Eddie Daniels
Encyclopedia
Eddie Daniels is an American
musician. Though he is best known as a jazz
clarinet
player, he has also played alto and tenor saxophone
s, as well as classical music
on the clarinet.
Daniels was born in New York City
to a Jewish family. He was raised in the Brighton Beach
neighborhood of Brooklyn
in New York City. He became interested in jazz as a teenager when he was impressed by the musicians accompanying singers, such as Frank Sinatra
, on recordings. Eddie's first instrument was the alto saxophone
, and by the age of 15 he had played at the Newport Jazz Festival
youth competition. By the time he entered college, he was also playing clarinet.
Daniels has toured and recorded with a variety of bands, small groups and orchestras, and appeared on television many times. Since the 1980s he has focused mainly on the clarinet. In 1989 he won a Grammy Award
for playing on the Roger Kellaway
arrangement of Memos from Paradise.
Eddie Daniels has played with Thad Jones
, and most recently has been featured as a guest artist with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
, on the album Swingin' For The Fences
, the first album by the band. He featured in Goodwin's arrangement of Mozart's 40th symphony in G minor on XXL
, and on the Big Phat Band's album The Phat Pack
on "Under The Wire".
In 2009 the Swiss composer and saxophonist Daniel Schnyder
composed a Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra called MATRIX 21 for Eddie Daniels and dedicated it to him. It was commissioned by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (Switzerland) and world-premiered in Lausanne under its artistic director Christian Zacharias
in January 2010. The American premiere took place at the Crested Butte
Music Festival
on July 18, 2010 under the direction of music director Jens Georg Bachmann.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician. Though he is best known as a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
player, he has also played alto and tenor saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s, as well as classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
on the clarinet.
Daniels was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to a Jewish family. He was raised in the Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is an oceanside neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. As of 2000, it has a population of 75,692 with a total of 31,228 households.-Location:...
neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in New York City. He became interested in jazz as a teenager when he was impressed by the musicians accompanying singers, such as Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, on recordings. Eddie's first instrument was the alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, and by the age of 15 he had played at the Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
youth competition. By the time he entered college, he was also playing clarinet.
Daniels has toured and recorded with a variety of bands, small groups and orchestras, and appeared on television many times. Since the 1980s he has focused mainly on the clarinet. In 1989 he won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for playing on the Roger Kellaway
Roger Kellaway
Roger Kellaway is an American composer, arranger, and pianist.Born in Waban, Massachusetts, he is an alumnus of the New England Conservatory...
arrangement of Memos from Paradise.
Eddie Daniels has played with Thad Jones
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader.-Biography:Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to a musical family of ten . Thad Jones was a self taught musician, performing professionally by the age of sixteen...
, and most recently has been featured as a guest artist with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, or simply The Big Phat Band, is an 18-piece jazz ensemble based in California and led by Gordon Goodwin. Goodwin composes most, and arranges all, of the group's performance pieces, as well as playing piano and occasionally tenor saxophone...
, on the album Swingin' For The Fences
Swingin' For The Fences
Swingin' For The Fences was the first album by the supergroup Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Released in 2001, the album quickly became one of the most popular jazz albums of the last 20 years. The album features many acclaimed players and soloists...
, the first album by the band. He featured in Goodwin's arrangement of Mozart's 40th symphony in G minor on XXL
XXL (album)
XXL is the second studio album by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, released on September 23, 2003. It includes guest performances from saxophonist Michael Brecker, the vocal group Take 6, clarinetist Eddie Daniels and singer Johnny Mathis.-Track listing:...
, and on the Big Phat Band's album The Phat Pack
The Phat Pack
The Phat Pack is the third studio album from Californian 18-piece jazz ensemble Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. The album was released June 13, 2006 under Silverline Records, and following the tradition of the group's previous two albums , a bonus DVD is included with the CD purchase...
on "Under The Wire".
In 2009 the Swiss composer and saxophonist Daniel Schnyder
Schnyder
Schnyder is used in Switzerland as an alternative spelling of the more common German surname Schneider . Immigrants to North America often spelled their name as Snyder.* Daniel Schnyder , Swiss jazz musician and composer...
composed a Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra called MATRIX 21 for Eddie Daniels and dedicated it to him. It was commissioned by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (Switzerland) and world-premiered in Lausanne under its artistic director Christian Zacharias
Christian Zacharias
-Music career:Zacharias studied piano with Irene Slavin and Vlado Perlemuter in Paris. He won the Geneva Competition in 1969 and the Van Cliburn Competition in 1973. After winning the Ravel Competition in Paris in 1975, he launched an international career...
in January 2010. The American premiere took place at the Crested Butte
Crested Butte
Crested Butte is a mountain peak butte of the Elk Mountains in the U.S. State of Colorado. It is also a town with a population of about 2000 people. The greater area includes Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte, Riverland, Riverbend, and Crested Butte South....
Music Festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
on July 18, 2010 under the direction of music director Jens Georg Bachmann.