Dan Hewson

Daniel Hewson is an award-winning pianist, trombonist, arranger and composer. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra and studied music at Oxford University, where he won the Osgood Composition Prize for his String Quartet (premiered by the Allegri Quartet). He is the son of Richard Anthony Hewson (creator of the RAH Band, arranger for the Beatles, Diana Ross and James Taylor). Daniel has worked internationally with such diverse artists as Stomp's Lost and Found Orchestra, Groove Armada, Madonna, Incognito, Omar, Nigel Kennedy, the Oxford Chamber Orchestra, Herb Geller, Bobby Wellins, Art Themen, the Portuguese artist Rui Veloso, Maria Rita (daughter of Brazilian superstar Elis Regina) and UK jazz singer Heidi Vogel. Daniel has performed at the BBC Proms, the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Festival Hall, Rock in Rio and has recorded his arrangements and compositions at Abbey Road, on BBC Radio 3 and for Classic FM. He also works as a freelance piano accompanist for dance at the Trinity-Laban Conservatoire, The Place, Central School of Ballet and the London Studio Centre. • Recent projects include a recording and tour with the Tora Tora Big Band (Portugal) and concerts with Orquestra Todos (Portugal), a multi-cultural group featuring members from many different countries. • Arranged and performed on a successful UK tour of the project “Look, Stranger” with Ruthie Culver and the Utter Jazz Quartet, performing the songs of Benjamin Britten and W.H.Auden in new jazz arrangements. The tour culminated in a performance at King’s Place, as part of the London Jazz Festival, with Sir Derek Jacobi narrating. KEY SKILLS • Huge experience of playing keyboards for diverse projects, from jazz to classical to pop. A knowledge of the jazz and classical repertoires, combined with abilities as a groove and ‘comping keyboardist, an extraordinary ear, sight-reading and arranging skills, make him uniquely adapted to working in cross-genre musical environments. • Has performed with artists including Nigel Kennedy, the Oxford Chamber Orchestra, Stomp’s Lost and Found Orchestra, Incognito, Omar and Maria Rita. • Has appeared at the South Bank Centre, the Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Ronnie Scott’s, on Radio 3, Classic FM and at Abbey Road Studios. • Arranged strings for artists including Madonna, Groove Armada (featured on the “Tomb Raider” soundtrack - Paramount Pictures) and Stacey Solomon. • Is a prolific composer, with five original albums released and many other tracks on the EMI Production Music, Audio Network and Pedigree Cuts labels. A brief outline of some of the people he has worked with: Incognito, Omar, Rui Veloso, Maria Rita, Jorge Palma, Lucia Moniz (Rock in Rio 2009) Stomp's Lost and Found Orchestra (Brighton Festival 2006, Sydney Opera House 2007, South Bank Centre 2008) Oxford Chamber Orchestra Alexander L’Estrange (renowned choral and jazz composer) Groove Armada (string arranger on the last 3 albums) Jazzinho, De Lata (top UK Brazilian bands), Heidi Vogel (vocalist, Cinematic Orchestra) Urban Soul Orchestra, Neville Malcolm (top London session bass player) Morcheeba, Faze Action, Bobby Wellins, Art Themen