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Daren Burns
Real music is not for wealth, not for honours or even the joysof the mind... but as a path for realisation and salvation.-AliAkbar Khan
"If you miss the sensual part of music, you risk becoming agynecologist and not a lover"-Rabih Abou-Khalil
DAREN HOWARD BURNS, fretted and fretless electric bassplayer, composer, and improviser has been playing music fortwenty-two years and composing for ten years. Much of hismusical interest lies in the area of improvisation and how tomake new systems for developing improvisation in new ways.In the last three tears he has also become interested in Indianrhythmic and melodic systems.
Born in El Centro, California, but moving all around as child, toplaces like New Mexico, Texas, and the Los Angelesmetropolitan area. Burn’s musical life began in Junior HighSchool when he purchased his first bass with money from apaper route he had. At this time, he was immersed in the rockmusic of the time, but was quickly turned on to jazz bypurchasing bassists, Jaco Pastorious and Stanley Clarke’sfirst albums and classical Indian music by listening to RaviShankar. He received his formal education from Fullertonjunior College (1991-1994), California Institute of the Arts(1994-97, BFA; 2006-08, MFA). He also studied privately withWadada Leo Smith, Ralph Rose, Baba Elephante, Gary Willis,Aloke Dutta, Aashish Khan, Vinny Golia, and Jeff Berlin.
As an Improviser/Composer Burns has studied, WesternEuropean music, the classical music of North and South India,Ghana music of Africa, Japanese, Eastern European/Arabicmusic, and American Blues, Rock, and Jazz. He is workingon notation systems that incorporate world music and jazzand open structures that give the musician freedom while alsogiving the composer his realized ideas.
Daren has taught privately from his home and at WoodloweMusic in Woodland Hills, CA for over ten years. He is amember of the American Composers Forum and an ASCAPmember. He was a winner of the Dan Radlauer compositioncompetition in 1994.
As a composer he has written for soloists, variousensembles, and creative orchestras. As a performer he hasshared the stage with John 'Drumbo' French, Wadada LeoSmith, Neil Sadler, Ulrich Krieger, Vinny Golia, Mike Keneally,Nels Cline, Jeff Kaiser, Motoko Honda, Ori Barel, ChrisOpperman, Andre LaFosse, John Bergamo, Randy Gloss,Houman Pourmehdi, Miroslav Tadic, Len ‘Boogsie’ Sharp,George McMullen, Brian Walsh, Kurt McGettrick, BruceFowler, David Roitstein, Joe LaBarbera, Eleanor Academia,Frank Macchia, and many others.
Gear
A fretless bass, an amp, an e-bow, and some effects
Tags
Daren Burns Releases First Solo Album "Fear Is Not The Natural State Of Civilized People” On Urban Nerds Records, Features Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith.

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Daren Burns
Bassist, composer and educator Daren Burns (John “Drumbo” French of Captain Beefheart) has released Fear is not the Natural State of Civilized People, on Urban Nerds Records, a label Burns founded in 2009. Burns’ first solo album of original instrumental material, this intense and expressive 4-part suite realizes a creative path that began in 2006. The recording highlights Burns' unique visual composition style and displays his use of structured improvisation. Burns uses this technique to maintain compositional control while allowing ...
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Urban Nerds Pre-Release Sale: "Fear Is Not The Natural State Of Civilized People" by Daren Burns

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Daren Burns
Pre-order the new Urban Nerds release, Fear Is Not The Natural State Of Civilized People CD for $12, download it now and when the CD is officially released on 3-15-12, we'll send you a copy. Recording features four new compositions by bassist Daren Burns, the mastery of trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, guitarist Scott Collins, pianist Sarah Phillips, and drummer Craig Bunch. About Daren Burns Daren Howard Burns, fretted and fretless electric bassist, composer, and improviser has been playing music for ...
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Daren Burns' Onibaba to play Tophest 2011, a benefit to help LA Musician Chris Spilsbury, March 25th

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Daren Burns
Daren Burns ensemble, Onibaba is slated to play Tophest 2011, a benefit to help LA musician Christopher Spilsbury raise funds to pay his medical expenses for a car accident he was involved in last December 2010. Also appearing that night will be Los Angeles jazz musicians, Otmaro Ruiz and Joe LaBarbera and DJ Christoforo LaBarbera. Onibaba is Daren Burns, Frank Macchia, George McMullen, Scott Collins, Craig Bunch, and video artis Kio Griffith. March 25th 2011 8PM Taix restaurant ...
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Here No Evol @ Beacon Arts in Inglewood, CA

