Biography
Daniel Hersog, acclaimed by All About Jazz as “a major new compositional voice in jazz,” is a distinguished composer and performer and the winner of the Jazz Times Magazine poll award for best composer in 2020. His debut album, “Night Devoid of Stars,” received considerable praise, and his 2023 follow-up, “Open Spaces (Folk Songs Reimagined),” was lauded by Downbeat Magazine for “finding opportunity in virgin land.” Jazz Times highlighted Hersog’s talent in this album, stating, “Daniel Hersog has a gift for expressive orchestral writing… directly in the lineage of great jazz composers like Gil Evans… He is a great talent and this album is a remarkable work.” Jazzwise acknowledged Hersog’s ensemble as being able to “handle musical freedom just as readily as the tightest, most subtly nuanced arrangement.” Furthermore, The Vancouver Sun praised Daniel for “breathing new energy into the big-band sound.” The Guardian listed Daniel Hersog in the company of distinguished composers Steve Lehman, Henry Threadgill, and Maria Schneider.
Hersog is not only a performer and composer but also an educator. As a graduate of the New England Conservatory and the recipient of the Gunther Schuller Medal, Hersog holds the positions of academic coordinator and instructor in the jazz studies program at Capilano University, and also has a faculty appointment at the VSO School of Music.
In addition to his recorded music, Hersog has been a part of large and small ensembles performing at notable venues such as the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Frankie’s Jazz Club, The Zinc Bar (New York City), Shape Shifter Lab (New York City), The Lilypad (Boston), and The Rex (Toronto).
Biography
Winner of the 2020 Jazz Times Magazine poll for best composer, hailed by critics as a “a major new compositional voice in jazz” (All about Jazz) and lauded for his “Artistic individuality” and “ Innate sophistication and adventurousness.” (Downbeat Magazine) Daniel Hersog released his first album Night Devoid of Stars in 2020. In addition to many glowing international reviews,this album was praised by Jazz Times magazine as a “a mature superbly-crafted statement, that doesn’t sound anything like a debut”
Daniel has toured North America leading large ensembles featuring such notable musicians as Terry Clarke, Kevin Turcotte, Remy Le Boeuff, Brad Turner, Billy Buss, Stuart Mack, Jason Palmer and Kim Cass. Daniel is often Featured at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival as well as performing regularly at Frankie’s Jazz Club and Pat’s Pub. As a sideman, Daniel performs with The Vancouver Legacy Jazz Orchestra, Jaelem Bhate Jazz Orchestra, Super Trumpets, and Sonny’s Cousin.
A graduate of the prestigious New England Conservatory, winner of the acclaimed Gunther Schuller Medal and inductee to the Pi Kappa Lamda honors society, Daniel studied with a veritable who’s who of jazz music. An instructor himself now, Hersog teaches jazz trumpet at Capilano University, where he also writes for the school’s big band and leads a trumpet ensemble.