West, Dan
Presenting The Dan West Big Band
The debut big band album from Los Angeles based composer/arranger/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Dan West. The album features seven of Dan's highly textured arrangements which draw heavily on the classic 1960s and 70s scores of Thad Jones, Clare and Dirk Fischer, Bill Holman, Gil Evans and George Russell. The album features some of Los Angeles' best jazz and session musicians including: Ron Blake, Trumpets (Poncho Sanchez, Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Elton John); Tom Luer, Saxophones (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, John Beasley, Wayne Bergeron Big Band); Lenny Castro, Percussion (Toto, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rolling Stones, Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers); James King, Saxophones (Fitz & The Tantrumz, Rolling Stones, Breakestra); Tony Pia, Drums (Doobie Brothers, Brian Setzer, Edgar Winter, Maynard Ferguson, Frank Sinatra, Jr., The Mills Brothers). Dan West, who has been playing as Dick Van Dyke's pianist in the last few years, has provided arrangements for saxophonist Gary Herbig, The Speakeasy Spies Big Band and Paula Kelly as well as performing on stage and on record with notable artists including Sky Saxon of The Seeds, Bryan Maclean of Love, Rosemary Clooney, his own duo LoveyDove, and Maynard Ferguson. He's also a soundtrack composer having provided music for 'Mr. Movie Poster', the 2016 documentary on the life of movie poster illustrator Paul Crifo and the music for the stage play, "The Secret World of Archy and Mehitabel" in 2022. His latest credit is "Beeba" on the soundtrack to the Jack Black produced "40 Watts from Nowhere". The album was mixed by West & Adam Lasus and mastered by Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Lilys, Juliana Hatfield) at Studio Red L.A. in North Hollywood, CA.