picture of Gregg Karukas
Gregg Karukas
Gregg (* 1956 in Baltimore, MD) is a smooth jazz keyboarder who first gained notice in Washington, D.C., then moved to Los Angeles in 1983. He backed Melissa Manchester before he co-founded the Rippingtons in 1985.
 
He experimented with drums, guitar, trumpet, and keyboards as a child, but it was not until his teens that he pursued music professionally as a pianist, having played with the Bowie High School Starliners big band. When he was sixteen, he owned one of the first Minimoog synthesizers.
 
Gregg spent five years with Tim Eyermann in the band East Coast Offering. After moving to Los Angeles, he worked with Shelby Flint, David Benoit, Richard Elliot, Grant Geissman, Dave Koz, Ronnie Laws, and Melissa Manchester. He was a member of the Rippingtons when they recorded their first album, Moonlighting, in November 1985. He has worked as a sideman with Larry Carlton, Jeffrey Osborne, George Duke, Rick Braun, Brenda Russell, Craig Chaquico, Boney James, and Peter White.
 
Gregg has received multiple Best Keyboardist nominations at the Oasis and National Smooth Jazz Awards. He has collaborated with Brazilian composer Dori Caymmi and Ricardo Silveira. He produced, arranged, engineered, and co-wrote two albums with Omar Akram, whose Echoes of Love won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album in 2013. He owns and distributes most of his music on his label, Nightowl Records.
 
from Wikipedia
contact: alevers@a-train.com
homepage: www.karukas.com
on tour Click on the logo to see Gregg's tour dates.

 

Discography
I'll Stand Up
Nova Records NOVA 8915-2
released 1989
recorded in Glendale, CA and Hollywood, CA/USA
Pat Kelley, percussion, guitar, synthesizer
Steve Tavaglione, alto sax
Brandon Fields, alto sax, tenor sax
Barnaby Finch, piano, keyboards
David Benoit, piano
Gregg Karukas, organ, keyboards
Dave Edelstein, bass
Mark Hunter, bass
Tim Landers, bass
Bob Wilson, drums
Jeff Boydstun, percussion
Michael Fisher, percussion
Andrea Robinson, vocals
Debra Davis, vocals
Gary Stockdale, vocals
You'll Know It's Me
Fahrenheit Records FR9510-2
released 1995
recorded March through June 1995 in Dripping Springs, TX/USA
Gregg Karukas, piano, organ, synthesizer, bass, drums, percussion
Boney James, soprano sax
Eric Marienthal, soprano sax
Dino Soldo, sax, harmonica
Lee Thornberg, trombone, trumpet
Ray Fuller, guitar
Mike O'Neill, guitar
Doc Powell, guitar
Ricardo Silveira, guitar
Keith Jones, bass
Dwayne "Smitty" Smith, bass
John Lewis, drums
Luis Conte, percussion
Ron Boustead, vocals
Shelby Flint, vocals
Blue Touch
i.e. Music 314 539 887-2
recorded spring/fall 1997 in Los Angeles, CA/USA
Gregg Karukas, organ, piano, bass, synthesizer, bass, vocals
Brandon Fields, sax
Boney James, sax
Eric Marienthal, sax
Nick Lane, trombone
Walt Fowler, trumpet, flugelhorn
James Harrah, guitar
Allen Hinds, guitar
Michael O'Neill, guitar
Ricardo Silveira, guitar
Peter White, guitar
Keith Jones, bass
Dennis Chambers, drums
Will Kennedy, drums
John Lewis, drums
Luis Conte, percussion
Ron Boustead, vocals
Heatwave
N-Coded Music NC-4237-2
recorded spring/summer 2002 in Los Angeles, CA/USA
Gregg Karukas, piano, keyboards, synthesizer
Dave Koz, sax
Kirk Whalum, sax
Andy Suzuki, sax, flute, alto flute
Dino Soldo, trombone
Nick Lane, trombone
Rick Braun, trumpet
Michael O' Neil, guitar
Paul Jackson jr., guitar
Mel Brown, bass
Jervonny Collier, bass
William Kennedy, drums
John Lewis, drums
Luis Conte, congas, tambourine, percussion
Looking Up
Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records 64494-90518-2
recorded fall 2004 to spring 2005 in Los Angeles, CA/USA
Gregg Karukas, piano, keyboards, synthesizer
Andy Suzuki, sax, flute
Rick Braun, trumpet
Peter White, guitar
Ricardo Silveira, guitar
Michael O'Neill, guitar
Thom Rotella, guitar
GK
Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records TNR33
recorded spring/summer 2009 in Thousand Oaks, CA/USA
Gregg Karukas, organ, synthesizer, piano, bass, drums
Rick Rossi, tenor sax, flute
Jessy J, sax
Michael Paulo, sax, flute
Rick Braun, trumpet, flugelhorn
Lee Thornberg, trumpet
Michael O'Neill, guitar
Paul Rayner Brown, guitar
Russ Freeman, guitar
Ricardo Silveira, guitar
Eric Baines, bass
Melvin Davis, bass
Oscar Seaton, drums
Luis Conte, percussion
Outside In
Innervision Records & Entertainment INN901
Craig Sharmat, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Mark Hollingsworth, sax, flute
Rick Braun, trumpet
John Findlay, keyboards
Gregg Karukas, organ
Greg Mathieson, organ, piano
Nate Najar, piano
Philippe Saisse, piano
Beneditk Fischer, violin
Dan Lutz, bass
Rayford Griffin, drums
Luis Conte, percussion
Denarris, vocals
John Mahon, vocals
Soul Secrets
Nightowl Records NRD 4448-2

Gregg Karukas, piano, keyboards
Euge Groove, sax
Vincent Ingala, sax
Rick Braun, trombone, trumpet, flugelhorn
Adam Hawley, guitar
James Harrah, guitar
Michael O'Neill, guitar
Ricardo Silveira, guitar
Charlie Bisharat, violin
Nate Phillips, bass
Eric Valentine, drums
Ron Boustead, vocals
Shelby Flint, vocals
Say Hey!
Street Talk Music
Spotify
Thom Rotella, guitar
Chris Standring, guitar
Gregg Karukas, organ
no further details known
Side Hustle
High Note HCD7355
recorded February 2024 in Los Angeles, CA/USA
Spotify
Thom Rotella, guitar
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Jeremy Pelt, trumpet
Bobby Floyd, organ
Gregg Karukas, organ
Kendall Kaye, drums
Roy McCurdy, drums
Lenny Castro, percussion

 
Sound Samples
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YouTube videos
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