- Dan Forshaw (musician)
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Dan Forshaw 
Dan ForshawBackground information Born 1981
Blackpool, Lancashire, EnglandGenres Jazz, blues, avant garde Occupations Musician, educator Instruments Saxophone Years active 1997–present Labels 4shaw Music Website www.danforshaw.com Dan Forshaw (born 1981, Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English jazz musician and educator who started his professional career aged sixteen. He plays the tenor, soprano and alto saxophones. The saxophonist has performed all over the world at many of the most prestigious jazz festivals, and in some of the most high profile jazz clubs.[1] He was hailed as "one of the leading young lights on the British Jazz scene [2] and has been a keen supporter of live jazz across the UK. A highly accomplished and versatile player,[3] Forshaw has been already hailed as "a possible contender for being one of the all time greats of English Jazz".[4]
Contents
Background
Forshaw was born into a musical family, growing up in Fleetwood, Lancashire and began playing piano at an early age. He attended Stanah Primary school in Thornton, where he first started playing the clarinet aged seven. He progressed onto to the saxophone aged ten,[5] before attending St. Aidan's C of E High school in Preesall near Poulton-le-Fylde, and then onto the Blackpool sixth form college, where he starred in their nationally renowned Big Band.
Career
Dan Forshaw
Forshaw's first professional gig was with The Amazing Blues Brothers Soul Revue which appeared across the UK, and Europe. Dan then became director of an event management and promotion company, Big Party LTD. before leaving in 2002 when he was appointed Director of Jazz studies at the Beecham Music School, Rossall School in Fleetwood.[6]
Forshaw has also travelled to New York, where he studied with saxophonist, composer and bandleader, Branford Marsalis, saxophonist Eric_Alexander and post-bop jazz saxophonist, Ravi Coltrane. Then, inspired by John Coltrane, and in particular his album, "A Love Supreme" he moved to London, where he began studies at the London School of Theology (LST), an evangelical theological college based in Northwood in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Whilst at the college he was also the music co-ordinator at Beechen Grove Baptist Church in Watford and a private music tutor in Harefield. Following an after hours jam session at, Ronnie Scotts, with Branford Marsalis, Forshaw recorded "Language of Emotion" in 2006, (released on 4shaw music in 2007) with Jonathan Geyevu, Matt Hunt and J Hoy.
In January 2008 the Dan Forshaw Quartet performed their Jazz: Loving the Supreme project, which was the culmination of Dan's thesis at LST. The work was based on the seminal John Coltrane album A Love Supreme and was performed in the chapel at the LST.[5][6][7]
In February 2008, he was appointed as Artistic director, and Artiste in residence at Urban Soul, May Street Church, Belfast in Northern Ireland.[6] Forshaw is currently performing, recording and teaching across the UK, and lives in Bangor, County Down. He has performed with Pop artist Yazz on a number of occasions and is in increasing demand as a session musician for Hed Kandi and Nightclub saxophone, under the pseudonym, 'Sax Man Dan'.
Discography
As leader
- 2003 Question 21 - ReHab Records
- 2005 Live at the Villa - ReHab Records
- 2005 Time Stood Still (with Mike Taylor) - 4shaw Music
- 2006 Message (with Chris Smith) - 4shaw Music
- 2007 Language of Emotion 4shaw Music[8]
- 2008 "Live in London EP" 4shaw Music
- 2009 "No Jazz Please, We're British" 4shaw Music
- 2011 "Metanarrative" 4shaw Music
- 2011 "Come Sunday" 4shaw Music
As a Sideman
- 2001 K:OLN Espiognage
- 2003 Jamestown Sound Didn't realise I was so close to the edge
- 2005 The Sound of Superstring Meanwhile, back at the Ranch
References
- ^ http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/Register.aspx?ReturnURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackpoolgazette.co.uk%2Fentertainment-news%2FJazz-on-the-horizon.5301033.jp
- ^ www.southportjazz.com
- ^ http://www.ulstermusic.com/index.php/2008/03/12/dan-forshaw-sax/
- ^ http://www.southportreporter.com/346/346-11.shtml
- ^ a b Dakin, Melanie (17 January 2008). "Dan Forshaw plays Coltrane's A Love Supreme". Watford Observer. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/search/1974114/Dan_Forshaw_plays_Coltrane_s_A_Love_Supreme/. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
- ^ a b c "Dan Forshaw biography". Dan Forshaw. http://www.danforshaw.com/biog.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
- ^ Dakin, Melanie (1 February 2008). "Dan Forshaw, A Love Supreme at the London School of Theology". Watford Observer. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/search/2012940/Dan_Forshaw__A_Love_Supreme_at__the_London_School_of_Theology/. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
- ^ Kenworthy, Max (2007). "Dan Forshaw Language of Emotion : Jazz CD Reviews- 2007". MusicWeb International. http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2007/Forshaw_Language.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
External links
Categories:- 1981 births
- Living people
- English jazz musicians
- British jazz saxophonists
- Music from Blackpool
- People from Blackpool
- People from Fleetwood
- Jazz saxophonists
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