New Song Of The Month Posted

Dan Blake has established himself as a positive force in many areas of creative music. His versatility and ecclectic interests have brought him to the forefront of many different creative communities. As saxophonist, he has performed and toured internationally with artists such as Kenny Werner, Richie Barshay, Sofia Koutsovitis, and Francisco Mela. His compositions have garnered recognition by ASCAP and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and have been featured by such notable new music ensembles as The Kenners, Duo Diorama, and redfish bluefish ensemble. As a curator, Blake is dedicated to creating more opportunity for the dissemination of new and experimental music through the Defacto Series, a monthly concert series he co-founded in February of 2007.

In 2006, Mr. Blake was received ASCAP's Young Composer's Award for his recently released debut recording "The Party Suite", which has garnered significant attention in the jazz press. The Defacto Series has featured such notable artists as Lukas Ligeti, Andrea Parkins, and Robert Dick. Blake is currently a doctoral candidate in composition at City University of New York's Graduate Center. Past teachers have included Tania Leon, Jason Eckardt, Steve Lacy, and Danilo Perez.