Dan Siegel

One of the most dynamic currents running through contemporary instrumental music has been the ever-evolving musical vision of Dan Siegel. A prolific and well respected keyboardist, composer and producer, Dan has 13 solo albums to his credit in his 16 year recording career. Born in Seattle, Washington, and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Dan began piano lessons at age eight, and started performing professionally as lead singer and guitar player with a rock group at the age of 12. He attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and studied piano with the legendary Madam Challoff. While he became accomplished in the classics, he knew his greatest love was for jazz and pop music.

After receiving his degree in composition from the University of Oregon, he began recording his own compositions with his band. He was soon signed to Inner City Records, a New York based independant label. His second album, "The Hot Shot" (1981), reached No.1 on the Radio & Records Jazz Chart and remained for 10 weeks in the top 10 of Billboard's Jazz Chart. In 1983 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work as well as a more active recording career.

Over the years, Dan's albums have provided an abundance of diverse material, from the esoteric "Another Time, Another Place" (1984), (with Patrick O'Hearn) which Keyboard Magazine called the best keyboard oriented Fusion LP of the year, to the exotic collection of compositions on "Hemispheres" (1995), which features an ensemble of musicians playing

instruments from around the world in unique and unlikely combinations. He has produced several other projects, one of which is the group "Birds of a Feather", a gathering of world class musicians which has included Larry Carlton, Boney James and Ernie Watts. In 1995 Dan traveled to Beijing, to record and produce China's first Jazz band; "Tien Square".

Siegel's work as a TV and film composer has included the score for "Reform School Girls" (1986), and Universal Studios dramatic TV series, "Hard Copy" (1987). Dan worked as musical director/ conductor on the late night CBS TV show, "Overtime with Pat O'Brien" (1990). Dan has played on numerous TV and film projects as a session player, including the Oscar winning film, "The Usual Suspects". Siegel has toured with a variety of artists including: Chaka Khan, Philip Bailey (from Earth, Wind & Fire), Hugh Masekela and Herbie Hancock.