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Jazz and Traditional Pop (from the Great American Songbook) have found a creative and comfortable home at Theta Sound Studio. It doesn’t hurt that founder and chief engineer Randy Tobin LOVES these genres and treats them with the care and respect that they deserve!

Jazz / Traditional Pop

Vocal legend Mel Carter with his new Mug Club mug at Theta Sound Studio

Vocal legend Mel...

Mel Carter giving his all for “The Other Standards” at Theta Sound Studio

Mel Carter giving...

Grant Geissman and John Rodby during Mel Carter’s “The Other Standards” recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio

Grant Geissman and...

Quentin Dennard in the drum booth, laying it down for Mel Carter’s “The Other Standards” recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio

Quentin Dennard in...

James Leary on bass in the Control Room for Mel Carter’s “The Other Standards” big band recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio

James Leary on...

Nolan Shaheed on 2nd Trumpet, Jon Papenbrook on 1st Trumpet, Brandon Phillips on 3rd Trumpet, Duane Benjamin on Trombone and Denis Jiron on Bass Trombone comprise the brass section for Mel Carter’s “The Other Standards” big band recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio

Nolan Shaheed on...

Adam Schroeder on Baritone Sax, Rastine Calhoun on Alto Sax, Fred Jackson on Alto Sax and Charles Owens on Tenor Sax comprise the woodwinds section for Mel Carter’s “The Other Standards” big band recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio. Also pictured: guitarist Grant Geissman and arranger/pianist John Rodby.

Adam Schroeder on...

Mel Carter returned to Theta Sound Studio with a collection of lesser known standards and brought them to life with terrific arrangements for quartet and big band. “Mel Carter – The Other Standards” is sure to become a favorite for Mel’s many fans, and for people who love the great music of the Traditional Pop genre.

Mel Carter returned...

Ava Dupree can swing with the best of ’em and get funky, too. There’s a lot of both on “Blues for Sistah Dupree,” recorded live in front of an invited audience at Theta Sound Studio. Ava, along with Yve Evans, has been a regular performer at the Sweet and Hot Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.

Ava Dupree can...

Yve Evans is one of the finest jazz singers and pianists, period. Anyone who has ever seen her shows becomes an instant fan! With her sharp wit and command of the genre, there’s really no other way to record this icon except LIVE! And that’s just what we did one afternoon at Theta Sound Studio. Randy Tobin recorded the entire session direct to 2-track digital, and the finished album was edited from those master tapes.

Yve Evans is...

What better way to celebrate Christmas than with an album of classic holiday songs by the incomparable Yve Evans! Theta Sound Studio captured the spirit of the season on “Christmas Yve.”

What better way...

When is a coffee house not a coffee house? When it’s a Private Session! We took the coffee house idea and turned it into a private live recording session for Yve Evans and Company (Brad Bobo, bass; Tony Drake, guitar, Larry Washington, drums). Yve invited a few of her closest friends and supporters and twice as many showed up for the recording date! Be on the lookout for the upcoming CD that came from that magical night at Theta Sound!

When is a...

Susan Kohler tossed her hat into the Traditional Pop ring with her debut album “Cocktail Napkins.” With some of the best songs from the Great American Songbook, supple arrangements by Nick Fryman, and Randy Tobin’s touch at the controls, this album sets the mood for romance.

Susan Kohler tossed...

Susan Kohler’s second album found her choosing classic songs from “My Favorite Gentlemen” (a reference to the male songwriters of the day) which raised the bar with the inclusion of sizzlin’ big band arrangements and the players to pull it off with style! Randy Tobin had his hands full with this one but being a big band fan himself, engineered this album to sound as good as the very best.

Susan Kohler’s second...

Music director and arranger Nick Fryman distributes the charts while sax man Roger Neumann sets up during Susan Kohler’s recording sessions for her third album at Theta Sound Studio, “Just Harold”

Music director and...

Frank Potenza on guitar and Jeff Colella at the piano, going over a chart during Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” sessions at Theta Sound Studio

Frank Potenza on...

Bassist Randy Landas in iso booth 2 during the recording sessions for Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” album

Bassist Randy Landas...

Rod Harbour laying down the groove in iso booth 1 at Theta Sound during Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” recording sessions

Rod Harbour laying...

The brass section for Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” sessions: Bryant Byers and Scott Whitfield on trombones; Carl Saunders, Bob O’Donnell and Anne King on trumpets

The brass section...

The saxophone section for Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” sessions: Roger Neumann, Rusty Higgins and Glenn Morrissette

The saxophone section...

Arranger and musical director Nick Fryman conducting the big band for Susan Kohler’s “Just Harold” recording sessions at Theta Sound Studio

Arranger and musical...

Another view of the brass section with producer Susan Kohler listening from the control room during the “Just Harold” sessions

Another view of...

What happens when you pick some of Broadway’s best songs with religious themes, put them in the capable hands of jazz arranger Perry Hart, and turn Katheryne Levin and a hot band loose in the studio? You get “At the Corner of God and Broadway,” an album that’s at home in any jazz collection as well as well as gospel or Contemporary Christian genres!

What happens when...

Lionel Hampton & his Big Band LIVE was recorded at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre when Lionel was a mere 90 years old! Producers Lloyd Rucker and W. Prince Moore brought the recordings to Randy Tobin at Theta Sound Studio for editing and mastering. The resulting 2-CD set is a testament the the percussion legend and the many musician friends who appeared on the stage that night to celebrate Lionel and his jazz legacy.

Lionel Hampton &...

String of Pearls is Perry Hart, Katheryne Levin and Warren Adams (shown here with their Theta Sound Mug Club hardware). They perform amazing three-part harmony jazz pieces with innovative arrangements by Perry Hart. The vocals for their latest album, “It’s about Time” were recorded by Randy Tobin at Theta Sound Studio.

String of Pearls...

Pianist Michael Le Van has established himself firmly in the Southern California Jazz scene with his constant appearances at prominent jazz clubs like Steamers in Orange County. This album features Michael and his trio playing with passion as Randy Tobin captured the magic of these sessions. The finished CD became the demonstration album for a local high-end stereo store!

Pianist Michael Le...

Recorded live at Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton, California, “Hands On” was mastered by Randy Tobin at Theta Sound Studio for CD release. Our art department also created the album package while Randy supervised the manufacturing of the CD.

Recorded live at...

Mel Carter’s first album project with Randy Tobin at Theta Sound Studio was this gem, “The Heart & Soul of Mel Carter,” featuring a great selection of songs, inspiring arrangements and top Los Angeles session players who live and breathe this genre of music.

Mel Carter’s first...