Not that playing in his own neighbourhood is a totally new experience; he can almost be qualified as a regular at Ten Feet Tall on the Danforth where his trio played during this summer's Toronto Jazz Festival and where they are a fairly familiar presence at the Sunday jazz series.
Rounding out his trio is Anthony Michelli on drums and Riverdale resident Rob Clutton on bass.
For the release of the trio's seventh CD, called The Sound of Songs, he decided not to stray too far from the 'hood, and will perform at the recently renovated Papermill Theatre at historic Todmorden Mills on Sept. 13.
Unfortunately, for local jazz fans, the 160-plus seat venue has already sold out through the strength of his mailing lists and word of mouth.
Luckily, the CD is now available. You can preview a selection from it online at www.stevekoven.com. You can also preview selections from his previous CDs, and can download one song per CD as well as the trio's entire first album on a voluntary payment basis although, he added, "Maybe a small donation would always be appreciated."
Koven, who has taught at York University's music program for the last eight years and who also gives private lessons, has lived in the Donlands and O'Connor area for the past couple of years and prior to that lived in Leaside for 16 years.
He was born and raised in North York, attending York Mills Collegiate before wrapping up his final year at Sir Sanford Fleming Academy.
His trio has played in most of Toronto's high profile jazz venues, both present and past, and has also travelled extensively, particularly to China, Japan and the Caribbean. As an educator, most of his touring combines performing and teaching.
"Last year, I was in the Barbados teaching. I was brought down there to teach 120 violin and viola players how to play creatively," he said.
He has another performing/teaching trip lined up for the Bahamas in the new year and said he's "working on getting back to Japan again."
"I sell more CDs in Japan than I do in Canada, and I've only been over there twice," he said.
He recently got word - and a royalty check to go along with it - that one of the tracks from his previous CD Resurgence (which was distributed in Japan) was included on a recent compilation CD in Japan.
Besides his trio, Koven also anchors Project Rex, which he started three years ago as "a really fun party band", and which also had a gig during the downtown jazz festival at Nathan Phillips Square.
Koven also has a third steady gig, but it's not one you'll usually find in one of Toronto's jazz venues or that he will take on the road.
And that's because it's a duo with his father, Dr. Irving Koven, a retired long-time surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and also an accomplished piano player.
A real labour of love, this duo can be mainly found volunteering their talents in local seniors' residences.
Koven's CD release concert, meanwhile, will obviously feature material from the new CD "plus other older songs and maybe some new ideas."
For more on the CD, log on to the Music Notes blog at www.insidetoronto.com.