Tag Archives: Dan performing

1959 The Year Jazz Changed Playlist

2019 marks 60 years since the most important year in jazz history, 1959.

In 1959 Miles Davis released Kind of Blue (the best selling jazz album of all time), John Coltrane (who plays tenor sax on Kind of Blue) recorded his seminal Giant Steps album and Ornette Coleman pointed to the direction of jazz in the 1960’s with The Shape of Jazz to Come.  One also must not forget the contributions of Dave Brubeck and his Time Out album, (featuring Paul Desmond’s ‘Take Five’), Charles Mingus with his amazing Ah Um & amazing contributions by Cannonball Adderley, Coleman Hawkins, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Oscar Peterson, (who released 8 albums in this year!)

1959 also saw the death of two of the most important artists in the development of jazz both before the Second World War and after it, Billie Holliday and Lester Young, great friends off the band stand, an amazing partnership on it and died within weeks of each other.

So listen to the playlists below and be sure to come along to one of our concerts celebrating this amazing year in jazz history.  We’re at the Cambridge Arts Theatre on Sunday, 3rd March and the Cockpit London on Monday, 15th April with more dates to come!

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Honest Introspection

I frequently mention to students that YOU can be your best teacher if you learn to listen.

In this episode of #DansVlog I show you how I create a Honest Introspection from a gig I did at the Hot Numbers Jazz Cafe in Cambridge.

 

Selling My Sax

I’m selling my superb Yanagisawa A991B Black Alto Saxophone.

I’ve owned this sax since new, having purchased it directly from Yanagisawa back in 2013. I played all the Alto parts on my What if Rupert Murdoch Liked Jazz album on this saxophone and it’s a great sax that can play classical, jazz, pop, funk – ANYTHING.

I’ll be sorry to see it go, it’s on sale for £1800 + shipping and it will be on eBay if it is not sold by 26th August 2017.

Posting a Video for Deck The Halls – Christmas Project 2015

Here is a short video showing you how to record and upload a video from an iPad or iOS device for the Deck The Halls Christmas Project 2015.

There are a few things to remember when you’re recording Deck The Halls for the 2015 Christmas Project,

  1. You MUST record at full speed, any slowed down versions will not be used.
  2. If you can record the backing track through your headphones and only send me the sax.
  3. Try and play the whole piece, even if there are some sections that you have to leave out, (this saves me having 15 people playing the first 8 bars!)

Why I teach music

I’m often asked why and how I got into teaching the saxophone.

My answer can be as simple as two words: passion and inspiration.

I’ve been inspired by some great teachers over the years. Going right back to when I was just about tall enough to reach the keys and hammer away on my grandma’s organ, music has always fascinated me.

At primary school my teacher, who was not a trained musician, was so passionate about getting kids involved in music that he held DAILY band practices and an hour’s rehearsal after school on a Friday.

When I got older I met – and studied with – some of the biggest names in the saxophone world,  As I got to know them and found myself having amazing conversations with them, one thing struck me: ALL of them were passionate about music and wanted to draw other people in to know and love this wonderful art form.