Reinhold Reiter
Keyboards, Accordion

Reinhold Reiter - was born in Linz, Austria.  He and his family moved to the United States in 1957 and settled in Ohio.  Because of their German up-bringing, he was exposed to German music at a young age.  He started learning the accordion at age 8 with the encouragement of his parents and grandparents.  While living in the "Polka Mid-West", Reinhold was surrounded by and enjoyed listening and playing the popular polkas of Frankie Yankovic.  He and his family moved to Southern California in 1965 where he continued his academic and music education.  Being exposed to other types of music, he enjoyed and was influenced by the different styles of Dick Contino, Art Van Damme, Jimmy Smith, Booker T. and the MG's, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.  After graduating from high school, he started playing American "gigs" which included mostly standards with his electronic accordion (Cordovox) and various keyboards.  He also started performing up to six nights per week in different night clubs in the LA and Orange County area.  In 1973, "Mr. Reiter" started teaching accordion and keyboard classes in various private schools in Southern California, which he still does at the present time.  Being a teacher of music, he says you have to appreciate the many types, Classical to Pop, Jazz to Rock.  In the early 80's, he took a different direction by performing the "German circuit" engagements with different bands.  In 1985, he joined and was one of the original founders of the "Express" band-a German-American-Continental-Variety Dance Band.  They are celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year.

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Eb Jensen - was born in Aalborg Denmark, moved to Toronto Canada at the age of 5, then came to California at the age of 11.  He began playing guitar and bass at the age of 13 but lost interest shortly after.  It was not until the age of 18 that the musical bug bit him again.  Eb pleaded with a talented locally established guitarist Joe Kurkowski to show him some bar chords and blues scales. The two of them would eventually join together in a country band called the Western Revolution, and then later in a top forty band called Mirkwood.  Mirkwood would stay together for 4 years and then dissolved when Eb was 25.

Eb Jensen
Guitar

Jürgen Schwarze
Saxophones, Flutes, Clarinet

Jürgen Schwarze - was born in Ludwigsburg, West Germany and became a naturalized United States Citizen in 1978.  He served with the 3rd Marine Air Wing Band, El Toro for four years (1974-79) and is currently serving with the Air National Guard Band of the Southwest as the Superintendent and Band Manager with a total of 31 years of military service.

Since Jürgen is German born it seems like quite a natural fit for him to perform German music connecting with his childhood culture.  His first German band encounter was with “The Connection” in 1985 and after 5 years had an opportunity to join the “Express”.  Twenty years later he still finds the vast variety of musical genre most appealing and really connects with the authentic Volksmusik of his German heritage.  Musical influences over the years include: Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain, Artie Shaw, Eddie Daniels, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Stanley Turrentine, Michael Brecker and his all-time mentor Phil Sobel.

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Jim Jensen - was born in Haldum, Denmark, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1961 with his family.  Like a lot of kids of his generation, he got turned on to Rock and Roll by watching the Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan show.  He taught himself to play from the “Hard Day’s Night” songbook on his brother Palle’s guitar, which had been left behind when Palle got drafted.

In high school, he taught himself to play piano during nutrition breaks in the choir room.  After acquiring a Vox Jaguar organ, he and his friends Jeff Craig and Wil Davee on drums put together a three piece group, doing cover versions of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Grand Funk Railroad songs.  The band needed a bass player more than they needed a keyboard player, so since his best friend Jeff was the better lead guitarist, Jim switched to bass guitar.  The band played many high school parties and dances, but never made much money.  Eventually, Wil quit, joining an accordion player named Frank Theer in a German music group called “The Barons”, which had regular jobs at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim.  The Barons lacked a guitar player, and occasionally would hire either Jim or Jeff to play.  Jim’s brother E.B. would eventually become “The Barons” full time guitarist.

In college and after, Jim joined various Top 40, Oldies and R & B bands, sometimes as a keyboardist/guitarist, and

JensOve 'Jim' Jensen
Bass Guitar

sometimes as a bass player.  When his old friend Wil and Mike Waddell left the Barons to form their own German-
style band, Jim was hired as the guitarist.  The “M.W. Variety Band” played many German functions, and this is where Jim’s German repertoire was developed.

Jim also has been involved in a number of original music groups over the years, including Threshold, The Deborah Rose Band, The Night-Creatures, and his own solo projects under the name “Project Algebra”.  Jim is a prolific songwriter, and has recorded many songs where he plays all the instruments, and sings all the vocal parts.

Jim joined “The Express” as a second guitarist, filling in for the ailing Kuki Bahl, but eventually settled back into bass guitar again because “The Express” needed a bassist more than they needed a second guitarist.  When Kuki passed away, the current five-man line up was established.

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