Dan Wilensky was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He moved to Berkeley, California the next year. The Wilensky family was a music-loving family. Every member of the family played at least one instrument and there were often family jam sessions. After seeing the Duke Ellington Orchestra perform at Berkeley High School, Wilensky began piano lessons at 8 years old and took up saxophone lessons at 9. Wilensky thrived in this excellent public school music program. He studied privately saxophone with BHS grad Steve Elson and Hal Stein and classical piano with Julian White. He was a street performer, and performed with Benny Green and Craig Handy. Wilensky was 17 when he studied with Joe Henderson, a jazz legend. He also received a scholarship for the Eastman School of Music. Wilensky discovered that Ray Charles was seeking a lead alto to join his big band the summer after high school. He auditioned and was offered the job. Ray told me to go to LA Monday. He recalls it was “surreal”. He moved to New York after six months spent with Ray and six months at Eastman. It was like starting over. Wilensky recalls his first year in New York as street performing, playing rodeos at Nassau Coliseum and playing funerals in Village. He gigged, recorded and toured with many small groups including Nitesprite (Paul Adamy and Rob Aries), Andy Bloch and Vaneese Thomas), Who It is! Richard Tee, Steve Gadd and Will Lee), and Slickaphonics, which features Ray Anderson and Mark Helias. Wilensky was a member of the Playboy Club’s house band, where he played in Bob Fosse’s Broadway show Big Deal. He also won a National Endowment for the Arts jazz composition and performance award. Wilensky also toured with Steve Winwood, playing keyboards and saxophone. His music can be heard on more than 250 records including those by Donna Summer, Madonna and R. Kelly.
