TRC welcomes guitarist Russ DeFilippis!

Master guitarist Russ DeFilippis has performed professionally in an incredible range of musical styles, including jazz, blues, soul, R&B, rock, funk, classical, country, acoustic folk and roots music.

Russ has worked as a musician, musical director and conductor with such well-known jazz, rock and pop groups and artists as George Benson, Chuck Berry, The Drifters, Bo Diddly, Lil Anthony, James Brown, Bobby Rydell, Lou Christie, Martha Reeves and numerous other acts. In 2002, he co-founded a jazz trio with fellow guitarist John Tropea, and formed the group ‘rd3’ in 2003, producing the CD Calculations. His most recent CD, The Sorcerer’s Accomplice, on EverJazz Records was praised by George Benson as “artistry and taste combined.”

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Russ studied with inspiring guitar educators William Leavitt, Mark Friench and Mick Goodrick. Upon receiving his degree, he went on to study for several years with two of the world’s most renowned jazz educators, Charles Banacos and Dennis Sandole, and later studied guitar and voice with George Benson and Margaretta Wolfe.

Over the years, Russ has taught acoustic and electric guitar, harmony and improvisation – in the classroom and/or privately – to children, teens and adults throughout the tri-state area, and at the college level at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Rockland Community College and Bergen Community College, as well as Master Classes at Ramapo College and The Players School of Music in Clearwater FL, and college prep courses at Lagond Music School in Elmsford NY.

We are so delighted that Russ DeFilippis has joined our faculty, bringing his skill, versatility and love of music to our guitar students here at The Ridgewood Conservatory.

Call Warren Carr at 201-612-6686 to schedule guitar lessons with Russ this semester!