Dan McCarthy was born in Toronto, Ontario, in August of 1980. After college, Dan stepped on to the Toronto jazz scene full time, having already become a veteran playing at some of Canada's top venues. In August 2004, Dan made the move to New York, where his career continues to grow. Dan is now one of the most original -sounding and sought-after vibraphonists in North America. He has performed with Myron Walden, Jeremy Steig, Robin Eubanks, Ingrid Jensen, Don Thompson, Gary Bartz, and Terry Clarke, among others.
Recently, Dan completed his debut record, INTERWORDS, which includes trio members Matt Wigton on bass and Greg Ritchie on drums, and features saxophonist Myron Walden. Drawing on such varied influences as Gary Burton, Mos Def, John Mayer, Damien Rice, and Brad Mehldau, INTERWORDS gives the listener something that most records these days lack: jazz melodies with a pop music approach. Shorter songs , with catchy melodies that are still harmonically complex and interesting to even the most trained ear are featured on this album. His “Short Stories” are 30 second pieces that are designed to pique the listener's attention and leave them wanting more.
The CD was released in March 2006 to great reviews from critics and fans alike. Geoff Chapman, jazz critic for The Toronto Star, calls the CD, which contains all original material, “…excellent…the liquid McCarthy sound and original writing are superb “. George W. Carroll, from ejazznews.com, says that “Dan possesses a truly attractive yet modern sound as he immerses us into his world… He exhibits an apparent inexhaustible ability for artistic invention.” Geoff Chapman also picked INTERWORDS as one of the top 10 jazz recordings of 2006.
His other project, a pop-jazz band named “TUCKSY”, has just released their first EP. It features an interesting arrangement of instruments, adding banjo, bass, and drums to Dan’s vibraphone. Playing an assortment of originals and pop tunes, this band has the makings of one of the most interesting and entertaining jazz groups in New York.
With his music, Dan is trying to make jazz more accessible to a broader range of listeners. Dan’s music cross-pollinates jazz, pop, folk, and hip-hop in an attempt to bring the listener exactly what they want to hear: something different and something fresh.
Dan is endorsed by Innovative Percussion Mallets (www.innovative percussion.com).
