Dave Ricketts Biography

Dave has committed his life to music. He plays guitar, sings, composes, songwriter and even plays a bit of cornet! His formal study and training was with Michael Chapdelaine (a student of Andres Segovia, among other accomplishments) at the University of New Mexico, where he earned a bachelors in music.

Dave is founder and bandleader for nationally and internationally known Gaucho Jazz (gypsy jazz/blues/gutbucket music), which he has led since 2002. Gaucho is based in San Francisco and in 2009, won SFWeekly’s Reader’s Poll, “Best Jazz and Blues Band”. In 2016 Gaucho was very honored to have won the title of “Best Band” for the same publication.

Some highlights of Gaucho’s Career include concerts at Djangofest SF and Djangofest Northwest, Djangofest Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, as well as selling out two concerts for SFJAZZ Festival in 2016, not to mention an annual performance at NYC’s world-famous Joe’s Pub. In 2018 Gaucho got a song in the Hollywood Movie (right before the sex scene!), "Destination Wedding” starring Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder. And two of Dave’s own compositions will be placed in a New York City based indie film, “Stationed at Home”, in 2021.

Dave’s songwriting performances away from Gaucho have been growing, with now two trips to Nashville for house concerts (a third trip coming this October!) Dave also does annual/biannual performances in NYC and Portland, Oregon, however his home base is in San Francisco where he performs every Tuesday night with his band, James Touzel on bass and Marty Eggers on piano at The Sea Star.

Gaucho is a Gypsy Jazz and Hot Jazz Band. Dave has always been in love with The American jazz and blues guitarists and singers who pre-date Django Reinhardt and Oscar Alleman. Jazz guitarists such as Nick Lucas, Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson, Teddy Bunn and Blues/Country guitarists such as Memphis Minnie, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Blind Blake and Blind Willie McTell are at the top of this list. Dave also is in love with Rhythm and Blues and what is also called early Rock and Roll. His favorite book on this subject is Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock and Roll. 

Dave’s songwriting with and away from Gaucho, are booked ended roughly somewhere between these historical music giants and legends.