Biography

 

Composer, Arranger and Jazz Pianist Dan Cahn completed both his Masters Degree in Jazz Performance and Doctorate in Music Education at the University of North Texas.

Dan holds the position of musical director and jazz pianist of the Open University Jazz Concert Series. The series that started in 2011 has hosted some of Israels most noted jazz artists*. 

Dan has performed both as a soloist and as pianist with several jazz groups. These have included apart from his quartet and trio, the Jazz group “Blue Skylight Quintet” a group dedicated to the performance of compositions by Charles Mingus and led by the late bass player Udi Kazmirsky, as well as the Haifa Big Band. During the year Dan produces and participates in concerts dedicated to various jazz artists.

Dan’s debut recording as leader was on the CD "FIGMENT" recorded in 1997 with his quartet which included saxophonist Dror Bar Israel, the late bassist Udi Kazmirski and drummer Gideon Paschov

His second CD titled "TOREADORE"  recorded in 2008 includes seven original compositions performed  by his trio which included Valerie Lipets on bass and Dani Benedikt on Drums. (The CD may be purchased at Band Camp)

As part of his academic activities Dan wrote the Hebrew jazz history book titled "The History of Jazz in the 20th century" (2017)** and in 2024 an extended version was published which includes a chapter on the history of jazz in Israel. Both were published by the Open University where he teaches and coordinates the jazz history course.  As part of the book launch celebration Dan organized the first Jazz convention in Israel (2018) that addressed issues related to aspects of Jazz history and Jazz in Israel.

Dan is also an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Humanities and Arts, Technion Institute where apart from jazz history, he teaches courses in world music, psychology of music and jazz improvisation and he also teaches courses in the Department of Music, Haifa University

As part of his educational activities Dan teaches jazz improvisation and directs the big band and the jazz ensembles at Reut high school in Haifa. Dan also teaches privately in his music studio.

In 2018 Dan toured in England with David Nabb (USA) who due to a stroke that paralyzed his left hand, plays on a one handed saxophone. During this time they performed in hospitals and at the One Handed Instrument Institute Convention.

 

Interview from 2018 (in Hebrew) may be heard at: www.mixcloud.com/openu_radio/פגישה-אישית-בני-עורי-מארח-את-דן-כהן/

 

* Israeli Jazz artists that have been hosted at the Open University Jazz concert series  have included: Albert Beger, Dani BenediktGasper Bertoncelj, Dror Bar Israel, Erez Bar Noy, Vered Dekel, Gilad Dobrecky, Amit Friedman, Assaf Hakimi, Udi KazmirskyJonathan Kozlovsky, Chen Levi, Gideon Pesahov, Albert Piamenta, Salit Lahav, Mamelo Gaitanopoulos, Ofer Ganor, Rony Holan, Mattan Klein, Gil Ladin, Ilan Salem, Rami Shuler, Peter Wertheimer,  Shay Zalman.

** Maariv newspaper review of "The History of Jazz in the 20th Century" by Yaakov Bar-On