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Beep!

Beep! is a musical collective comprised of pianist Michael Coleman, bassist Nate Brenner and drummer Sam Ospovat. Their music is based on concepts of group interplay, free improvisation, song writing and orchestration in a piano trio setting. While rooted in the jazz tradition, the trio's compositions fuse rock, folk, jazz and classical music to create their own personal and energetic sound. Variety is cornerstone for the trio and each composition utilizes different rhythmic feels and sonic textures as well as a variety of instruments including keyboards, effects, glockenspiels and even the human voice. Beep! seeks out new sounds and emotions by de-constructing original material and standard repertoire to explore what's hidden beneath the surface.

Based in Oakland, Beep! performs locally as well as tours nationally and internationally. They have recently returned from a CD release tour that took them to New York, Paris, Brussels, The Hague and Berlin and gave them the opportunity to perform with several European jazz and improvising musicians. They're third CD is in the works as are plans for a Spring 2010 European tour.

Michael Coleman grew up in Brooklyn, NY and studied music and history at Oberlin College. Since moving to the Oakland, he has performed with countless local musicians in a wide range of styles as well as recorded and toured with several projects.

Nate Brenner was born and raised in Bloomington, IN and received a music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory. He has been a staple of the Bay Area music scene for several years and has performed throughout Europe, Canada and China.

Sam Ospovat is from America's heartland, Lincoln, NE. He has a BA from UC Santa Cruz and MA from Mills College. He performs with numerous jazz, rock and experimental groups in the Bay Area and Europe.

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Album Review

Beep: You Are Special, You are a Special Friend

Read "You Are Special, You are a Special Friend" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


Beep is a relatively recent recording band featuring pianist Michael Coleman, bassist Nate Brenner and new drummer Sam Ospovat. The music Beep plays might trot and skip, slide, gambol and rush breathlessly; sometimes streaking across a musical canvas that occasionally intersects with familiar sound. Was that a Thelonious Monk figure or did a Cecil Taylor-like run just flash by? Was that a Sonny Sharrock power chord transcribed for keyboard? Did John Lennon just lay down a vocal? Wasn't that sudden ...

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"The freshest sound in West Coast jazz since Gerry Mulligan!" Steve Hogan, Chief Music Operator at Pandora Radio

"Beep! offers a dynamic, vibrant sound...the exclamation mark in their name is definitely appropriate." C. Nathan Coyle, Rambles.net

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