Kevin Shen
Bass Kevin Shen is proud to be one of the newest and youngest members of the Oakland Jazz Choir. He has been singing vocal jazz starting in high school, and has fallen in love with the genre ever since. Before joining OJC, Kevin served as the music director of the Cal Jazz Choir, a student-run […]
Norm Gelbart
Bass – Emeritus Norm used to listen to jazz on his transistor radio when he was a kid in Baltimore. The mathematician and software designer has sung bass with OJC for 20 years. He has also been a member of the Bay areas Russian chorus, Slavyanka, for 20 years. Besides singing he enjoys astronomy and […]
Dave Watt
Bass Dave Watt has been making music forever. In addition to OJC, Dave sings with Shira Kammen’s chamber chorus Gallimaufry, and has performed in the California Revels holiday show for the past 20 years. He plays euphonium and recorder as well. He was instrumental in helping the jazz choir keep rehearsing apart during peak Covid-times […]
Rick Wood
Bass/Baritone Rick migrated from San Diego to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley. Five (arguably misspent) years later he barely had enough credits to graduate with a Cognitive Neuroscience degree, but had managed in that time to rack up two years in University Chorus, one year in Chamber Chorus, two years with the UC […]
René Minneboo
Bass/Baritone René Minneboo is a classically trained bass baritone who also sings the occasional tenor solo but my passion for music is not limited to classical works and show tunes (The University of California Alumni Chorus and Chora Nova) or Russian liturgical, folk music and romances. (Slavyanka Russian Chorus) I have performed with these choirs […]
Keenan Foster
Bass Keenan “The Maestro” Foster, Multi-Platinum record producer for Too Short,Ice Cube, Kid Rock, Mac Dre, The Luniz, Dru Down, Keak de Sneak, Askari X, and many more. Music Soundtracks-Boyz n the Hood, Menace ll Society, American Pimp, Black Panther. Currently Music Teacher at Castlemont High School and Director of non-profit Town Business Inc promoting […]
Jim Tepperman
Tenor Jim has been a lifelong singer. Gilbert and Sullivan in Junior High. Dylan, Beatles, Stones. Madrigals. Jazz with Molly Holm in the 80’s. Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, SF Bach Choir, SF Symphony Chorus. His current trio – HopHeads-has an eclectic repertoire that is centered on harmonies and songs with meaningful soulful lyrics. Jim plays […]
Michael Williams
Tenor Michael is a multi instrumentalist and composer who focuses on jazz piano, saxophone and singing. Once upon time, he had given up on music after dropping out of Berklee college in his early 20s, and since moving to the US ~4 years ago intends to kick start his love for music. He will be […]
Allen Daniel Rivera
Tenor Allen Daniel is a percussionist who loves to sing for fun. He used to sing karaoke every night after dinner for his family as a child. It is his first year with OJC. He is studying to receive his Master’s in Percussion Performance from Mills College at Northeastern University. Currently, he is the president […]
Judi Burle
Tenor Judi grew up with opera and classical in the background and sang in her elementary-school chorus. Moving to the Bay Area in the 70s, she gravitated to funk, soul, bluegrass, and salsa. She added a love of jazz later in life, and especially its variations, improvisation, and complexity. Judi was a public-school teacher, and […]