James Danderfer

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Well readers, it’s a busy and exciting time for this ol’ jazz clarinetist while I prepare for my live trio recording next week (@ The Cellar, Aug 6/7, 8:30pm) and get ready to release my electroacoustic ep. That’s right, the same electroacoustic project that I started recording a year ago. The same project that I have been hyping so much for so long that it has surely long since raised expectations beyond reason and as such could do nothing but disappoint.

… Or could it? more…

Hello, good morning and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Actually, this isn’t a post. I’m taking the week off due to being in Edmonton this weekend,… that’s right,… the “City of Champions.”

Tune in next week for,… something.

Have a great week everyone!

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

I’m feeling a bit tired this morning and boy are my legs sore! You see, it’s the sweet spot of Summertime in Vancouver right now, which means that it’s not raining for awhile, the sun is shining, and the temperature is perfect; hot but not too hot.

Great weather for biking around town (instead of driving), playing frolf (frisbee-golf), and drinking. Which incidentally, is exactly what I was doing last night. In case you’ve never tried it, an evening of partying followed by biking hard for 30mins more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Yes, I know. Late again!

Danderfer’s had a loong week people! Two words,… jazz camp. That’s right, all week long I’ve been waking up at 7:30am, driving an hour across town, and teaching kids (age 12-17) how to swing. … Despite the fact that I, myself am not sure how to swing at 8:30 in the morning!

There were just enough kids for two 7-piece jazz combos and the format was well suited to my abilities as it was quick, focused, and goal oriented (a concert at the end of the week). I like to think I’m a pretty good teacher, perhaps “over-thinkers” are handy in this way because we really think through the processes of what it is we do. more…

Hello, good morning and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Readers, let’s get down to business right out of the gate and allow me to hype an upcoming show of mine in Vancouver. Here goes…

THE JAMES DANDERFER TRIO: A LIVE RECORDING @ The Cellar, August 6/7
featuring JAMES DANDERFER clarinet, MILES BLACK piano, JOE POOLE drums

For more info visit cellarjazz.com more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Well, it’s officially Summertime, the sun is out, flowers are in bloom, birds are singing and of course, Jazz Festivals abound!

That’s right! If you’re in Canada, there is probably a Jazz Festival happening in your city at this very moment so you too can come out of the jazz-fan closet and support this music or, given the genre-obscurring, musical inclusivity of “jazz” festivals, really any kind of music (Hey, it’s ALL jazz baby!!). Then, once your jazz enthusiasm has been spent in a week-long binge of jazz appreciation, you too can promptly return to the jazz-fan closet for another year. more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

As I write this SMNP I am sitting in the studio with Chris Gestrin (aka 24-7 MVP), working on the album. Yes, that studio, and yes,… that album. Work on the electroacoustic EP continues as we are nearly finished mixing all 6 tracks, at which point all we need to do is master it, et voila! James Danderfer becomes a Goddamn rock star!

So today I’m going to simply pass on a link that a friend passed on to me last week. (Thanks Slaps!) Check out this TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson in which he explains the need for a revolution in education to place greater value on creativity. more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Anybody out there want to know what I’m listening to these days?

… yeah, I didn’t think so either but I got nothing interesting to write about this week sooo, here goes! more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

Readers, a few weeks ago I wielded my SMNP and struck a blow towards string/band program cuts in Vancouver. Well today I read this article (yes, the article did come out over a month ago,… I’m running a little behind OK!?) which reports that music program cuts may be abandoned.

That’s right. Thanks to ME,… and maybe this guy, … and perhaps these people it looks like the kids might be able to keep their band programs after all! YAAAYY!

So today I’d like to direct your attention to this fantastic article I was shown recently (thanks sj!). Written by Mark Slouka for Harper’s Magazine, it is entitled “Dehumanized: When Math and Science Rule the School”. more…

Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Saturday Morning News Post!

As some of my devoted readers may remember, I was commissioned earlier this year by CBC Radio to compose a suite of music in tribute to the late great Jelly Roll Morton. In particular, the music was intended to celebrate his time spent living and working in Vancouver back in 1919. The music was recorded live at the Patricia Hotel (where Jelly Roll worked) along with a host of other fantastic musicians.

And so, in lieu of a podcast I’m just making the music available for your listening pleasure, just click on the song titles below. Alongside each of the track titles are descriptions to give you a sense of what each song is about. This way, I don’t have to listen to myself speak any more than necessary and you get to bypass at least 10 minutes worth of pregnant pauses more…