TAMIR HENDELMAN

Award-winning jazz pianist Tamir Hendelman has performed with the Jeff Hamilton Trio, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Harry Allen, Teddy Edwards, Warren Vache, Houston Person, Jeff Clayton, Nick Brignola, Phil Upchurch, Rickey Woodard, John Clayton and Barbara Morrison. He also leads his own trio and his debut CD "Playground" features him in this trio setting.

Beginning his keyboard studies at age 6 in Tel Aviv, Tamir moved to the US at age 12 in 1984, winning Yamaha's national keyboard competition 2 years later at age 14. Concerts in Japan and the Kennedy Center followed.

Tamir then studied at the Tanglewood Institute in 1988 and received a Bachelor of Music Composition degree from Eastman School of Music in 1993. He then became the youngest musical director for Lovewell Institute, a national arts education non-profit organization.

Since returning to LA in 1996, Tamir has been in steady demand as pianist and arranger, touring the US, Europe and Asia, and receiving awards from ASCAP and National Foundation For Advancement in the Arts. In 1999 Tamir was a guest soloist with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.

Tamir joined the Jeff Hamilton Trio in 2000, contributing arrangements, recording and touring Japan, Europe and the US. In 2001 he became a member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, with whom he premiered John Clayton's new orchestration of Oscar Peterson's Canadiana Suite in the Hollywood Bowl in 2001. In 2002 he also toured Europe with Tierney Sutton and the Bill Holman Big Band. Tamir musically directed Julia Migenes' s "Alter Ego" and played/arranged on Roberta Gambarini's "Easy To Love."

With the CHJO, Tamir has recorded for John Pizzarelli, Gladys Knight and Diana Krall. He is the pianist/arranger on Jackie Ryan's "You and the Night and the Music" and Janis Mann's "A Perfect Time." He is also featured on Natalie Cole's "Still Unforgettable" and Barbara Streisand's upcoming recording.

Tamir’s musical travels have taken him from Alaska to New York, and Thailand to Israel. In his own trio, he explores standards, Brazilian music, blues and his Israeli roots. Tamir’s debut CD Playground (2008) was released in Japan on the Swing Bros. label and was released in the U.S. in December 2008 on CDBaby.com. Tamir is a Resonance Records artist.

DEAN KOBA

Dean Koba is native of Honolulu, Hawaii.  He has performed with numerous jazz greats some of which include Benny Bailey, Bud Shank, Jeff Clayton, John Clayton, Bill Cunliffe, Dee Daniels, Walter Norris, Bob Sheppard, Gary Foster, Fareed Haque, Makoto Ozone, Roberta Gamborini, Jackie Ryan, and Tamir Hendelman. His tours have taken him all around the United States as well as Europe.  He is featured on several recordings with bassist Christoph Luty, the Acoustic Jazz Quartet, The Bayou Brass Band, Brent Jenson and the Greg Reitan trio.  

Dean studied music at Northwestern University (BA) and USC School of Music (MM). He also studied privately with Jeff Hamilton (Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson, Diana Krall), Joe Labarbera (Bill Evans, Tony Bennett), and Greg Field (Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Sinatra).  Dean currently resides in Lakewood, California and freelances in the greater Los Angeles area.  He is also the percussion instructor at Long Beach City College and the jazz drumset instructor at El Camino College.

Dean Koba plays Aquarian Drum Heads, Bosphorus Cymbals, Gretsch drums, Gibraltar Hardware and Regal Tip sticks and brushes.

ALEX FRANK

Alex Frank is the newest member of guitarist Bruce Forman’s western swing/bebop group, Cow Bop.  He also often performs with James Tormé, Bill Holman, Nick Mancini, John Daversa, and Barbara Morrison.  

Alex recently graduated from Oberlin Conservatory, where he studied with Peter Dominguez and jazz giant Eddie Gomez from the Bill Evans Trio.  The Los Angeles native has also studied with legendary bassist John Clayton as well as David Allen Moore of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  

In 2009, at age twenty-one, Alex was a finalist in the International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition.  Alex has recently recorded with trumpeter Marcus Belgrave (Ray Charles Band), songwriter Robb Strandlund (The Eagles’ Already Gone), Tyler Robinson (NBC’s The Voice), and is featured on the film soundtracks What’s My Diagnosis and Sherman’s Way.  Other artists that Alex has played with include Benny Golson, Gary Bartz, Josh Nelson, Tom Luer, Melissa Morgan, Sam Barsh, Mike Lang, Graham Dechter, Andy Langham, and Stevie Wonder.