that skillfully re-creates the music of the era... The score is the real star of the show, and it is in great abundance from the pen of the likes of (the great bands) of the era."

-----The New York Law Journal

"There is that terrific music. And unlike 'Fascinating Rhythm' which actively deformed Gershwin tunes, the band replicates with joy and skill the sounds of its time."
-----The New York Post

"[The show] has a first rate band [that delivers] the great period music and really knows how to jam..."
-----The Daily News

"This is the best band I've heard in Manhattan in fifteen years; you make the musicians uptown in "Ain't got Nothin' but the Blues" sound like first graders."
-----Dave Richardson, WOR Radio

A CROSS SECTION OF TEACHING MATERIALS AND TRANSCRIPTIONS BY STYLE FROM RICHARD RABATIN'S LIBRARY

I. TRANSCRIPTIONS FOR PERFORMANCE AND ANALYSIS:

Electric and Acoustic Blues, Southern Rock, Slide (Bottleneck), Country, & Acoustic Fingerstyle:

Albert King
B.B. King
Freddie King
Big Bill Broonzy
Elmore James
Charlie Baty
Rick Estrin

Microwave Dave
Angus Young
Mick Abrahms
Walter Becker
Jeff Beck
Bert Jansch
Billy Gibbons

Meatloaf
Keb Mo
Joni Mitchell
Roy Clark
NRBQ

Duke Robillard
Leadbelly
Randy Roos
Bruce Cockburn
Buddy Guy
Lindsey Buckingham
Carlos Santana
Larry Carlton
Chet Atkins
David Crosby
Steven Stills
Graham Nash
Neil Young
Dick Dale
The Sufaris
Charlie Daniels
Joe Cropper
Danny Kirwin
Dave Van Ronk
Son House
Bukka White
Willie Dixon
David Gilmore
David Lindley
Dicky Betts
Dire Straits
Rick Danko
Doc Watson

Warren Haynes
Don Henly
Duane Allman

Robby Robertson
Duane Eddy
David Grisman
Elizabeth Cotton
Keith Richards
Brian Jones
Nokie Edwards
Bob Bogle
Elvin Bishop
Eric Clapton
Larry Carlton
Steve Vai
The Band
Joe Satriani
Eddie Van Halen
Marvin Gay
Eric Johnson
Gerry Garcia
Steve Winwood
Champion Jack Dupree
Rev. Gary Davis
Etta James
Alberta Hunter
Oscar Moore
T-Bone Walker
Jimmy Rogers
Dr. John
James Taylor
Janis Joplin
Jimmy Page
Joe Walsh
John Fahey
Robben Ford
Peter Green
Hubert Sumlin
David Lindley
Les Paul
Link Wray
Little Charlie and the Nightcats
Little Walter (Blues Harp)
Lynard Skynard
Mark Knopfler
Marshall Tucker
Mat Guitar Murph
Otis Spann
John Mayall
Merle Travis

Pete Seeger
Mick Taylor
Daryl Trucks
Tuck and Patti

Roy Buchanan
Booker T. and the MGs
Mike Bloomfield
Mississippi John Hurt
Rick Derringer

Roomful of Blues
Gary Moore

Jefferson Airplane
Savoy Brown
Muddy Waters
Jorma Kaukonen
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Rick Emmett
Robert Johnson
Ry Cooder
John Fogarty
John Lee Hooker
John Hammond, Jr.
Howlin' Wolf
Toy Caldwell
Kim Simmonds
Taj Mahal
Cornell Dupre
Jimmy Smith
Hiram Bullock
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Sonny Boy Williamson (Blues Harp)

The Meters
James Cotton

Chet Atkins
Les Paul
Willy Ackerman

Alex DiGrassi
Jimi Hendrix
Joe Walsh
Johnny Winter
Bonnie Raitt
John Raitt
Leon Redbone

The Black Crows
Cadillac Moon
Gordon Lightfoot
Doc Watson
Eva Cassidy
Marshal Tucker
Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Daniels

Creedence Clearwater

Classical and Progressive Rock, Metal, & Ska:

Aerosmith

Phish
Alan Holdsworth
ACDC
The Yardbirds
Government Mule
Blind Faith
Alex Lifeson
Allman Brothers
Angus Young
John Cougar
U2
Andy Summers
The Beatles
Van Morrison
Bob Dylan
Jeff Beck

Donovan
The Byrds
Pat Benatar
Barry Mcguire
Billy Joel

Sam the Sham
Creedence Clearwater
Bruce Hornsby
Blood, Sweat & Tears

Chicago
The Blues Project
Big Brother & the Holding Company
Bob Marley
Roger McGuinn
Black Sabbath
John Lennon
Paul McCartney

