Born: October 27, 1969 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Detroit born Guitarist/Composer Dan Baraszu has been playing guitar for over 25 years. Early in his career, he explored many different styles of music. However, when he first heard the genius of Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Dan devoted himself to becoming a die-hard Jazz artist. His major influences include guitarists Joe Pass ,Pat Martino, Pat Metheny and John Scofield as well as other instrumentalists like Bill Evans ,Horace Silver ,John Coltrane ,Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker .
In addition to listening and transcribing the works of the”masters of the Jazz idiom”, Dan has been formally educated in music as well. He received his Bachelors degree from the renowned Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Jazz Composition and Arranging . In addition, Dan also received his Masters degree from the University of Miami with a major in Jazz Pedagogy .
Dan currently resides in the Atlanta area where he leads his own groups and works as a freelance guitarist. In November 2005 he signed with Blue Canoe Records and released his debut CD as a leader entitled “Nightfall”. Featuring 9 explosive jazz originals, this recording will surely raise some eyebrows as this young gun's guitar and compositional skills are those of an old master. “Nightfall” features one of the South's most accomplished and versatile rhythm sections: Kenny Banks (piano), Zack Pride (bass), Kinah Boto (drums). Baraszu’s CD is receiving considerable traditional radio airplay on jazz stations across the country and overseas as well as internet radio and satellite, cable and subscription services.
Berklee grad and Atlanta resident Dan Baraszu is a chopsmeister whose punchy, percussive attack comes out of the George B enson-Pat Martino school of single-note burn. He and his cohorts--pianist Kenny Banks, bassist Zack Pride and drummer Kinah Boto--break out of the gate charging hard on the frantic Latin-flavored opener “April Fools,” as Baraszu quickly establishes his take-no-prisoners approach to soloing. His adeptness at chordal melodies and octaves on the relaxed swinger “Inconstant Moon” shows an obvious Wes Montgomery influence, while his crisp, rhythmically assured playing on “Into the Blue” is another tip of the hat to the early- '60s Benson-Martino bag. Baraszu stakes out his most original territory on the spacious and moody title track, played on nylon string acoustic guitar, on the lively calypso “Smudge” and also on his scorching closer “Neutron Star,” which was inspired by Stevie Wonder's ”Too High.”...Baraszu distinguishes himself as a new guitar talent worth watching on this fine debut.
-Bill Milkowski Jazz Times
“Virtuoso” Download.com
Great to hear a no-frills,but plenty of thrills mainstream guitarist. Baraszu weaves in and out of licks from the masters Montgomery and Pass - but streams ahead with his own fresh brew. Chordal work is sharp and clear while the notes are struck cleanly and evenly - with heaps of tonal variety, color in attack and rich inventiveness in phrasing. Worthy of the title virtuoso.
-david j.baird- entertainment reporter “Melbourne,Australia
“Deeply Soulful” Cnet.com
By introducing the cyclical scalesmanship of South Philly living legend Pat Martino to the round tone of gentle master Wes Montgomery, Atlanta's Baraszu tempers post-fusion bop into something deeply soulful. Take him as a sign that contemporary jazz guitarists are learning how to savor tradition without sacrificing their prog yearnings.
Editors Review
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