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James Danderfer

“One of the best kept secrets in Canada, … a truly remarkable musician.” (- Bill King, Jazz Preview, Jazz FM91.1)

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, jazz clarinetist/composer James Danderfer has been traveling, studying and performing around the world since the age of 16. His travels first began when he was accepted into the prestigious Interlochen World Center For The Arts high school (USA) to study with renowned clarinetist Richard Hawkins. James attended the University of North Texas and later received a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from Western Michigan University where he was a featured soloist and composer in both concerts and recordings. (WMU Jazz Orchestra, “Blue Miles” [1997], “Sabine’s Dance [1999]) For the next five years James gained experience as both a band leader and sideman performing in Canadian jazz clubs, festivals and CBC radio programs, on cruise ships internationally, and in New York City. After his celebrated debut recording “Run With It” (Cellar Live, 2005), James’ curiosity for traveling and learning about other cultures lead him to Shanghai, China where he worked as a freelance jazz musician and music instructor at international schools. After his first year of living in China, James proposed a project to the Canada Council For The Arts to compose a musical imagery of modern-day Shanghai, a juggernaut of development in the forefront of a rapidly changing nation. This year long project resulted in a concert tour of China and a subsequent CD recording in Canada entitled “Accelerated Development” (Cellar Live, 2008). James has enjoyed the opportunity to perform and/or record with such musical talents as Kenny Werner, Walt Weiskopf, Don Thompson, Brad Turner, Oliver Gannon, Chris Gestrin, Bruno Hubert and Jodi Proznick. James’ latest recording “Accelerated Development” has been receiving international radio play and goes a long way towards cementing James’ reputation as one of the most creative and pictorial composers on the jazz scene as well as one of the world’s premiere jazz clarinetists.

Awards

Nominated for Best Jazz Clarinetist in the 2008 & 2009 National Jazz Awards. Recipient of the Grant For Artists by the Canada Council For The Arts


Tags

22
Album Review

Cory Weeds: Home Cookin'

Read "Home Cookin'" reviewed by Jack Bowers


On Home Cookin', his second recording with an eleven-piece “little big band," tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds is doing the best he can. Really. As Weeds writes in the liner notes, the plan was to rehearse the band for two nights at Frankie's Jazz Club in Vancouver, Canada, home to Weeds and most of the band's personnel, then to convene at the Warehouse Studio on Sunday to record. Arriving at the club on Friday evening, Weeds found to his dismay that ...

7
Album Review

Cory Weeds: Home Cookin'

Read "Home Cookin'" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Cory Weeds, a prominent figure in the contemporary jazz scene, has made a remarkable statement with his Little Big Band's latest album Home Cookin'. The session showcases a vibrant collection of compositions/arrangements carefully curated to resonate with his personal journey, including those by Horace Silver, Thad Jones and Oliver Nelson, which are essential to him for a variety of reasons. The band comprises ten of his favorite world-class Vancouver, BC-based musicians. These previously mentioned influential tracks ...

33
Album Review

Fraser MacPherson: From The Pen Of...

Read "From The Pen Of..." reviewed by Jack Bowers


The late tenor saxophonist Fraser MacPherson was well-known in western Canada and elsewhere for his brilliance—but as player, not a writer. In fact, according to MacPherson's son Guy, who wrote the excellent liner notes to From the Pen of..., his father wrote barely a dozen or so original compositions, almost all of which are included on this superlative album with performances by a who's who of well- known jazz artists from Canada and other countries. Considering what ...

1
Album Review

Fraser MacPherson: From The Pen Of...

Read "From The Pen Of..." reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Tenor saxophonist Fraser MacPherson was an original. Although he was raised in Victoria, British Columbia, he moved to Vancouver early in his career where he remained throughout his working life. He began to build his reputation as a Lester Young-influenced player, and in the mid '70s recorded his first trio album for West End Records with guitarist Oliver Gannon and bassist Wyatt Ruther. This album was picked up by Concord Records in the late '70s and released in the U.S. ...

314
Album Review

James Danderfer Group: Accelerated Development

Read "Accelerated Development" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


For those who thought that the development of modern clarinet repertoire ended with the last release of Eddie Daniels, think again. James Danderfer's Accelerated Development gives notice that new possibilities for the clarinet are on their way again. What's more, with the nine charts that he has written, Danderfer has, also creates a harmonic palette of remarkable sound that lives, breathes, and thrives. This music is delivered by a sextet and creates one of the most unusual tonal canvases.

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“I've found Danderfer's (Accelerated Development) disc yielding more pleasures and prompting more insights with repeated listenings. It's consistently full of strong, provocative compositions and hearty improvising. I like too that its allusions to China are more a matter of imagination than classical or stereotypical. … (James) is being true to the Shanghai he experienced, conveying a newcomer's sense of wonder and urgency, track after track, … this music is spirited and deeply resonant.” - Peter Hum (OttawaCitizen.com)

“Accelerated Development is a daring, poignant jazz album depicting life in modern day Shanghai. With every song, clarinetist/composer James Danderfer weaves haunting melodies with an array of textures to bring the listener deeper into his musical world.” - Michael Vrielink (AccuRadio.com)

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Home Cookin'

Cellar Records
2024

buy

From The Pen Of...

Cellar Records
2022

buy

Accelerated...

Cellar Live
2008

buy

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