George Clinton
Boston
Brand X

The Grateful Dead
Buffalo Springfield
The Brecker Brothers
Chilli Peppers
The Fixx
Sting
The Clash
The Cure
Elvis Costello
Cream
Deep Purple
Def Leopard
Dire Straits
Dokken
Donald Fagen
The Doors
George Harrison
Steve Howe
George Lynch
Lynch Mob
Eagles
Extreme
Foreigner
Peter Frampton
Frank Zappa
Enja
Geddy Lee
Paul Gilbert
White Snake
Mr. Big

Queensreich
Genesis
Grateful Dead
Guns and Roses
Tommy Iommi
Iron Maiden
Motley Crue
Judas Priest
Scorpians
Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
Jimi Hendrix
David Grisman
Joan Jett
Joe Perry
Eric Johnson
Journey
Danny Kalb
Steve Katz
Al Kooper
Andy Kupferberg
Kid Rock
Kansas
The Kinks
Led Zeppelin
Leslie West & Mountain
Bryan Adaams
Stevie Wonder
Little Feat
Marshall Tucker
Steve Lukether
Metallica
Racer X
The Meters

Mighty Bosstones
Motely Crue
Ozzy
Tom Petty
Judas Priest
Pink Floyd
The Police
Queen
Toto
Rage Against the Machine
Rainbow
Lou Reed
Tom Petty
Randy Rhodes

Randy Roos
The Rolling Stones
The Rude Boys
Rush
Neil Schoen
Sam The Sham
Wayne Shorter
Safaris
Silverchair
Steely Dan
Stray Cats

Brian Setzer
Modeski, Martin & Wood
The Shags
Rod Stewart
Styx
Traffic
Triumph
Jethro Tull
Van Morrison
Eddie Van Halen
The Vandals
The Velvet Underground (& Niko)
The Ventures
Weather Report
Bob Weir
Steve Winwood
The Who
Yes

Dream Theater
Joseph Zawinul
ZZ Top
Warren Zevon
Indigo Girls
The Dixie Chics
Fleetwood Mac
Sting
Dave Mathews

New Rock, Alternative, Ska, Hardcore, Punk, Techno, and Industrial:

Phish
Dave Mathews
311
Alice in Chains

John Mayer
Blink 182

Galactic
Moe
No Doubt
Disturbed
Bad Religion
NOFX
Green Day
Rancid
Kid Rock

Ween
The Stranglers
Korn
MXPX

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Slipknot
Static X
Nirvana
Papa Roach

Counting Crows
The Offspring
Reel Big Fish
Operation Ivy

Seven Dust
Limp Bizcut
Catch 22
Rage Against the Machine
Madness
Six Feet Under
Third Eye Blind
Hooty and the Blowfish
Metallica

Soundgarden
Oysterhead
Dashboard Confessional
Pearl Jam
Silver Chair
New Found Glory
Smashing Pumpkins
Tesla
The Vandals
Creed
Stone Temple Pilots
Incubus
Matchbox 20
Weazer
Linkin Park
Living Sacrifice
Tool
Jimmy Eat World
Zao
Sublime
Sum 41
System of the Down
Drop Kick Murphys
Dispatch
Puddle of Mud
P.O.D.
BANE
Further Seems Forever
Embodyment

The Hives
Nine Inch Nails
Three Doors Down
Lenny Kravitz
Cannibal Corpse
Tantric
Autumn to Ashes
The Strokes
The Vines
Michelle Branch

Les Claypool/Primus
Uncle Cracker
Radiohead
Guster
The Hives
Rockwel
Rammstein

Jazz (Guitar unless otherwise noted):

Louis Armstrong (Trumpet)
Duke Ellington (Composer, Piano)
Jimmy Blanton (Bass)
Count Basie (Composer, Piano)
Benny Goodman (Clarinet, Composer)
Carla Bley (Piano)
Chester Thompson (Drums)
Gary Burton
Chet Baker (Trumpet)
Dennis Chambers (Drums)
Chick Corea (Piano)

