The music of the Dan Stein Group represents a maturing
and synthesis of composer/keyboardist Dan Steins early musical influences:
20th-century Western classical music; urban music of the 70s such
as Earth, Wind, and Fire and George Clintons Parliament/Funkadelic
bands; early jazz/rock pioneers Weather Report, Miles Davis, and Herbie
Hancock; and the feel-good grooves of soul-jazz greats such as Lou Donaldson,
Grant Green, and the Meters.
Combining rhythmic concepts drawn from funk and soul with extended harmonic
concepts derived from the modern classical lexicon as well as George Russells
revolutionary harmonic theories, the Dan Stein Group creates music which
is entertaining and accessible, yet at times challenging and thought-provoking;
a potent, boundary-defying blend.
Dan Stein (piano, electric
piano, organ, synths) has won awards from Down Beat magazine both for
performance and for composition; from the Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority;
and has won composition grants from NYSCA and NYFA. He has performed internationally
with a wide range of artists including the hip-hop group Primordial Source;
blues diva Dana Fuchs; rock songwriter and former Mommyheads singer Adam
Elk; avant-garde improvisers Invisible Maniac; and the Jazz Composers
Alliance big band. He has written and produced music for fiction and documentary
films, original dance productions, and multimedia installations. He has
a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory
of Music, where he studied with Geri Allen, Ran Blake, Paul Bley, Jimmy
Giuffre, Cecil McBee, and George Russell.
Chris Cheek (tenor saxophone) is one of today's leading
improvisers. His elegant, lyrical playing has been featured with such
outstanding artists as Paul Motian (the Electric BeBop Band), Steve Swallow,
Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Guillermo Klein.
Richard Hammond (bass) has performed with an extensive list of
musical luminaries including Ron Affif, Mose Allison, Jonatha Brooke,
Louis Bellson, Brian Blade, James Hurt, Dave Kikoski, and Anita ODay.
He is currently anchoring the low end for multi-platinum artist Angelique
Kidjo.
Blake Lindberg (drums) has worked with outstanding artists in a broad range of styles, including: Grazyna Auguscik, Paula Cole, Phil Collins, Tom Coster, Urzula Dudziak, Dave Fiuczynski, Roy Hargrove, Terumasa Hino, Geoffrey Keezer, Bakithi Kumalo, Dave Liebman, James Genus, John Funkhouser "FunkHouse", Sergio Brandão, and Rebecca Parris.
Other musicians who have played with the Dan Stein Group include: John Caban (guitar); Stephan Crump (bass); Steve Logan (bass); Jonathan Maron (bass); Tony Mason (drums); Donny McCaslin (sax); Nikolaz Schuhbeck (drums); Dan Willis (sax).
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