Standard and Contemporary Jazz at its Finest
About the Band
Who we are and why
Throughout the course of their musical union, the members of Studio C have won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life. Performing at a variety of venues and making countless public appearances this talented Jazz Band has earned the admiration and affection of critics and fans alike. Get in touch to learn more about their musical expertise, repertoire, and performance rates.
Larry Cossid
Band Leader
Saxophone, Flute
As the Band Leader, Larry Cossid was inspired to start Studio C after having the pleasure of getting to know and playing with some of the top artists in the business. His vision was to pull together amazing musicians and have fun entertaining all who enjoy live music.
Larry began playing when he was in Junior High after listening to his big brother, Art, play the sax in the closet of their tiny Chicago apartment. His primary style of music is Jazz but also enjoys American Soul. Johnny Hodges and Phill Woods were his early influencers into music that lead to his most memorable moments of Back up band to George Burns for two performances at The Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara, playing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Soul City Survivors, and playing with Soul City Survivors when the band opened for Gladdis Knight in Las Vegas.
While Larry is loving playing with Studio C he is also lead Alto Sax for the Phoenix Big Band and an on-call sub with other bands.
Dave Brooks
Drummer
Dave Brooks is Studio C’s lead drummer. He currently lives in Oxnard California. Dave knew he was hooked when he was in 5th grade and watched the kids play on the lunchroom tables with rubber tipped drum sticks. He plays all styles of music but was most influenced by Frank Zappa, Bill Bruford, the Grateful Dead, and Max Roach. Dave has enjoyed years of performing but most cherished the time he has had the pleasure of playing with great friends and musicians.
Sophie Holt
Vocalist
Sophie Holt is a vocalist and plays guitar and bass. She lives in Ojai, California. She began studying classical guitar at 12 and began singing in her teens. She began playing shows in Venice, CA in 2010. Sophie released her first EP in 2015 and will be releasing more songs in 2019. From the first moment her grandpa taught her how to whistle and to snap her fingers she knew she was destined to be a musician . At a very young age she loved singing in the shower, in choir at school, and in big echoing churches. She would pick up any instrument she could get her hands on and try to play it. Currently, she plays her own unique style of singer songwriter folky, jazz, with R&B flare original songs and covers. Sophie was most influenced by any funky music such as Joni Mitchell, Bjork, Annie Lennox, Beady Belle, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke. She has performed on tour with Anais Mitchell’s Folk Opera “Hadestown” and sung with Band of Horses on Jimmy Kimmel live in 2012. She was featured on a compilation album called “The Alchemy of Fire” to raise funds for disaster relief through the non-profit organization Greater Goods. The album, released on the new label Helpful Humans, features other artists such as Jack Johnson, Lissie, Aaron Embry and Ted Lennon. Currently, she is finishing up a few recordings of original material to be released in 2019. She is teaming together with singer songwriter Ted Lennon to create a special events duo called The Honey do’s.
Vance Beach
Electric Bass, Guitar
Vance lives in Ventura, California. He began playing music in Junior High school and knew it was for him when he saw the Beatle on the Ed Sullivan TV Show in 1964. He currently plays Jazz and Delta Blues. Vance’s biggest musical influences come from the 1960s and early 1970’s Motown, Beach Boys and Steely Dan. Vance gets together every other Sunday with some cats who have been bandmates of his off and on for about 50 years or so. They play some of their favorite songs that they've written thru all that time. They sometimes play their two killer covers: "Winter Song" - Loudon Wainwright III and "Tickets to Waterfalls" - Jack Bruce.
