Dave Deporis was a prolific American singer-songwriter primarily active in the New York and California music scenes, most notably as part of the NY anti-folk resurgence of the early aughts.

Taking inspiration from classical, folk and world music, lyrically intensive singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, alternative, grunge and post-punk artists of the late 1980s and early 90s, Dave sought to make original music which was both refined and fiercely non-elitist.

Deporis' work is often raw & emotional, delivered with a unique voice, alternately growling & ethereal, speaking directly and sincerely to the listener on subjects ranging from apocalyptic premonitions to the most simple feelings of love and belonging.

Despite continuously writing, recording and performing for nearly 20 years, playing alongside many other well known and highly respected musicians, Dave never formally released an album during his lifetime.

In August of 2017, Dave was working outside a cafe in Oakland when a thief grabbed the laptop he was working on which contained many  of his unreleased recordings. Dave pursued the thief as they fled and was struck down by the getaway vehicle. Since his passing, most of his large body of work has been gathered (including backup copies of most work originally feared lost in the theft) and an ongoing project is underway to preserve and share Dave's music with a broader audience. 

In August of 2017, Dave was working outside a cafe in Oakland when a thief grabbed a laptop which contained many of his unreleased recordings. Dave pursued the thief as they fled and was struck down by the getaway vehicle.

Since his passing, much of his large body of work has been gathered (including backups of most work originally feared lost in the theft) and an ongoing project is underway to preserve and share Dave's music with a broader audience. 

Dave Deporis was a prolific American singer-songwriter primarily active in the New York and California music scenes, most notably as part of the NY anti-folk resurgence of the early aughts.

Taking inspiration from classical, folk and world music, lyrically intensive singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, alternative, grunge and post-punk artists of the late 1980s and early 90s, Dave sought to make original music which was both refined and fiercely non-elitist.

Deporis' work is often raw and emotional, delivered with a unique voice, alternately growling and ethereal, speaking directly and sincerely to the listener on subjects ranging from apocalyptic premonitions to the most simple feelings of love and belonging.

Despite continuously writing, recording and performing for nearly 20 years, playing alongside many other well known and highly respected musicians, Dave never formally released an album during his lifetime.

Dave Deporis was a prolific American singer-songwriter primarily active in the New York and California music scenes, most notably as part of the NY anti-folk resurgence of the early aughts.

Taking inspiration from classical, folk and world music, lyrically intensive singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, alternative, grunge and post-punk artists of the late 1980s and early 90s, Dave sought to make original music which was both refined and fiercely non-elitist.

Deporis' work is often raw and emotional, delivered with a unique voice, alternately growling and ethereal, speaking directly and sincerely to the listener on subjects ranging from apocalyptic premonitions to the most simple feelings of love and belonging.

Despite continuously writing, recording 
and performing for nearly 20 years, playing alongside many other well known and highly respected musicians, Dave never formally released an album during his lifetime.

In August of 2017, Dave was working outside a cafe in Oakland when a thief grabbed a laptop which contained many of his unreleased recordings. Dave pursued the thief as they fled and was struck down by the getaway vehicle.

Since his passing, much of his large body of work has been gathered (including backups of most work originally feared lost in the theft) and an ongoing project is underway to preserve and share Dave's music with a broader audience. 

This effort has been greatly fueled by Dave's friends, who have not only raised funds, shared stories, information & media for the archive, but also contributed their time and talents to helping ensure Dave's memory and music live on.

"For The Birds and Children" marked the first official release from the project. Further releases are planned for the near future with many albums worth of Dave's songs to be released over time. 

In August of 2017, Dave was working outside a cafe in Oakland when a thief grabbed a laptop which contained many of his unreleased recordings. Dave pursued the thief as they fled and was struck down by the getaway vehicle.

Since his passing, much of his large body of work has been gathered (including backups of most work originally feared lost in the theft) and an ongoing project is underway to preserve and share Dave's music with a broader audience. 

This effort has been greatly fueled by Dave's friends, who have not only raised funds, shared stories, information & media for the archive, but also contributed their time and talents to helping ensure Dave's memory and music live on.

"For The Birds and Children" marked the first official release from the project. Further releases are planned for the near future with many albums worth of Dave's songs to be released over time. 

This effort has been greatly fueled by Dave's friends, who have not only raised funds, shared stories, information & media for the archive, but also contributed their time and talents to helping ensure Dave's memory and music live on.

"For The Birds and Children" marked the first official release from the project. Further releases are planned for the near future with many albums worth of Dave's songs to be released over time.

This effort has been greatly fueled by Dave's friends, who have not only raised funds, shared stories, information & media for the archive, but also contributed their time & talents to helping ensure Dave's memory and music live on.

"For The Birds and Children" marked the first official release from the project. Further releases are planned for the near future with many albums worth of Dave's songs to be released over time.

A Story of a Musician
You've Never Heard Of

"There’s music that comes from the unknown. Music with a strangeness that is at first both annoying and arresting, music with a depth which proves that it issues from the mind of someone who has known pain and hope and unthinkable sorrow — someone, in other words, who knows a bit about life, and not from the outside, but from the core. Dave is that musician.”

Dave Deporis:
An Extraordinary Life

A full-length audio documentary about Dave's life and music featuring interviews with his parents Stella Deporis and Gene Deporis, songwriters Peter Himmelman and Diane Cluck, and Dave himself in a 2005 Spinning On Air radio interview, as well as several songs and excerpts showing the music’s power and inventiveness.

SNAP JUDGMENT COUNTED:
AN OAKLAND STORY

A segment covering Dave's untimely death, the reaction of family friends and the community from Snap Judgment's Counted: An Oakland Story which chronicled some of the many lost to violence in Oakland during 2017.

A Story of a Musician
You've Never Heard Of

"There’s music that comes from the unknown. Music with a strangeness that is at first both annoying and arresting, music with a depth which proves that it issues from the mind of someone who has known pain and hope and unthinkable sorrow — someone, in other words, who knows a bit about life, and not from the outside, but from the core. Dave is that musician.”

Dave Deporis:
An Extraordinary Life

A full-length audio documentary about Dave's life and music featuring interviews with his parents Stella Deporis and Gene Deporis, songwriters Peter Himmelman and Diane Cluck, and Dave himself in a 2005 Spinning On Air radio interview, as well as several songs and excerpts showing the music’s power and inventiveness.

SNAP JUDGMENT: Counted
an OAKLAND STORY

A segment covering Dave's untimely death, the reaction of family, friends & the community from Snap Judgment's project Counted: An Oakland Story which chronicled some of the many lost to violence in Oakland during 2017.