PERFORMER: Dan of all trades, master of musicology

Jazz: MONOCHROMATIX

A 6-piece function band specialising in swing, trad jazz, and Postmodern Jukebox style arrangements. Available in vocal and instrument formations for a vintage prohibition party vibe, or a sultry smoky lounge vibe. We have played for private and public events for corporate Christmas parties, graduations, weddings, gala dinners, anniversary celebrations and more across the UK.

“professional and friendly, … an all-round pleasure to have”

Clarinet, Sax, MD, Arrangements | Dan Mawson

Trumpet, Vocal | George Aukland

Vocal | Lucie Phillips

Bass | Sophie Sully, Tom Betts

Drums | Philip Williams

Piano, Video, Design, Arrangements | Sam Gee

Photography | Giuseppe Cerone

EMAIL

hello @ monochromatix.band


Klezmer: L’chaim Kapelye and beyond

L’chaim Kapelye were a 7-piece klezmer band that was grown in Manchester. Although formally disbanded, the group occasionally meets up for gigs and jam sessions.

As a klezmer soloist and ensemble player I can slip in and out of bands and sessions as well as having fun and creating improvisations like I did below

I am the featured clarinettist on the ethno-classical original album Hamosity: Music is Hard Times, by Richard Fay

KLEZMER MEETS IRISH: AMID THE MIRK OVER THE IRK

Amid the Mirk Over the Irk: When Irish Meets Klezmer is an imagined musical meeting of two of Manchester’s long-established and prominent immigrant communities: the Irish and the Jewish. Originally conceived by Richard Fay and co-produced by myself and Richard. It is event with beautiful music and sound, evocative spoken word, and stunning visuals.

Klezmer Meets Classical: Klezmer Klassica

A concert exploring the relationship between klezmer and classical music. Klezmer has also been a source of inspiration for both well-known and less familiar composers, some Jewish (Achron, Bloch), some not (Shostakovich, Prokofiev). Contemporary composers continue to write as influenced by a Jewish idiom and by klezmer more directly. This concert explores the relationships between Western 'Classical' music and Jewish folk music, a meeting space between the classical and klezmer which is well-populated but not always widely known.

Teachademia: University of Manchester, Community Music Teaching

Since 2018 I have been the Lead Performance Tutor for Klezmer at the University of Manchester, teaching second year students Klezmer Ensemble Performance with ethnomusicologist and education lecturer Dr. Richard Fay. This module takes students from klezmer novices to performing in a public concert dedicated to klezmer music over the course of 6 months. We bring the students together in an ensemble called the Michael Kahan Kapelye and teach them together as a group, and give them exposure playing klezmer to the community

I can’t thank you and Richard enough for making this module so fun…[klezmer is] honestly my favourite module! I’m definitely hoping to somehow continue klezmer [Student, 2019]

Publications:

R Fay, D J Mawson & Caroline Bithell, Intercultural musicking: learning through klezmer, Languages & Intercultural Communication Special Issue (2022).

R Fay, D J Mawson & N Palacios, Intercultural musicking: Reflection in, on, and for situated klezmer ensemble performance [due for publication in 2024]

Richard and I have given the following talks on the subject of klezmer and klezmer pedagogy:

Richard Fay & Daniel J. Mawson, Appropriate, not appropriative, methodology: (online) klezmer ensemble performance as intercultural learning (ISSME conference, 2021)

Daniel J. Mawson & Richard Fay, Klezmer Journeys: What can one tune tell us? (Manchester Limmud, 2021)

Alongside University teaching, I run the Klezmorim of Manchester, which is a page dedicated to the playing of klezmer music in Manchester. I have created and collated several resources that help people access Klezmer music through playing or theoretical understanding. For the klezmer pub session I anchor in Manchester, I developed a set of ‘teach tracks’ available for download here that encourage people to learn the music by ear and practise their melody, accompaniment and bass skills. Some examples of the tracks are below.

Klezmer Tune Club (Manchester)

In collaboration with Richard Fay (with our company Modalways CIC), I run a monthly Klezmer Tune Club (KTC). This is a session inclusive of musical ability, learning styles, and klezmer competence, where we dive into tune in depth to understand how it works musically, culturally, and historically. Resources are available here. KTC takes place one Monday every month at Sha’arei Shalom Synagogue.

We owe the existence of KTC o support from by Manchester Jewish Museum, Jewish Music Institute (JMI) and The University of Manchester SEED fund. KTC is currently funded by The University of Manchester Humanities Strategic Civic Engagement Fund.

FREELANCE PLAYING: MUSICAL THEATRE

Playing in amateur and professional musical theatre productions as a multi-instrumentalist pit player: clarinets, saxes, and flutes

Below are a selection of productions I have been involved in as an instrumentalist, with date, MD and location:

Centre Stage | Ragtime! (2016) [Ben Ferguson | Bishopsgate Institute]

Bb/Eb Clarinet

leo&hyde | The Marriage of Kim K (2019) [Gina Blease | UK Tour]

Clarinet/Flute

Jewish Theatre Company | Fiddler on the Roof (2015) [Paul Slater | Middleton Arena]

Bb/A Clarinet

Encore Productions, | The Wind in the Willows (2019) [Andy Davies | Brindley Theatre, Runcorn]

Clarinet/Flute/Alto Sax/Baritone Sax

Chester Operatic Society | Bonnie & Clyde (2017) Singin’ in the Rain (2018) [Richard Aaron | Storyhouse Chester]

Clarinet/Flute/Alto Sax/Soprano Sax

Southport Dramatic Society | Chicago (2019) [Chris Rimmer | Little Theatre Southport]

Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Flute/Baritone Sax

Pendleton College | West Side Story (2017) [Giles Deacon | Eccleston Theatre]

Clarinet/Flute/Picc/Tenor Sax

Curtain Call | White Christmas (2017) [Malcolm Forbes-Peckham | Crewe Lyceum]

Clarinet/Flute/Picc/Alto Sax

Freelance Playing: Other

Here is a selection of other notable performance opportunities across different styles (jazz, contemporary, classical) and different groups for which I was booked as a freelance/session musician.

Jason Singh Trio – Engagements include Hull City of Culture/PRS gala dinner (2017)

Live music & electronics improvisation inspired by ambient and Indian classical music

Stirling Austin Swing Band

Professional function band specialising in Jewish weddings: ceremonial music, traditional dance, and swing

Tête à Tête Opera Festival 2020 – Timeless Figure, by Martin Bussey

Contemporary chamber opera, featuring soloist Peter Edge.

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A full performance CV is available on request