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Patricia Dean
This Tampa, Florida, native was literally and figuratively surrounded by music while growing up. Her father a clarinetist and alto saxophonist recorded with Bobby Sherwood on the Capital recording of "Sherwood's Forrest" later switched to piano and her brother played bass. But the person who, as she says, "totally blew me away," was none other than the singer/drummer Karen Carpenter. "My fascination with the drums and singing came about when I first saw her," Dean says. "I knew that that's what I wanted to do."
Dean went through her "banging on pots and pans stage" while playing with The Carpenter's records, though in Dean's case, it was pillows and then aluminum foil-covered boxes that took the place of the cookware. Finally, she got an actual drum set, began studying privately and really playing, at the age of 11. She played her first professional job with her father and brother when she was 14.
And along the way, she listened and listened and listened. What is so special about Dean's singing, is that she is equally skilled and convincing as a heartfelt ballad singer, swinging scatter, and evocative interpreter of Brazilian melodies. That's rare.
Through the years, Dean has worked with any number of jazz legends, including Nat Adderley, Ira Sullivan, and more recently with Jazz vocalist Giacomo Gates and saxophonist Harry Allen and the late John LaPorta who once said to her... "your two and four is so deep."
Gear
Yamaha Drums Zildjian and Paiste cymbals Neuman 105 live performance microphone FBT Powered Speakers, Yamaha 4 channel mixer
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The Swiss Connection
![The Swiss Connection](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/23e389699af20c310f810d6f8e917902.jpg)
Source:
Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
Drummer-singer Patricia Dean brought her trio to the South County Jazz Club's matinee concert series at the Venice FL Art Center Thursday, and quite willingly handed the center of attention to her pianist. William Evans is based in St. Petersburg for a few months a year but spends the bulk of his time teaching jazz piano and performing in Switzerland, where he's a longtime faculty member at the Swiss Jazz School in Basel. When he's back in Southwest Florida, it's ...
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Local Jazz Gets a Mighty Fine Bonus
![Local Jazz Gets a Mighty Fine Bonus](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/23e389699af20c310f810d6f8e917902.jpg)
Source:
Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
Jazz fans at JD's Bistro & Grill in Port Charlotte expecting to hear drummer Patricia Dean's fine trio got an added bonus Thursday night. Jacksonville-based singer Lisa Kelly and trumpeter J.B. Scott sat in during the second and third sets. The husband-and-wife educators at the University of North Florida were in the area for two days of guest teaching at the Harrison School of the Arts in Lakeland. Jeff Phillips, a versatile and highly talented pianist who teaches jazz at ...
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