Red Garland (Piano)
Herb Ellis
Barney Kessell
Chuck Wayne
Kenny Burrell
Dave Brubeck (Piano)
Paul Chambers (Bass)
Charlie Christian
Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums) Paul Desmond (Alto)
Mark Egan (Bass)
Mike Gibbs (Composer/Arranger)
Jacki MacClean (Alto)
Henery Mancini (Composer)
Johnny Mercer (Composer)
David Liebman (Soprano & Tenor Sax)
George Mraz (Bass)
Jim Hall
Hank Jones (Piano)
John Coltrane (Tenor Sax)
Mick Goodrick
Jimmy Haslip (Bass)
Micheal Brecker (Tenor Sax)
Mickey Baker
Mike Mantler (Trumpet)

Horace Silver (Piano)
Miles Davis (Trumpet)
Don Grolnick (piano)
Mike Stern
Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet)

Will Lee (Bass)
Pat Metheny
Marcus Miller (Bass)
Sir Rolland Hannah (Piano)
Jimmy Raney
Ron Carter (Bass)
Sonny Rollins (Tenor Sax)
Steve Gilmore (Bass)
Steve Kahn
Sonny Stitt (Alto)
Steve Swallow (Bass)
George Van Epps
George Winston (Piano)
John Scofield
Steve Jordan (Drums)
Wayne Shorter (Tenor)
Tal Farlow
Thelonius Monk (Piano)
Wes Montgomery

BASS TRANSCRIPTIONS: ELECTRIC & ACOUSTIC, ROCK, JAZZ, WALKING, AND SLAP:

Anthony Jackson
Tommy Blanton
Roscoe Beck
Jeff Berlin
Big Head Todd
Harvey Brooks
Jack Bruce
Les Claypool
John Entwhistle
Flea
Mike Gordon
Will Lee
Marcus Miller
Ray Brown
Paul Chambers
Jim Earl
Mark Egan
Percy Faith
Percy Jones
Geddy Lee
Phil Lesch
Tommy Shannon
Ron Carter
Steve Gilmore
Gary Granger
Jamie Jamerson
Alphonso Johnson
Daryl Jones
Paul McCartney
Ron McClure
John McVie
Red Mitchell
Felix Pappilardi
John Patatucci
Jaco Pastorius
Steve Swallow
Bill Wyman.

DRUMMERS/PERCUSSIONISTS & DRUM MACHINE PROGRAMMING:
Ginger Baker
Tom Brechtlein
Chester Thompson
Dennis Chambers
Vinnie Colaiuta
Peter Erskine
Mick Fleetwood
Steve Jordan
Adam Nussbaum
Philly Joe Jones
Chad Wackerman
Bill Goodwin
Neal Pert.

II. "FORMAL" TEACHING MATERIALS, TEXTS & COLLECTIONS:

INSTRUMENTAL AND MUSIC SKILLS COMPOSITION & COUNTERPOINT:
Contemporary Harmony: Ludmir Uhlela.
Counterpoint in Composition. Felix Salzer and Carl Schacter.
A Chromatic Approach to Melody and Harmony. David Liebman
Building Jazz Technique: bert Ligon
Harmony: Heinrich Schencker.
The Jazz Composer's Companion. Gil Goldstein
The Music of Carla Bley.
The Music of Gary Burton.
John Scofield: Extensive Transcriptions of John Scofield Solos and Compositions transcribed by Richard Rabatin.
Robben Ford: Extensive Transcriptions of Robben Ford Solos and Compositions transcribed by Richard Rabatin.
Twentieth Century Harmony. Vincent Persichetti.
Two and Three Part Inventions: J.S. Bach.

EAR TRAINING:
Ear Training, 1,2,3,4. Berklee College of Music.
Modus Novus: Studies in Atonal Sight Singing, Lars Edlund.
Modus Vetus: Studies in Tonal Sight Singing, Lars Edlund.
Now Hear This: An Introduction to Intervallic Ear Training: Richard Rabatin

IMPROVISATION:
A Chromatic Approach to Melody and Harmony. David Liebman.
Approach & Target Notes: Hal Galper.
Extensive Transcription Library of Guitar Compositions, Arrangements & Solos from the 1930s to the Year 2000 (Blues, Jazz, Rock, Slide, Fingerpicking & Classical): Richard Rabatin.
Forward Motion: Hal Galper.
Four Note Groups: Hal Galper.
Melodic Embellishment: Hal Galper
How to Play Blues: David Baker.
Improvisation: David Baker.
Jam with Santana: Professional Guitar Workshops.
Jam with Van Halen: Professional Guitar Workshops.
Jamey Aebersold: 100 Volume Play-Along-Series on Jazz Improvisation
Jamie Aebersold Series on Jazz Improvisation
John Scofield: Extensive Transcriptions of John Scofield Solos and Compositions transcribed by Richard Rabatin.
Robben Ford: Extensive Transcriptions of Robben Ford Solos and Compositions transcribed by Richard Rabatin.
Scale Sychronization: Hal Galper.

