Personnel on "The Dan Faulk Songbook, Vol. 1."
Dan Faulk-tenor and soprano saxophones
Carlton Holmes-piano
Ugonna Okegwo-bass
Will Terrill-drums
(Release Date: 2003)
Celebrated tenor/soprano saxophonist Dan Faulk has recorded on several CDs with many of jazz's legendary masters including Barry Harris, Jimmy Heath, J.J. Johnson, Wayne Shorter and James Spaulding. For nearly 2 years, Dan was a full-time member of the J.J. Johnson Quintet until J.J. retired from music in December '97. Dan recorded on 2 CDs with Johnson for Verve Records. Since July '97, Dan has regularly been a featured soloist with Steve Turré and the Sanctified Shells. As a leader, Dan has 2 CDs under his own name. Dan's first CD, "Focusing In," made such a impact that it was chosen to be featured on the cover of the 1995 "Bielefelder Katalog," Europe's most widely-circulated and comprehensive jazz discography. In addition to his extensive performance career, Dan is the Director of Jazz Studies and a professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he teaches various music history and performance courses.
Dan was raised in the West, mainly in Arizona. At the age of 8, he began playing the alto saxophone. At age 14, switched to his primary instrument--the tenor. Shortly after, he began to work and perform throughout the area in various musical settings. In 1987, Dan attended Boston's Berklee College of Music and studied with tenor saxophonist Bill Pierce. A year and a half later, he transferred to New Jersey's William Paterson College and continued his musical studies with Rufus Reid, Joe Lovano, Harold Mabern, Steve Turré, Norman Simmons, and other members of WPC's outstanding staff. Also, during this time, Dan studied with the legendary pianist Barry Harris and the illustrious saxophonist/composer Benny Golson. In 1991, he finished his studies at William Paterson and received a Bachelor's Degree of Music. Soon after graduation, he was hired by WPC's Director of Jazz Studies and Performance--the world-renowned bassist Rufus Reid--to join his co-led TanaReid quintet. Dan was a continual member of this ensemble for three years and recorded two albums with the group.
Dan has performed with several groups including the Cindy Blackman Quartet, the Henry Butler Quartet, the J.J. Johnson Quintet, Ronnie Mathews' Sextet, the Mingus Dynasty, the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, the James Spaulding Quintet, TanaReid, and Steve Turré and the Sanctified Shells to name a few. He has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Cuba, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Israel, Portugal, Turkey, and the West Indies in many of jazz's top clubs including New York City's "Blue Note," "Iridium," and ""Sweet Basil," Oakland's "Yoshi's," Toronto's "Top of the Senator," Cologne, Germany's "Subway." Some of Dan's highlight performances in the jazz festival scene have included the "Playboy Jazz Festival" in Los Angeles, France's "Jazz a Vienne Festival," Holland's "North Sea Jazz Festival," Canada's "du Maurier Jazz Festival" (in Vancouver and Toronto), and NYC's "Panasonic Jazz Festival."
Dan is a prolific composer having penned over 100 compositions to date, several of which have been recorded by various artists. His compositions have been performed by various musicians, including Benny Golson, Barry Harris, Ronnie Mathews, Rufus Reid, and James Spaulding.
After hearing "The Dan Faulk Songbook, Vol. 1," you'll know why Dan was described by Saxophone Journal as "a consummate artist who has a unique sound on the tenor and soprano saxophones."
For more information on Dan Faulk, visit www.danfaulkjazz.com
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