Joseph Alex Reyes
Trombone, Bass, Trombone, Tuba
Joseph is based in Camarillo, CA, performing in venues from LA to Santa Barbara. He played his first gigs in 2011 while still in high school. He started joining professional bands and ensembles in 2014 and has been involved in dozens of performances every year. When he first started learning music at age 10 he knew that music was going to be a major part of his life. He found his niche when he picked up trombone when at 12, and tuba at 13. Little did he know that combo would serve him well as a doubler for several gigs. He currently plays both instruments regularly and professionally in several groups. He is primarily a classical musician, but he also performs various genres, including jazz, rock, pop, Latin, and more. He plays in ensembles ranging in size from solos and quintets to big bands and symphony orchestras. He pulls great influence from Glen Miller, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, and more. He was also greatly influenced by musicians that straddle multiple music scenes. As a tubist, he studied with Brendan McMullin and P. Blake Cooper, both great jazz and classical musicians who have studied among legends like Jim Self and Doug Tornquist. Other inspirations include Oystein Baadsvik, Harvey Phillips, William Bell, Andrew Malloy, Gary Pratt, and Michael Mull, and Matt Harris. Joseph’s current projects range from classical, to jazz, to commercial music performing as the principal tubist of the Gold Coast Wind Ensemble, as well as a member of the Beach Cities Brass Quintet of Santa Barbara, and the Mitch Schuster Brass Quintet of Simi Valley. He holds a chair in the Pheonyx Big Band in Camarillo and occasionally collaborates with Green Monk Jazz Combo. Other recent ensembles include the Ventura Jazz Orchestra, CSUN Wind Symphony, Moorpark Symphony Orchestra, and the Moorpark College Wind Ensemble and Jazz Bands. He is an arranger for the CSUN Studio Ensemble, writing pop and film music to be performed by student musicians in a studio-style scenario. He is currently finishing his Bachelor of Music degree in composition at California State University, Northridge, where he regularly collaborates with other students in their recitals as a performer, arranger, and conductor.
Bill Barrett
B flat and C flute, Piccolo, Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Bill lives in Thousand Oaks, California. He began his career playing in the Conejo Symphony while in high school. He knew he would be a musician when his father put on an Al Hirt album. He plays all kinds of music but specializes in classical, jazz, big band, rock and funk. His biggest influences are Doc Severinsen, Al Hirt, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, Maurice Andre, Chet Baker, Phil Smith, Allen Vizzutti. Bill’s most memorable musical moment are recording at Capitol Records using the old method, direct to disk, with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1977; playing 1st trumpet for the reunion of the original cast of "Jesus Christ Superstar" for a fundraiser at Merv Griffin Theater in Hollywood; playing in a 25 piece percussion and brass ensemble for the space shuttle "ENDEAVOR" when it came to L.A. on the back of a 747 in 2012; playing on Tex Beneke's last record before he passed away. Bill just finished a national tour of the musical "Evita"; playing a two day run of "Chicago" in Riverside. In April he will play for Hollywood Highs production of "Annie" and later in July, he will play "West Side Story" at the Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium.
Dr. John C. Webb
Saxophone, Flute, Piano and Vocals
Dr. John C. Webb plays Saxophones, flute, piano, vocals. He lives in Camarillo, California. His musical beginnings are not the traditional instant success story. He started playing flute in 4th grade but was kicked out of band because he couldn't get a note out of the flute and was told he didn't have an aptitude for music. His Mom "convinced" the director to get him lessons from his daughter. Thanks Mom! Hearing an Al Hirt record was when Dr. Webb knew he wanted to be a musician. He now plays all types of Jazz and enjoys R&B and the oldies. Believe it or not, his doctorate was in classical saxophone performance and pedagogy! Take that Mr. 4th Grade Band Teacher! His most memorable performance was one time where everything came together in a performance of an original tune of mine with Ed Petersen on soprano sax, Frank Mantooth on piano, Larry Gray on bass, Dave Mancini on drums and myself on flute. It gave him chills.
Dr. Webb retired after 31 years of being a university professor of jazz studies and saxophone. He and his wife moved back to California in 2017 where he freelances with a number of groups. He also publishing a book: Well I'll be a Blue-Nosed Gopher...Practicing Happiness Now! It's all about what we need and don't need to be "happy", and features stories about his wife who suffered a traumatic brain injury, yet shows him daily about the true nature of happiness!
