Biography
Dan Savell
Dan Savell
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Dan Savell has been playing music since the age of four
and playing percussion since the age of thirteen. He began
playing steel drums ten years ago while at Fullerton College (in
Southern California) and immediately took to the instrument.
While at Fullerton College, he played with Big Bamboo Steel Band
and performed with renowned pan greats Ken Philmore, Robert
Greenidge, and Boogsie Sharpe. He began doing solo steel drum
performances soon after.
In 1996, Dan transferred to California Institute of the Arts in
Valencia and studied with percussion maestro John Bergamo.
There he studied improvisation with trumpeter Leo Smith and
guitarist Larry Koonse. Dan has visited Trinidad twice, performing
with “Phase II” and “Desperadoes” Steelbands in Panorama, the
annual competition that occurs during Carnival. Dan graduated
from Cal Arts in 1998 with his Bachelors degree in Percussion.
Since then he has become a full- time professional steel drum
player, performing regularly at private and public events. Because
of his expertise, he was hired as the steel drum consultant on the
hit NBC TV show, "The Office".
On the general percussion side, Dan's performances also keep
him busy. In 2004, Dan completed the world premiere run of "The
Peachblossom Fan" at the REDCAT theatre in downtown Los
Angeles and can be heard in the Original Cast Recording for this
show with composer Stephin Merritt. He also plays drumset
professionally, and has performed regularly with Broadway star
Neile Adams, jazz icon Kim Richmond, "Circo Mundial" (the
National Hispanic Circus), and the late magician Harry Blackstone
Jr., as well as performing in over twenty musical productions in
the Los Angeles area. Dan currently studies jazz improvisation
with recording studio veteran Jules Greenberg.
Dan was the staff percussionist for the Cal Arts dance
department from 2004-2006. In 2007, he released his album
“Velocity in Texture: Percussion for the Modern Dance Class,”
which was met with high acclaim. Dan's article, "Getting Around
the Double Seconds," was published in the Percussive Arts
Society journal in 2007. He was seen and heard playing steel pan
on the TV shows, "Deal or No Deal," and drums on "Ugly Betty,"
"Eli Stone," and "Dirty Sexy Money." Dan can be heard on the
soundtrack to the movie "Jennifer's Body," (Fox Films) in late
2008.
and playing percussion since the age of thirteen. He began
playing steel drums ten years ago while at Fullerton College (in
Southern California) and immediately took to the instrument.
While at Fullerton College, he played with Big Bamboo Steel Band
and performed with renowned pan greats Ken Philmore, Robert
Greenidge, and Boogsie Sharpe. He began doing solo steel drum
performances soon after.
In 1996, Dan transferred to California Institute of the Arts in
Valencia and studied with percussion maestro John Bergamo.
There he studied improvisation with trumpeter Leo Smith and
guitarist Larry Koonse. Dan has visited Trinidad twice, performing
with “Phase II” and “Desperadoes” Steelbands in Panorama, the
annual competition that occurs during Carnival. Dan graduated
from Cal Arts in 1998 with his Bachelors degree in Percussion.
Since then he has become a full- time professional steel drum
player, performing regularly at private and public events. Because
of his expertise, he was hired as the steel drum consultant on the
hit NBC TV show, "The Office".
On the general percussion side, Dan's performances also keep
him busy. In 2004, Dan completed the world premiere run of "The
Peachblossom Fan" at the REDCAT theatre in downtown Los
Angeles and can be heard in the Original Cast Recording for this
show with composer Stephin Merritt. He also plays drumset
professionally, and has performed regularly with Broadway star
Neile Adams, jazz icon Kim Richmond, "Circo Mundial" (the
National Hispanic Circus), and the late magician Harry Blackstone
Jr., as well as performing in over twenty musical productions in
the Los Angeles area. Dan currently studies jazz improvisation
with recording studio veteran Jules Greenberg.
Dan was the staff percussionist for the Cal Arts dance
department from 2004-2006. In 2007, he released his album
“Velocity in Texture: Percussion for the Modern Dance Class,”
which was met with high acclaim. Dan's article, "Getting Around
the Double Seconds," was published in the Percussive Arts
Society journal in 2007. He was seen and heard playing steel pan
on the TV shows, "Deal or No Deal," and drums on "Ugly Betty,"
"Eli Stone," and "Dirty Sexy Money." Dan can be heard on the
soundtrack to the movie "Jennifer's Body," (Fox Films) in late
2008.