David Dhoop

                                                                                          

David Dhoop - guitar, lead vocals, songwriting

David Dhoop is the stage persona of David Batts, whose songwriting and lyricism provide the foundation of the David Dhoop Band. David first came to Asheville to pursue jazz guitar studies at UNCA, after a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail led him to dedicate his life to music. Although David grew up around music from a young age, his evolution to professional musicianship has taken place primarily since moving to Asheville in 1998. Whether challenging himself with jazz guitar classes or developing his signature stage presence through original bands and songwriting, David quickly established himself as one of Asheville’s most talented stars. David has since been involved with many great local groups, including Peace Jones and Orange Krush. Performing with these groups helped David learn the music business while creating a place for himself on the Asheville stage.

Following a period of intense personal transformation, David’s development as a professional songwriter and musician has come full circle with his debut solo release, Don’t Miss a Thing. The album is a musical homage to his own journey, with starkly honest lyrics revealing a personal evolution set to soul, rock and roll, and funk. By his own admission, David had to “choose music again”, finding his voice and the artist within him in a new way. Don’t Miss a Thing and the birth of the David Dhoop Band represent over 10 years of David’s personal and professional development as a songwriter and musician.

                                                                                         

Brian Turner - keyboards

Brian Turner started playing piano at age 9, quickly blossoming into a dedicated piano student in Akron, Ohio. At the age of 12, he experienced the thrill of performing in front of a large audience as a musician at Akron Baptist Temple. One taste of that spotlight and Brian was hooked. He went on to study Piano Performance and Pedagogy at Ohio University, receiving the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and earning a spot as the alternate pianist for the 2005 International Association of Jazz Educators Ohio Collegiate jazz ensemble.

As a counterpoint to his classical training, Brian branched out into original projects and writing his own music during college. He has continued to explore original music, both as a soloist and as a member of a number of regional and national bands, including Peach Melba, Granola Funk Express (GFE), Orange Krush, and others. As a soloist and collaborative artist, Brian has shared the stage with many great international artists and bands including: Warren Haynes, Bobby McFerrin, Gene Bertoncini, Allen Vizzutti, John Fedchock, Mac Arnold, Bernie Worrell, Jeff Sipe, Jim Riggs, Spencer Bohren, Dino Kartsonakis, Vassar Clements, Eric Whitacre, Umphrey's McGee, The Slip, Freekbass, Betty Blowtorch, John Cowan Band, The Big Wu, Red Wanting Blue, Ekoostik Hookah, The Recipe, and others.

Brian's original music has reached a massive audience through internet, radio play and hundreds of podcasts. Brian’s two solo piano albums “Ascension” and “Singles” have been sold to people throughout the world. Brian runs a piano studio of 40 students and performs with the highly successful party band Orange Krush.  Brian also performs and records with many other local and regional artists and bands. Brian is the Associate Music Director at Etowah United Methodist Church and is the Programs Chair for the Asheville Area Piano Forum.

                                                                                         

Lief Stevens - bass

Asheville-native Lief Stevens grew up in a musical household and started playing bass to join in with the rest of his family’s music-making. As he became a more accomplished bassist, he began to see music and theater as ways to impact those around him. Lief attended the North Carolina School of the Arts for theater, where he began to feel that a career in drama would be difficult to accomplish. He began focusing solely on music, discovering the creativity of writing his own music as an outlet for his emotions.

Lief graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Music and began playing with the Atlanta wedding band “LImelight”. While in Atlanta, Lief also furthered his experience as a creative songwriter by playing with original bands “Thriftshop” and “Cult of the Kali Jester”. He has worked with Grammy Award winning production team Fulton Yard Unlimited on recording projects such as Goldstar Ingredient and Momma’s Moonshine. Lief has also played bass for musical theater productions at Atlanta’s Actors Express Theater.

Lief returned to Asheville in 2002 and founded the successful wedding and party band Orange Krush, whose reputation for high-energy entertainment and dedicated professionalism has made them one of the most sought-after event bands in the region.

                                                                                         

Justin Watt - drum kit

Justin Watt came to Asheville following a stint as the drummer for the Glenn Miller Orchestra. For two and a half years, Justin traveled throughout the US, Canada, and Japan with the orchestra, learning the life of a working musician while seeing the world.

Justin’s interest in music developed early on, gathering around the piano or guitar with his family members making music as a child. From this early foundation, Justin pursued a degree in percussion in his native northeastern Ohio at Kent State University. Justin subsequently earned a Master’s Degree from Youngstown State University. In addition to his role as percussionist for the David Dhoop Band, Justin is the drummer for the Asheville Jazz Orchestra, Deep River, several jazz combos, and does free-lance work for theatre, weddings, and other events.

                                                                                         

Frank Southecorvo - saxophone

Frank Southecorvo hails from Massachusetts, where he began playing saxophone at age 9. Largely a self-taught musician, Frank earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in sculpture from Boston University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California at Davis. Frank’s jazz sound was cultivated in Boston in the 1970s, where he studied with saxophonists Dave Faucher and Jerry Bergonzi. In 1987, Frank moved to Asheville, where he has shared the stage with a wide variety of musicians, including his own jazz band. Frank has performed with players Bobby Shew, Byron Strypling, Bill Gerhardt, Mike Holstein, Richard Shulman, Jeff Rudolph, Peggy Ratusz, and Tom Liner. Frank has also performed with a number of bands in the Asheville area, including Orange Krush, Magdaddys, Kat Williams, Current Invention, Ras Alan & the Lions, Maharaja Reggae Allstars, The Incontinentals, Chuck Lichtenberger Collective, Stephanie's Id, Voice of the Turtle, Done For The Evening, Asheville Jazz Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Hendersonville Symphony, Asheville Symphony, and the Tim and Peggy Hayden band.
 
Frank has released several CDs, including his recent release Chroma, featuring all new compositions recorded with his jazz quintet. Frank’s warm, expressive saxophone style can also be heard on Anthem, also released with his jazz quintet, and Chelsea Bridge, recorded with pianist Mark Freundt.