'THE BEST IS YET TO COME' FOR YAMAHA ARTIST RICK MONTALBANO JR.

—Young Jazz Legend Performs on Maple Custom Absolute Drums—

BUENA PARK, CA (September 27, 2002)—With an artist as young as 24-year old Rick Montalbano Jr., it is among popular thought that the "best is still to come." Although that may hold true for tomorrow—today the New York native is know as a top jazz drummer, performing with Brad Mehldau, Phil Woods, Chuck Mangione, Dave Grusin, Clark Terry, David "Fathead" Newman, and with his wife, vocalist Jane Monheit. The son of Rick Montalbano, the legendary jazz pianist who 'taught him everything he knows,' the younger Montalbano, a Yamaha Artist—performs on the Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Drum Kit.

Rick Montalbano

"I've been playing Yamaha drums since the start of my career at age 13," he says. "Ever since then, I've been in love with the Yamaha sound. The drums are versatile, extremely consistent and sound great with minimal effort. The hardware is also of the highest quality. They've always been, and always will be an essential part of my sound."

Awarded a full scholarship to Manhattan School of Music in 1998, Montalbano has appeared with Jane Monheit on CBS' The Late Show With David Letterman, ABC's The Caroline Rhea Show and A&E's Breakfast with the Arts.

"I really can't say enough about Yamaha drums," he continues. "The Maple Custom Absolute series have the projection of the earlier Maple Customs, but with added warmth which comes from the thinner shells. It's really very hard to find drums that have both qualities, so they sound just as great in the studio as they do in giant concert halls. Plus, they're the most versatile drums I've ever played. It's a complete and total honor for me to be a part of the Yamaha family."

Montalbano has been on an extended world tour supporting Jane Monheit's sophomore outing, Come Dream with Me (which charted at number one on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums for fourteen weeks), and will also tour to support her forthcoming album, In the Sun in September 2002. Montalbano also appears with the Ari Ambrose (Steely Dan) Quartet on the critically-acclaimed Early Song, and on the next Ambrose album to be released in early 2003.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Drum Products, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamahadrums.com.