Music
Press
DEANNA REUBEN/The Very Thought of You: A classically trained singer that found her feet under her in jazz, Reuben knows how to work a classic and deliver a solid performance. Straight ahead jazz takes on American chestnuts, this set has more bite than the typical set of this ilk that is just trying to fit the format. With a smoking crew of Philly jazzbos behind her, everyone is working like a unit and the results are always top shelf. A dandy find for straight up jazz vocal fans that love a singer that knows how to work in service to the song. - Midwest Record
DEANNA REUBEN/The Very Thought of You: A classically trained singer that found her feet under her in jazz, Reuben knows how to work a classic and deliver a solid performance. Straight ahead jazz takes on American chestnuts, this set has more bite than the typical set of this ilk that is just trying to fit the format. With a smoking crew of Philly jazzbos behind her, everyone is working like a unit and the results are always top shelf. A dandy find for straight up jazz vocal fans that love a singer that knows how to work in service to the song. - Midwest Record
Deanna Reuben captures the essence of romance through her heartfelt interpretation of our favorite songs. The Look of Love sends a message clearer than flowers or a box of candy or dinner and a movie. With this session, you get clarion vocals with a stellar jazz quintet that sparkles brightly through sensual ballads and upbeat rhythms. Tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna serves as Reuben’s musical partner, adding rapturous melodies to her resonant vocal themes.
With a fluid delivery, she shapes each song like clay. The rhythm from bass and drums gives each piece a heartbeat, while Marty Mellinger’s keyboards surround the session with synth strings and wallpaper of velvet. Reuben’s attack moves with emotional force as she sends a passionate message through her charming interpretations. With “Summertime,” for example, she explodes with the power of Shirley Bassey and creates lightning sparks along the way.
Most of the program, however, mellows out with soothing ballads that allow Reuben to wear her heart on her shirtsleeve. McKenna partners with her to add melodic grace. ”The Look of Love” stands out for its floating quality as the singer caresses the familiar melody with a hug and a kiss. “I Concentrate on You” puts Reuben and McKenna together in one of those simpatico relationships that bring out the best from all parties. In her upper register, the singer wears thin when the volume diminishes, causing some of her sheen to fade. She’s at her best when projecting forcefully up high and when crooning sweetly in the lower registers with that natural romantic spirit.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright ©2006 AllAboutJazz.com and Jim Santella. - All About Jazz. com
Deanna Reuben captures the essence of romance through her heartfelt interpretation of our favorite songs. The Look of Love sends a message clearer than flowers or a box of candy or dinner and a movie. With this session, you get clarion vocals with a stellar jazz quintet that sparkles brightly through sensual ballads and upbeat rhythms. Tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna serves as Reuben’s musical partner, adding rapturous melodies to her resonant vocal themes.
With a fluid delivery, she shapes each song like clay. The rhythm from bass and drums gives each piece a heartbeat, while Marty Mellinger’s keyboards surround the session with synth strings and wallpaper of velvet. Reuben’s attack moves with emotional force as she sends a passionate message through her charming interpretations. With “Summertime,” for example, she explodes with the power of Shirley Bassey and creates lightning sparks along the way.
Most of the program, however, mellows out with soothing ballads that allow Reuben to wear her heart on her shirtsleeve. McKenna partners with her to add melodic grace. ”The Look of Love” stands out for its floating quality as the singer caresses the familiar melody with a hug and a kiss. “I Concentrate on You” puts Reuben and McKenna together in one of those simpatico relationships that bring out the best from all parties. In her upper register, the singer wears thin when the volume diminishes, causing some of her sheen to fade. She’s at her best when projecting forcefully up high and when crooning sweetly in the lower registers with that natural romantic spirit.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright ©2006 AllAboutJazz.com and Jim Santella. - All About Jazz. com
Deanna is delicate when she should be and forceful when it matters most – fresh as a singing daisy. There’s much to throw yourself into here.
A pair of Schwartz/Dietz songs can’t be bettered. The verse of “I See Your Face Before Me” just glows. The tenderness of their “Haunted Heart” should stay with you for quite some time. Her treatment of “Devil May Care” (Kirk/Dorough) is uptempo and uplifting. Ms. Reuben dazzles here and is wildly on key throughout. The title song (Noble) is almost still sung. Bob Meashey most ably helps out on the fluge/horn.
“Where Do You Start?” (Bergmans/Mandel) is a moody yet spellbinding musical treat. Deanna never lets us in a deep ingrossing beautiful cry for a romantic past most personal. It’s emotionally draining. One can’t go wrong with the pair of Duke Ellington songs: “Just Squeeze Me” (Gaines) and “I Didn’t Know Enough About You” (Russell). Both can’t be improved upon. There is so much more to wrap yourself into here in her third album. - In Tune International Magazine - UK
Deanna is delicate when she should be and forceful when it matters most – fresh as a singing daisy. There’s much to throw yourself into here.