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Daren Burns
Thursday, March 24 · 8:00pm-11:00pm Daren Burns, bassist, composer, and improviser, has been playing and composing music for over twenty years and has played with many notables such as, Wadada Leo Smith, John 'Drumbo' French, Mike Keneally, and Famoudou Don Moye. Much of his musical interest lies in the area of improvisation and how to make new systems for developing improvisation in new ways. In the last few years he has also become interested in Indian rhyth...mic and melodic systems. ...
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Daren Burns's Onibaba @ Blue Whale (Los Angeles) on March 23rd

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Daren Burns
Daren Burns's Onibaba will be playing Blue Whale jazz club on March 23rd. ONIBABA exists between composition and improvisation and is described as being somewhere between the light and the dark, the ethereal and the earthly Creative Music. The band was recently placed on the LA County Arts Commission's band roster for the 2011-14 term. DAREN BURNSFretless Bass/Compositions VINNY GOLIAWoodwinds GEORGE MCMULLENTrombone SCOTT COLLINSGuitar CRAIG BUNCHDrums KIO GRIFFITHLive Video And ...
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Daren Burns' Onibaba and Open Gate Theatre @ Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock 10-17-10

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SoCal Creative Music
Open Gate Theatre @ (626)795-4989 Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock Presents Onibaba: Onibaba exists between composition and improvisation and is described as being somewhere between the light and the dark, the ethereal and the earthlyCreative Music. Created by Daren Burns in 2006, the band synthesizes its sound by using elements of the Chicago avant-garde, jazz, rock, world, techno, noise, and classical, to create a new type of fusion that is definitely not the smooth, funky jazz of the 80's ...
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Open Gate Theatre @ Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock Presents Daren Burns' Onibaba Oct. 17, 2010

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Michael Ricci
Open Gate Theatre @ (626) 795-4989 Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock Presents Daren Burns' ONIBABA Onibaba performs post Jazz/Rock explorations featuring: Vinny GoliaWoodwinds Daren BurnsFretless Bass George McMullenTrombone Scott CollinsGuitar Craig BunchDrumset Kio GriffithLive Video INFO: Daren Burns, fretted and fretless electric bassist, composer, and improviser has been playing and composing music for over twenty years. Much of his musical interest lies in the area of improvisation and how ...
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Daren Burns' Onibaba at Asto Museum

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Michael Ricci
Daren Burns, fretted and fretless electric bass player, composer, and improviser has been playing and composing music for over twenty years. Much of his musical interest lies in the area of improvisation and how to make new systems for developing improvisation in new ways. In the last few years he has also become interested in Indian rhythmic and melodic systems.
Onibaba, exists between composition and improvisation and is described as being somewhere between the light and the dark, the ethereal ...
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Cryptonight @ Mona Presents: Daren Burns' Onibaba

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All About Jazz
Daren Burns, ONIBABA performs post Jazz/Rock explorations featuring: Ulrich Krieger (Lou Reed, Lee Ranaldo, Andrew W.K., Merzbow) - Woodwinds (http://www.ulrich-krieger.de/) Daren Burns (Vinny Golia, Drumbo, Wadada Leo Smith)- Fretless Bass (http://www.darenburns.com) George McMullen (Tom Waits, Vinny Golia, Stevie Wonder)- Trombone Eric Klerks (The Magic Band, Drumbo)- Guitar Craig Bunch (Drumbo, Vinny Golia, The Magic Band)- Drumset Kio Griffith - Live Video INFO: ...
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"Daren Burns is one of the few younger electric bass players I’ve heard who owes more to Steve Swallow than Stanley Clarke or Jaco Pastorius"-Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine www.cadencebuilding.com "Musical director Paul Chipello, who also contributes live piano accompaniment, ably backed by bassist Daren Burns..."-F. Kathleen Foley, LA Times
Primary Instrument
Bass
Credentials/Background
I teach all levels. My credentials include having my BFA and MFA in bass and composition from CalArts plus 11 years teaching privately in my home and at various stores. Contact me for rates and times.
Photos
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson