Dean Oldencott
Drums 'n Stuff

It all began many years back in kindergarten while attending catholic schools. Dean's musical career started out playing guitar for all of 6 weeks, it didn't take. Then a couple of years later he tried piano, that only lasted a couple of weeks, definitely didn't take; we're told the piano teacher went running out of the room. Then the following Christmas Santa brought a practice pad and a pair of drumsticks and Dean found his calling.

Fortunately for Dean, his father was a music educator and professional trumpet player, so he grew up around lots of jazz and classical music and definitely surrounded by the arts. In middle school, he started studying with private teachers and playing in the school concert band and jazz bands. Then came high school and marching bands and lots of contests and concerts. Dean was a member of the All-state Concert Band and Jazz Band in his Junior and Senior years respectively. After High School Dean was definitely not ready for more school. A weekend up to Austin, TX to visit a friend, Dean ended up sitting in with his band in a club on 6th street, which ended up as an audition, which ended up with him moving to Austin the day after graduating from H.S. and joining a band.

Austin proved to be great training ground because there where so many great players in town and every night you could go and see someone who was just burning. While in Austin, Dean played with and opened up for such acts as: Spyro Gyra, The Commodores The Jets, Joe Henderson, Dennis Dotson Trik Trax, a local act which toured Texas and the east, and many more.

After 10 years in the Austin area, Dean moved back to San Antonio, TX, where he grew up, for a break from the scene for about a year. While there he got a call from an old friend who was out in Colorado who said," Come on out and audition for this band out here, there called Buster Brown." So out to CO it was in the summer of 91' and out on the road once again, this time to the Northwest.

After 5 years of covering the road and the west it was time to settle down a bit and he started working in in the Denver, Boulder area, doing society work and freelancing as a drummer with local acts such as: One-Up, Opie Gone Bad, Freddie and Henchi Band, Wendy Woo Band, Blackdog, the Jonnie O Band and, most recently, the new Boulder band "Being Lara Maukovich," an Afro-Cuban jazz fusion band, who Dean still plays with when he is not out with Sally Taylor.

Since touring with Sally last year, Dean has been busy freelancing and teaching in the Denver/Boulder area! Living now in the mountain town of Pine, CO, he teaches close to 30 private students and does drum clinics for the local school districts. In addition this this Dean will be working with the Conifer High School marching drumline this coming year as part of his teaching duties!

Most recently Dean has been playing playing with the new variety band "Fresh Affect", which plays lots of corporate events all over the state of CO. In addition to this, he has also been playing with the "DKO"(Darren Kramer Organization) which is a jazz/fusion funk band that plays local festivals and clubs! Darren and his sister Dawn were on tour as the horn section for MatchBox 20 last year and also go out to Vegas to tour with Tom Jones! Along with these kind of gigs, Dean also spends time freelancing with Afro-Cuban bands and Salsa bands to work on more ideas for a book that he is writing for his drum students. This will be an independent book for instructional use with young drummer's!!!

Look for Dean out on tour with Sally and the rest of the clan this summer!!!!!! Dean Oldencott plays "Tribes" drum's hand crafted by Fritz!! Ziljdan cymbals and Vic Firth stick's.