Daniel Janke
Composer Daniel Janke performs solo on piano, and the West African kora. He studied kora with Jali Nyama Suso in Gambia. He also studied and toured Canada and the US with the late master Yan Kuba Saho. His own kora music is featured on his CD release In A Room.
Daniel’s piano style is heavily influenced by an upbringing in gospel. His most recent recording release is Songs of Small Resistance, which is an American-based singer songwriter project, featuring the single “Icarus”. This album is a notable departure from his focus on instrumental music, and it features Daniel’s vocals on each song. The album’s title highlights the notion that there is a small truth about the human condition present in each song, and Daniel hopes that by articulating those truths in song he can help keep them alive.
Daniel has also released two albums with his group Winter Trio, with bassist Paul Bergman, and drummer Ken Searcy. Daniel was signed to Cymba Music Publishing, based on a performance during Breakout West in Whitehorse, and he is represented exclusively by Cymba worldwide. The Winter Trio albums Muse and their eponymously titled debut album Winter Trio are a big focus of Cymba’s current export focus. Daniel is touring and recording this summer with French drummer Ariel Tessier, and Spanish bassist Basile Rahola.
Daniel recorded with Bruce Cockburn on Breakfast In New Orleans [1999, Ryko]; Other recording releases include Celestial Blue with violinist Mark Fewer [2016, Centrediscs]; and Cinco Puntos Cardinales [2012, Centrediscs].
Music commissions include works for the NAC Touring Ensemble, Standing Wave, Toronto Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, NEM, and Continuum Ensemble.
Film scores by Daniel Janke include Mountain of Sgaana [NFB, 2016, dir. Chris Auchter]; Subconscious Password which was short-listed for an Oscar award [NFB, 2013, dir. Chris Landreth]; and Touch [2001, Rebel Films, dir. Jeremy Podeswa].