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Benje Daneman here with my second update as a 2015 Resident Artist for Spark & Echo Arts… as I mentioned in my last update, my project this year is writing a full length jazz suite based around the concept of Light in scripture. This yearlong endeavor is extremely interesting as I’m able to see long term how the project is being formed and changing over time. Even after only five months it’s evolved and morphed from what I thought it’d be to something slightly different!

Find the complete progression of the work linked below.

John 3:19-21

John 1:1-5

John 1:14

John 12:34-36

1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 2

By

Benje Daneman

Credits:

Curated by:

Spark+Echo Arts

2015

Live Music, Jazz Suite

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June 8, 2015

Benje Daneman here with my second update as a 2015 Resident Artist for Spark & Echo Arts… as I mentioned in my last update, my project this year is writing a full length jazz suite based around the concept of Light in scripture. This yearlong endeavor is extremely interesting as I’m able to see long term how the project is being formed and changing over time. Even after only five months it’s evolved and morphed from what I thought it’d be to something slightly different!

A few updates…

This is a great time for an update as one of my bands, SearchParty, met for the first to do an initial reading session of my music for this commission. I was able to bring four parts of the suite to the guys and they played them beautifully. Check out the video to hear the clips!

I was hoping to stay only in the Book of John, but it seems as though as I’ve been finding my way out of that book and into the book of Thessalonians … and potentially one in Job still in the works. So far four songs have come to fruition… they are:

“(Our Fear of) Exposure” – John 3:19-21

“Light in the Darkness” – John 1:1-5, 14

“Just a Little While Longer” – John 12:34-36

“Children of the Light” – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

My most recent band, SearchParty, is taking this music on and our debut performance in NYC will be at Saint Peter’s Church (619 Lexington Avenue (& 54th St.) at 5pm on August 9th at their Sunday Jazz Vespers series. We’d love to see you there as we’ll be unveiling pieces some of the suite for the first time to the public there. My hope is to debut the full suite in a live recording performance in early November here in New York City. I’m in the works of securing the venue and should know very soon. Please stay tuned and we’ll let you know more info as soon as we can! I envision this being a pretty special night and would truly love you being a part of it.

It’s pretty exciting seeing how the scripture has been speaking to me as I’m composing over the past few months. I find it to be my meditation/prayer time where I can dig deep into the context of the text and see how it shines a light in my own life. I can’t wait to see where the next steps bring me and this composition!

Spark Notes

The Artist's Reflection

About Benje Daneman

A sought after musician for his personal approach, creative musicality and strong versatility, Daneman got his start professionally in 2007 on a national tour with with Doc Severinsen’s Big Band. Since then he has performed with the world renowned Jose Limon Dance Ensemble, recorded for the Grammy nominated album “Elevation” (HMI Big Band) and has appeared as both a leader and sideman at prestigious venues across the country including The Kennedy Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, FONT (Festival of New Trumpet) Music Festival and The Iridium. As a composer/arranger, he has received commissions from the United States Air Force Band (in Europe), Dr. Steve Zegree, Spark and Echo Arts and Lutheran Music Missions.

His 2015 Artist in Residence for Spark and Echo Arts, is the catalyst for one of his newest projects called Search Party which approaches faith topics through original music, with a band including some of the top musicians on the jazz scene today, including Ike Sturm, Jon Cowherd, Jaimeo Brown and Ashley Daneman. Another new project of Daneman’s, Life Stories, calls upon his deep interest and history in musical storytelling by musically creating a personal and unique experience for the audience by aurally recreating true stories of people places and events. Daneman’s 2013 EP release Estelle’s Farewell Gift features all original compositions featuring Jeremy Siskind, Ashley Daneman and Andrew Rathbun and has been described as “Simple songs that open doors to complex reactions” (David Sumner, Bird Is The Worm).

A Teaching Artist for the New York Pops, Daneman is a passionate educator and has led clinics and workshops throughout the country at such institutions as McNally Smith College, Western Michigan University, Concordia University and for the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association. He is also the co-director of the Jazz & Creative Institute (http://www.jcinstitute.org), which has a mission to inspire artistic development and cultivate creative entrepreneurship for all levels of creative musicians. Benje has attended and holds degrees from Western Michigan University, The Henry Mancini Institute (Los Angeles, CA), and Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY).

Benje lives in New York City with his wife, jazz singer-songwriter, Ashley Daneman and daughters, Rivi and Elise.