Biography — in five movements
Sam Kogon is a Los Angeles-based artist, songwriter, and composer defined by an affinity for baroque-pop craftsmanship and cinematic atmosphere. Drawing from a foundation in Chopin and the Beatles, his career bridges the gap between legendary session work and international television scoring.
As a vocalist and composer, Sam has established a distinct musical voice in the UK television landscape, contributing original music and featured vocals for the BBC series Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise, where his performances have reached a global audience of over 10 million viewers.
His music recently appeared in the Werner Herzog-produced and Nathan Fielder-executive produced documentary Celebrity Caregiver. Other recent projects include serving as music consultant for director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on the upcoming documentary Reggae Girlz and composing the score for the short film Anima.
Kogon’s artistry is backed by an elite rock-and-roll pedigree. He has fronted the revived 1960s baroque-pop group The Left Banke (“Walk Away Renee”), recorded and performed with Al Jardine of the Beach Boys, and written with Grammy nominee Patty Smyth.
His recorded output includes the album Psychic Tears, featuring a duet with Frankie Cosmos, and a self-titled EP produced by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Dinosaur Jr.). Kogon was named one of WFUV’s Top 5 Indie Artists in New York, and his single “Barbed Wire” was championed as the “Coolest Song in the World” by Steven Van Zandt on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage.
Beyond the stage and studio, Sam is a lead voice in high-profile intellectual property litigation regarding the protection of music creators. He holds a degree in Environmental Studies from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry — a background that informs his perspective on the intersection of policy, law, and the arts.
“The Coolest Song
in the World.”
Side B
