Dan Faulk

As a recording artist, tenor/soprano saxophonist Dan Faulk has recorded on several CD's with many of Jazz's legendary masters including Jimmy Heath, Barry Harris, Louis Hayes, Richard Davis, and James Spaulding.

Dan's "Focusing In" CD cover was chosen to be featured on the cover of the 1995 Bielefelder Katalog--Europe's most widely-circulated and extensive jazz discography.

Beginning in March '95, Dan has been a full-time member of the J.J. Johnson Quintet. He has recorded on two CD's with Johnson for Verve Records. Also an experienced instructor, Dan is currently a staff member at Rutgers-Newark, where he teaches jazz history.

Born in Philadelphia, Pa. on November 22, 1969, Dan was raised in the West, mainly in Prescott, Arizona. At the age of 8, he began playing the alto saxophone, but at 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 Turre, 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 J.J. Johnson Quintet, Steve Turre and the Sanctified Shells, TanaReid, the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, The Mingus Dynasty, Valarie Ponomerov, and James Spaulding to name a few. He has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Spain, and Turkey at many of jazz's top clubs including New York City's "Blue Note" and "Sweet Basil," Oakland's "Yoshi's," Toronto's "Top of the Senator," Cologne, Germany's "Subway," and Paris' "La Villa." 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."

As a leader, Dan has toured with his own ensemble as well as with the recently formed, collaborative group Quintet X. Dan's second CD release, Spirits In The Night on Fresh Sound Records, was released in December '97.

At 28, Dan is already a prolific composer having penned over 75 compositions to date, 10 of which have been recorded of 4 different CD's. His compositions have been performed by various musicians, including Benny Golson, Barry Harris, James Spaulding, Rufus Reid, and Ronnie Mathews.

Located in the metropolitan New York City area, Dan works as a freelance performer, recording artist, composer/arranger, and a collegiate and private instructor.

FSNT-024 Spirits In The Night Dan Faulk Featuring: Joe Martin (b), Jordi Rossy (d) and Myron Walden (as) € 10.95   (USD 13.02)