Biography
When Daniel is asked why he plays guitar, his typical reply is, “Because it’s all I think about!". No matter where he is or what he's doing, he tends to hear rhythm and melodies. Daniel's passion for guitar shines through all his projects.
Despite his love of guitar, he doesn't write guitar-centric music. That’s not what he’s about. He’s about writing tunes from his heart, and soul and discovering how his guitar playing can help support the song and convey the emotion he’s trying to express.
Having absorbed numerous influences over the years, Daniel has developed an emotive, lyrical style that he can weave into many genres of music. He is just as comfortable playing instrumental rock as he is playing progressive metal.
Growing up in the sixties and seventies provided ample inspiration as he soaked up the music his older brother Claude would bring home like Santana, Chicago, Cream, and others. Later on, he discovered jazz fusion with the likes of Larry Carlton, Jeff Beck, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and many others. During that period, Daniel's parents moved to a small village in France when he was fourteen. The isolation proved to be a godsend to hone his craft. Having nothing else to do, he threw himself into guitar playing, practicing up to twelve hours a day.
While living in France, Daniel and his brother formed a band they called Common Market, playing at weddings and small concerts, honing his performance skills. The band morphed into a Santana tribute band that further influenced his technique and style. They eventually changed their name to the Young Brothers Band, playing all original music at concerts throughout the region. They performed at the Elixir rock festival in 1981 opening for the band America to a crowd of almost 20,000 spectators.
When he moved back to the US in the mid-eighties, his focus turned to recording rather than playing live. While most musicians are night owls, Daniel prefers the quiet of the early morning hours to record his music in his home studio he's dubbed Moose Tracks, a nod to the state of New Hampshire where he now lives. He’s recorded numerous albums in various styles including instrumental rock, jazz fusion, Latin rock, progressive metal, smooth jazz, and even a Celtic rock album.
Daniel enjoys the new musical landscape the internet has created, allowing independent artists like himself to freely distribute his music without the constraints of traditional, commercial distribution.