MUSICIANSHIP AND LEARNING MUSIC :
Accelerated Learning: Howard Roberts.
The Art of Piano Playing: A Scientific Approach. George Kochevetsy.
Developing Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians: Bert Ligon (North Texas State)
Melodic Embellishment: Hal Galper
Musical Notation: Gardner Reed
Now Hear This: An Introduction to Intervallic Ear Training: Richard Rabatin
Soloing and the Five Levels of Practicing: Richard Rabatin.
What to Practice: David Liebman.

HARMONY, COMPOSITION & THEORY:
Advanced Harmonic Trends: Berklee College of Music.
Contemporary Harmony: Ludmir Uhlela.
Contemporary Trends in Chord Progressions: Berklee College of Music.
Chromatic Modal Interchange: Berklee College of Music.
Mel Bay's Complete Book of Harmony, Voicings & Theory: Bret Wilmott (Berklee College of Music)
Harmony: Heinrich Schencker.
Harmonic Implications for Improvisation: Berklee College of Music.
Twentieth Century Harmony: Vincent Persichetti.

GUITAR AND BASS STUDIES:
Discovering the Art of Guitar Fingering: Ronald Sherrod.
Extensive Transcription Library of Guitar Compositions, Arrangements & Solos from the 1930s to the year 2002: Transcribed by Richard Rabatin.
For Guitar Players Only: Tommy Tedsesco.
International Anthology for Guitar (Classical): Edited by Alexander Bellow.
Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms: Tom Szymszyk.
Slap it: Tony Oppenheim Sor
Studies for Guitar: Edited by Andre Segovia
Ten: Ten Top Guitarists Offer Their Insights into Guitar Artistry: Guitar Institute of Technology.
Building Walking Bass Lines: Ed Friedland

SIGHT READING:
Altered Meter, Volumes 1 & 2: Evrett Bates.
Bop Duets: Bugs Bower.
For Guitar Players Only: Tommy Tedsesco.
Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms: Tom Szymszyk.
Rhythms Complete: Bugs Bower.

GENERAL EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND

EDUCATION:

1994-97: St. John's University School of Law, J.D.
Related Awards: Dean's List 1995, 1996, 1997.
Winner of 1995 NY State Bar Assoc. Award for a paper on Legal Ethics.

1983-84: Studied advanced improvisation with world renowned Jazz Pianist, Hal
Galper.

1978-80: Composition Major, Berklee College of Music. (Completed roughly 90
credits in two years): 3.9 GPA, Dean's List.

1974-75: Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, M.A.,
(Political Philosophy), Area of specialization: Political Philosophy.
Related Awards: National Political Science Honor Society.

1970-72: SUNY at Stony Brook. B.A., (Political Science). Dean's List.

1968-70: Suffolk County Community College, A.A.S., (General Studies).
Dean's List

RELATED ACTIVITIES AND PUBLICATIONS

MUSICALS & CLINICS:

Summer 2002:
Clinician at the Riverhead Blues festival. Topic:
"The Sounds of the Blues -- 70 Years of the Greatest Musical Invention
of the 20th Century. His 10 piece band Blues-O-Rama performed over 25 excerpts of
various Blues-oriented pieces from Benny Goodman and Big Bill Broonzy to
Robben Ford, John Scofield & Rage Against the Machine.

1994-1999:
Off-Broadway Production Summer 69': Return to Woodstock: Arranger, Transcriber, Band Design and Guitarist. (Please see critical
acclaim below.)

VARIED MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS:
Over fifty compositions in various styles from 16th
century counterpoint to contemporary Rock and Jazz. Many compositions for solo alternately tuned guitar.

FORMER STUDENTS:
Toured with Janet Jackson, Michael Bolton, Al Jarreau, etc.:
Publishing Deals with EMI: perform professionally, teach locally, scholarship winners to Miami State and New York Universities, among other Colleges
and Universities.

BOOKS & ARTICLES:
1995: "Adversarial Ideology, Ethical Problems and Dispute Resolution"
won the 1995 NY State Bar Association Award for a Student Paper on
Legal Ethics.
1994: The Quotable Knox (Ignatius)
1992: The Quotable Paul Johnson (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
1988: The Quotable Fulton Sheen (Doubleday)
1987: More Quotable Chesterton (Ignatuius)
1986: The Quotable Chesterton (Ignatius, Doubleday Image)