A pair of Schwartz/Dietz songs can’t be bettered. The verse of “I See Your Face Before Me” just glows. The tenderness of their “Haunted Heart” should stay with you for quite some time. Her treatment of “Devil May Care” (Kirk/Dorough) is uptempo and uplifting. Ms. Reuben dazzles here and is wildly on key throughout. The title song (Noble) is almost still sung. Bob Meashey most ably helps out on the fluge/horn.
“Where Do You Start?” (Bergmans/Mandel) is a moody yet spellbinding musical treat. Deanna never lets us in a deep ingrossing beautiful cry for a romantic past most personal. It’s emotionally draining. One can’t go wrong with the pair of Duke Ellington songs: “Just Squeeze Me” (Gaines) and “I Didn’t Know Enough About You” (Russell). Both can’t be improved upon. There is so much more to wrap yourself into here in her third album. - In Tune International Magazine - UK
Discography
The Look of Love, 2005
On Life and Love, 2009
The Very Thought of You, 2010
Christmas is Here, 2013
Photos
Bio
Deanna Reuben, concert vocalist and recording artist, has become one of the finest interpreters of the Great American Songbook working today. To date, she has recorded four albums, the latest being a lively jazz holiday recording entitled “Christmas is Here,” released in 2013.
A member of The Recording Academy, Deanna was the sole producer of this album, which also features some of Philadelphia’s finest jazz musicians to compliment her impeccable vocals.
Her first recording, “The Look of Love,” released in 2005, brought her high praise from critics and casual listeners alike. Her sophomore album, “On Life and Love,” released in 2009 features two of her original compositions. Teaming with R. Martin Mellinger, her haunting ballad “Here in the Night,” leaves her audiences mesmerized as she makes that soulful connection. In 2012, Deanna released her third album, “The Very Thought of You.” Inspired by the artistry of Chris Botti, this album features some lush lines as her voice weaves gently with flugelhorn and tenor sax.
Deanna Reuben fell in love with music at the age of seven, when she began taking piano lessons. Reuben, who was named after vocalist and Judy Garland contemporary Deanna Durbin, found singing at the age of fourteen, and never had a second thought about what she wanted to do with her life. Her career as a singer has run the gamut from Broadway to madrigals to opera, but Reuben’s versatility has been a key to her success. Aside from her vocal talents, Reuben is an accomplished pianist, composer, arranger, voice teacher, and choral director.
Her young life, growing up in Berks County, Pennsylvania, was not always easy, as she was raised mostly by a single working mother and grandmother. They struggled to make ends meet, and pay for voice and piano lessons. She still has fond memories of her Wurlitzer spinet piano where she and her grandmother would spend lots of time playing and singing hymns together. Her music was what brought her joy, when everything else in life was turned upside down. Deanna was singing all throughout high school, winning competitions and garnering solo spots.
Marrying quite young, by today’s standards, Deanna was blessed with two beautiful daughters. When the girls were toddlers, she decided to finish her college degree, graduating from Alvernia College, now Alvernia University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. “I would study when the girls went to bed, and arrange classes around their nursery school schedule. Sometimes though, I had no choice but to take them to class with me.”
Being a classically trained singer, she thus began teaching voice, choral directing and performing with local theater and opera organizations. It wasn’t until the next chapter of her life that her music career blossomed.
In the early 80’s she relocated to the Washington, DC area to pursue a dual career: music and real estate.
While maintaining a full time job in real estate, she followed her dream of becoming a professional soloist with the prestigious Washington Singers, and the former internationally renowned Paul Hill Chorale. She shared the stage with artists such as Marvin Hamlisch, Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, and performed in venues such as The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Mann Center, and Wolf Trap.
Tragedy struck when she was diagnosed with some peripheral damage to her vocal chords as a result of neck surgery. Unable to meet the vocal demands of classical artistry, she had to switch gears and find her new voice. A long-time fan of the great American songbook, Reuben began to find this new voice amongst ballads from the golden era of Broadway and from such composers of Harold Arlen, Arthur Schwartz, Frank Loesser and Michel Legrand. She was able to translate the conversational style of operatic recitatives to the jazz and Broadway standards that became her new forte, developing a distinctive and highly emotive style. Deanna doesn’t so much sing to a crowd as engage in a musical dialogue, with a voice that’s been compared to Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall and Astrud Gilberto.
Today she chooses performance venues of jazz clubs, performing arts centers, universities, private and corporate events. Over the last several years, she has performed in the Berks Jazz Fest, one of the largest jazz venues in the country.
Deanna also maintains a voice and piano studio in Berks County, PA. A long standing member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, she is currently developing a vocal course for seniors, designed to teach healthy vocal techniques to keep them singing into their 60’s and beyond.
Deanna derives great joy from producing and performing benefit concerts for non-profit organizations. She has raised upwards of $16,000 in a single concert, and knows what it takes to produce a successful event.
Giving back to her community isn’t something new for her, and she currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Alvernia Universi
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