Oct 22, 2021
Podcast interviews these days can sound like “How I Spent My Covid Vacation” at times. So many musicians used to traveling, gigging and recording at length became housebound. Some used the time to practice; others learned new instruments or worked on previously back-burnered material. Pianist/Composer Dan Siegel (no relation to your humble host) prepared his 22nd album as a leader, Faraway Places, by reaching out to his favorite players and bringing in a host of top sidemen to breathe life into his project via the internet.
Joining Siegel on the album are saxophonist Eric Marienthal, trumpeter/trombonist Lee Thornburg, guitarist Allen Hinds, acoustic bassist Brian Bromberg, electric bassists Abraham Laboriel and Dwayne “Smitty” Smith, percussionist Lenny Castro, and on two tracks Brazilian vocalist Rogerio Jardim.
The material seems divided into three different styles. The first is more accessible, radio friendly and closer to Smooth Jazz. The second is solidly straight ahead, closer to the styles of his past work. Lastly, the addition of accordion by Dan, a hymn-like choir of vocalists and the wordless vocals of Jardim are closer to a Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays collaboration, and have a spiritual feel.
Dan began playing piano at the age of eight, and has grown into a composer, pianist, producer and arranger for himself and others, from Herbie Hancock to Philip Bailey to Hugh Masekela. In Podcast 855 we discuss the making of Faraway Places, talk about his style of composition, and how the West Coast of the US has been fairing as musical life slowly reaches the New Normal. Musical selections include “Old School" and "Some Time Ago."