“Firmly in the blues tradition of Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan … Very much influenced by Eric Clapton … Songs reminiscent of Little Feat in their prime.”
A life in music began in 1959 at the age of 7 when Ratso bought his
first guitar out of Woolworth's window and taught himself to play. At
9 years of age, he'd put together his first band. At 11, he played his
first paying gig. At 14, he made his professional debut in New York
and later that year his band, Yesteryear's Timepiece, opened for the
'60s supergroup Rhinoceros in Greenwich. In his mid-20s, he'd won an
audition to be rhythm guitarist for The Chambers Brothers, but an
uncooperative appendix landed him in the hospital instead of on a tour
bus.
Ratso has performed in New York City at The Bitter End, CBGB, LeBar Bat, Lone Star Cafe, Manny's Car Wash, The China Club, The Ritz, and Downtime, opening for Al Kooper, Eric Johnson, Jimmy Vivino, and Duke Robillard. In Connecticut, he has played double bills with Alice Cooper co-founder Dennis Dunaway and The Dennis Dunaway Project at Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One and Rick Derringer at Daniel Street in Milford. He has also opened for Joe Bonamassa at Stamford’s “Live at Five,” The Fixx at New York’s Capitol Theater, and Roberta Flack at Norwalk’s Oyster Festival. He has also played with The Blues Brothers’ Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Blue Oyster Cult’s Joe Bouchard, The David Bowie Band’s Mick Ronson, The Outlaws' Freddy Salem, and Alice Cooper and Lou Reed’s session man Steve Hunter. In 1995, Ratso played blues guitar on a Diana Ross record.
He has released four CDs, all of which he co-produced: Whatever It Takes, Water Rising, Silent Witness, and this year’s live record, Rattled. The CDs feature guest appearances by Lester Chambers of The Chambers Brothers, Scott Henderson, Grammy-winning keyboardist Jeff Bova, and David Spinozza.
Ratso remains an enduring presence on the tri-state music scene as a musician, producer, and teacher.
