Rebroadcast DC LIVE Daniel Glass Part II
Daniel Glass is an award-winning drummer, author, historian and educator. He is widely recognized as one of today's foremost authorities on classic American drumming. A member of the pioneering swing group Royal Crown Revue since 1994, Daniel has recorded and performed all over the world with any top artists. He has published three books, including the multi-award winning Commandments of Early Rhythm and Blues Drumming, and is a regular contributor to publications like Modern Drummer magazine. As an educator, Daniel has performed clinics and master classes globally, appearing at many of the world's top drumming festivals. His acclaimed drum history clinics focus on the evolution of the drum set and the impact that this unique instrument has had on American popular music.
Daniel grew up in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and began playing drums at the age of eight. He graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu, (fellow alumni include President Barack Obama, America Online founder Steve Case and E-Bay founder Pierre Omidyar), and obtained a bachelor’s degree (Magna *** Laude, Phi Beta Kappa), from Brandeis University in Boston. In 1991, Daniel moved to Los Angeles to continue his musical training at the Dick Grove School of Music. Upon graduation, Daniel worked as a freelance musician in Los Angeles, recording for a variety of independent labels and touring with jazz singer Barbara Morrison and veteran blues guitarist Debbie Davies. He has been a student of master teacher Freddie Gruber since 1992.
In 1994, Daniel brought his abilities to L.A. swing phenomenon Royal Crown Revue, the group that single handedly inspired today’s “Retro-Swing"” resurgence by combining 1940s sound and style with modern raw power. As the result of an extremely successful stint as the original house band at the Derby Club in Los Angeles, super-producer Ted Templeman (of Van Halen and Doobie Bros. fame) signed the group to Warner Brothers Records in 1995. RCR’s releases, Mugzy’s Move (1996),Caught in the Act (1997), The contender (1998 - on which Daniel co-wrote 5 tracks), Walk on Fire (1999) and Passport to Australia (2001) - have sold well over 500,000 units. RCR’s 2004 release,Greetings from Hollywood, was produced by Daniel.
With RCR, Daniel has kept busy in the world of TV and film. The group’s music has been featured in everything from Jim Carrey’s, to countless TV shows, movie trailers, ad campaigns, Olympic gymnastic routines, even the Miss America Pageant. RCR also wrote, recorded and performed the “Dubba, Dubba WB” theme for the WB Network’s ‘98/’99 season.
Outside of RCR, Daniel has performed and recorded with a variety of artists, including legendary KISS front man Gene Simmons, Bette Midler, jazz legends Freddy Cole, Al Viola, and Page Cavanaugh, Mike Ness (of Social Distortion), Johnny Boyd (of Indigo Swing), rockabilly legend Robert Gordon, ska/reggae guitar great Earnest Ranglin, Unknown Hinson, the Michael Andrew Swing Orchestra, the Industrial Jazz Group and Mora’s Modern Rhythmists.
Since 2003, Daniel has begun teaching the history and tradition of the drums. His engaging clinic performance brings to life the roots of the drum set, and focuses on the relationship between drumming and popular American music styles like early jazz, swing, rhythm and blues, rockabilly and early rock ’n’roll. The clinic has wowed audiences from Arizona to Australia and offers what swing drumming legend Louie Bellson calls a “delightful and refreshing approach” to keeping alive the history and traditions of drumming.