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Dean Koba

Dean divides his time between adventures on the jazz scene in L.A. and around the country, more steady and mainstream work at Disneyland, and a roster of college students to whom he passes on the lessons (musical and otherwise) he has learned as a lifelong professional. Jazz has been his primary interest since high school, when he was captivated by The Bill Evans Trio recordings (particularly the later ones with Joe LaBarbera on drums). He has remained insatiably curious and enthusiastic about trends in jazz and jazz drumming, and is always engaging as a performer, listener, and audience member, finding inspiration to push the envelope in his own playing. As a result, Dean is known for energetic drive, deft facility, and imaginative spontaneity on the drums. His distinct style is in high demand, most often in trios led by pianists Tamir Hendleman and Greg Reitan, and guitarist Barry Zweig. This explorative spirit is balanced by the consistency of his “steady gig” at Disneyland, which he has had since 1993. Dean has enjoyed the musical challenges that come with each of the many bands and shows he has played in over the years, as well as the dedicated musicians he has worked with and befriended there. The storytelling approach of live music at Disneyland has given Dean more ways to reach people through music. Whether it’s a young child experiencing live music for the first time or an old couple enjoying their favorite song, an immediate emotional connection with listeners provides a contrast to the outside jazz world, where musical expression can sometimes take on more cerebral or abstract forms. Dean earned a Bachelor of Music in percussion from Northwestern University and went on to graduate school at The University of Southern California where he earned a Master of Music in jazz studies. At USC, he studied drumset with his high school hero Joe LaBarbera, and another giant of jazz drumming, Jeff Hamilton, diving deep into the art of bebop drumming and the trio format specifically. The dive continues in Dean’s faculty positions at Long Beach City College, Mount San Antonio College, and El Camino College. As an educator, Dean puts the next generation of drummers through the tried-and-true paces, and uses their up-to-the-minute interests to enrich their education as well as his own.

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11
Album Review

Greg Reitan: The Bounding Line

Read "The Bounding Line" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


The Bounding Line is a testament to the power of artistic immersion and long-standing musical camaraderie. Accompanied by his trusted trio members, bassist Jack Daro and drummer Dean Koba who have shared a musical bond spanning over thirty years, Greg Reitan reflects on his personal and musical journey. The ideas for Reitan's original compositions presented here emerged during his 2019 residency at Aaron Copland House in Cortland Manor, New York. The other handful of numbers have been chosen from rarely-heard ...

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Album Review

Greg Reitan: Bounding Line

Read "Bounding Line" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Los Angeles-based pianist/composer Greg Reitan jumped into the scene with an elegant splash in 2009 with his debut recording, Some Other Time (Sunnyside Records). He followed this up in 2010 with Antibes (Sunnyside Records). Both recordings were critically lauded, drawing comparisons to the work of legendary pianist Bill Evans. Reitan possesses a supple Evans-esque touch, with lots of sparkling single note runs sprinkled into his sound. He also employs a pair of terrific trio mates, bassist Jack Daro and drummer ...

3
Album Review

Judy Whitmore: Isn't It Romantic

Read "Isn't It Romantic" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


"Take a page out of Judy Whitmore's playbook for life, and be inspired by a true modern-day Renaissance woman--cabaret and recording artist, best-selling author, and licensed jet pilot--whose passion for adventure has audiences and readers across America abandoning their fears and reawakening to long-forgotten dreams and new desires." Thus Judy Whitmore, her web page. Ms. Whitmore, you may gather, is not a professional jazz singer Of course, it would be hard to know what exactly qualifies someone as ...

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Album Review

Judy Whitmore: Isn't It Romantic

Read "Isn't It Romantic" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Sometimes it is a pleasure to listen to an album simply because the quality of the music is so consistently gratifying. And if the music is sung as well as Judy Whitmore sings it on Isn't It Romantic, well, that is icing on the cake, as are the superb performances by her supporting cast, especially pianist Tamir Hendelman and saxophonist Rickey Woodard. The music is taken for the most part from the Great American Songbook, and much ...

3
Album Review

Judy Whitmore: Isn't It Romantic

Read "Isn't It Romantic" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


It seems that for most singers at some point in their career, delving into the Great American Songbook is “de rigueur." And why is that? Perhaps it's because the melodies are captivating, the lyrics are meaningful, and the quality of the compositions has proven to be timeless. In any event singer Judy Whitmore has added her name to that long list of vocalists who have taken the up the challenge with her third release. There are ...

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Album Review

Beverley Church Hogan: Sweet Invitation

Read "Sweet Invitation" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


In 1984, an American writer named Harriet Doerr published a compelling novel called Stones for Ibarra (Penguin Books). The novel, partly autobiographical, was about rural Mexico. Ms. Doerr's novel was her first. It won a National Book Award. Doerr had attended university for a bit but dropped out to raise a family. She was 74 years old when the book was published. Of course, there was a small sensation, because few of us break into print in our ...

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Album Review

Beverley Church Hogan: Sweet Invitation

Read "Sweet Invitation" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


The entertainment business only rarely offers second chances. However, that does seem to be the case for singer Beverley Church Hogan. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, she began singing as a pre-teen, managed to have a regular gig on the radio and then, by her late teens, was singing in clubs and U.S.O. styled military shows. At 21, she relocated to Los Angeles, was offered a recording contract by Capitol Records but, for a variety of familial reasons, turned ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Bounding Line

Sunnyside Records
2024

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The Bounding Line

Sunnyside Records
2024

buy

Isn't It Romantic

Arden House Music
2023

buy

Sweet Invitation

Cafe Pacific Records
2022

buy

The Sound of a Dry...

Origin Records
2001

buy

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