Transmission I · The Trio

Dan Magay.

Saxophone, clarinet and flute, with bass and drums. Jazz improvisation, and - oh, lots of stuff.

Transmission II · Who plays

Dan, and two others.

The shape of it

The core is Dan Magay on reeds, Lukas Veselý on bass and Brandon Etzler on drums - the three you hear on the recordings below. Dan is the constant; the bass and the drums are confirmed for each date, by who is free and who suits the room. Some nights Jeremy Lieber is there on keys and bass.

Downtown New York

His downtown-New York trio The Hub recorded three albums, including Trucker for Innova Recordings - cut live-to-tape in Brooklyn. The critics: “curling his sinewy lines that refuse to be intimidated” (The Guardian); “a conversational approach to the alto very akin to that of Eric Dolphy” (Jazzwise).

Built to the space

The trio plays concert halls, festivals, wine bars, museums and galleries, weddings and house shows, and plays each one differently. New dates are posted on Facebook.

Soprano · alto · tenor sax Clarinet Flute
Transmission III · What you hear

The book.

Five ways in · and the rest by request
Dan playing clarinet
standards
Bossa & choro
Jobim, and the Brazilian songbook
The trio playing before a blue painting
standards
Jazz standards
the songbook every jazz player shares
Dan soloing
originals
Jazz originals
written for this band
Dan playing
standards
Samba
Wilson & José Batista, voice and clarinet
Dan playing flute
open
Spirituals
quiet, and unaccompanied
More to come.
Transmission IV · For presenters

Booking the trio.

Anywhere on earth

Pick the size that fits your space, and Dan will write back.

Clubs & listening spaces
The full set

Standards and originals, for a bar that listens. Bossa and choro to open, something louder to close.

Sets2 × 50 min, or 3 × 40
StageFrom 8 × 6 ft
Sound2 vocal mics + DI; house PA fine
Festivals & stages
The loud set

Loud enough for a field: hot-club swing, Motown and free jazz. The résumé includes the Monterey Jazz Festival Big Band and the Burning Man Jazz Café.

Set45–75 min
StageFrom 12 × 10 ft
SoundFull input list in the pack
Galleries & museums
Winds in the space

Free improvisation for the room and the work on its walls. Winds with bass or guitar, quiet enough to talk over. For openings, residencies and late nights.

Sets3 × 25 min
StageNone required
SoundAcoustic; no PA needed
Travel
Anywhere. Dan has played both US coasts, Europe and Japan.
Fee
Depends on the room and the format. Ask for a quote.
Reply
Every enquiry is answered personally.
Paperwork
Stage plot, input list and hospitality notes on request.
Transmission V · The tour

Last night Pluto. Next stop Saturn.

Played
Pluto
Next
Saturn
Then
Your stage

The third stop is open. Tell Dan where and when.

Transmission VI · Concerts

Where Dan is playing.

Join the list ↗

Come say hello after the set.

Aug 02
MyGuy Trio - late set
Zingari · San Francisco
Ask Dan
Aug 15
Improvisations in the gallery
Gallery Bari · North Beach
Ask Dan
Sep 06
Funk & Motown
Private festival · Sonoma
Inquire
Sep 21
The Windup - record release revisit
The Back Room · Berkeley
Ask about tickets
Oct -
More West Coast dates coming
Join the list
The list

The archive.

Past shows from twenty-five years, on two coasts and on tour. Not a complete list.

Transmission VII · On record

The set.

Trios, mostly. The full run of Dan's recordings is on danmagaymusic.com.

The trio · saxophone, bass and drums
01
a little morning funk
Written by Veselý & Magay · Dan Magay alto sax, Lukas Veselý bass, Brandon Etzler drums
The same three, with Sam Dickey on guitar
02
Rakalam
For Bob "Rakalam" Moses · Dan Magay clarinet, Lukas Veselý bass, Brandon Etzler drums, Sam Dickey guitar
03
Desert Chase
Written by Lukas Veselý · Dan Magay alto sax, Sam Dickey guitar, Veselý bass, Brandon Etzler drums
The Hub · Trucker, 2002 · a different trio
04
Burn It Down
The Hub, Trucker 2002 · written by Tim Dahl · Dan Magay alto sax, Sean Noonan drums
05
2991
The Hub, Trucker 2002 · written by Tim Dahl · Dan Magay alto sax, Tim Dahl bass, Sean Noonan drums
Also in the book
06
Dan's Journey
Written by Lukas Veselý
07
Prayer For Africa
Written by Lukas Veselý
08
Chega de Saudade
Written by Jobim & Vinícius de Moraes
Transmission VIII · Press
“…curling his sinewy lines that refuse to be intimidated.”
James Griffiths · The Guardian, UK
“Dan Magay’s alto sax snags your imagination and makes you forget everything around you except the music. The guy’s dynamite.”
DJ Johnson · on The Hub
“The guy takes off like a terrified, electrified swallow, painting notes in places you weren’t expecting to hear them.”
DJ Johnson · on The Hub
“A conversational approach to the alto very akin to that of Eric Dolphy — from fierce screams to lilting melody, short staccato bursts of pure energy, or long sinewy lines of bebop-like convolution.”
John Cratchley · Jazzwise, UK
“A free-sax blast of sound gripping in its precision and energy — a real breath of fresh air, even if it hits your eardrums at dangerous velocities.”
John Fordham · The Guardian, UK
Transmission IX · Book Dan

Bring Dan to your stage.

Saxophone, bass and drums. Tell Dan the date, the place and what you have in mind. Rider on request.