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Dan Banks

Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher Dan Banks is based in Medway, Kent. Although initially self-taught Dan has studied classical piano under the tutelage of Tim Carey, and jazz piano, theory, arranging, and composition with Eddie Harvey and Brian Everington. Additionally, Dan holds a Masters degree in performance (awarded with distinction) from London College of Music.

Dan’s influences as a pianist are broad. His initial experience of music came from the likes of Paul Simon, The Beatles, and Ricky Lee Jones—all played a lot at home when he was a child. However, when he started formal piano lessons, these focussed entirely on the classical tradition. His formative experience of learning ‘classical’ music has remained, and still now Bach, Bartok, and Debussy feature in his practice on a regular basis. In terms of Dan’s jazz influences these range from what you’d expect (Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock), to the more contemporary (Eldar Djangirov, Joey Alexander, Jason Rebello, Michel Camilo, Michel Petrucciani, Craig Taborn, Uri Caine, Marc Copland), via the non-pianists (Miles Davis, Chris Potter, John Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis, and many more).

Dan is house pianist at the Bassment where he has performed with British Jazz luminaries including: Tim Garland, Jay Phelps, Laurence Cottle, Ian Thomas, Mark Nightingale, Paul Higgs, Nigel Price, Yazz Ahmed, Gareth Lockrane, Mark Armstrong, Jim Mullen, Vasilis Xenopoulos, John Etheridge, and many more. Alongside this, Dan regularly appears in the rhythm section at Trevor Taylor’s Jazz825 club in Southend-on-Sea, supporting musicians such as Josh Ison, Geoff Warren, and Roberto Manzin.

In February 2017 Dan released his debut album, Two In a Box, featuring Roberto Manzin (sax), Paul Higgs (trumpet), José Canha (double bass), and Josh Law (drums). This album was inspired by the classic Blue Note sound of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and many others. It consists of seven original compositions from Dan and has received highly positive reviews in numerous publications. A small tour and second album are planned for 2018/2019.

During 2018, and in response to his doctoral research, Dan began exploring alternative modes of composition and performance—particularly free-jazz and improvised music. As a result of this, he has been working on a project with Trevor Taylor (drums and percussion) and José Canha (double bass) exploring the intersection between free-jazz and sonification, using this as a platform to mediate and examine issues of anthropogenic climate change. The result is a captivating DVD and CD box set, not only presenting the finished product but also documenting the process and motivations behind the project; this will be available from FMR records in early 2019.

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2
Album Review

Dan Banks Quintet: Simulated Cities

Read "Simulated Cities" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Simulated Cities, the second recording by British pianist Dan Banks' well-schooled quintet, consists of seven original compositions by the leader, the bulk of which call to mind the storied hard-bop conclaves of the mid 20th century while enwrapping the music in an up-to-date wardrobe tailored to accommodate today's more sophisticated and savvy audiences. Once past the tweaks, however, the thematic core remains constant: intrepid, straight-ahead jazz that has stood the test of time while pleasing enthusiasts of every age and ...

10
Album Review

The Dan Banks Quintet: Two in a Box

Read "Two in a Box" reviewed by Jack Bowers


On Two in a Box, British pianist Dan Banks' quintet revisits a Golden Age in jazz when hard bop was king and record labels like Prestige and Blue Note delivered the latest sounds to an astute and appreciative audience. Without mimicry, Banks reimagines the indomitable spirit of such masters as Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver and their peers, while trumpeter Paul Higgs bares his inner Lee Morgan /Donald Byrd / Woody Shaw / Freddie Hubbard and tenor ...

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"[in] his debut as leader, he shows mastery of the hardbop idiom as composer, soloist and bandleader." —Mark Gilbert (Jazz Journal)

“Without mimicry, Banks reimagines the indomitable spirit of such masters as Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver and their peers.”

—Jack Bowers (All About Jazz)

"...a marvellous collection of jazz compositions."

—Keith Ames (The Musician)

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Simulated Cities

Self Produced
2018

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Two in a Box

Self Produced
2017

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Videos

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