Darren Rahn, a Canadian-born saxophonist and master’s jazz graduate from the University of Northern Colorado is quickly becoming a key player in contemporary jazz. He has two Billboard top five hits as an artist. His #1 hit, “Talk of the Town”, is the title track of his newest CD. His current single, “What Cha Gonna Do for Me”, is currently in the Billboard top 5 and features Wayman Tisdale. Rahn and Tisdale are well-known for their many collaborations, many of which have reached the top of the Billboard charts. Rahn said of Tisdale this: “Wayman, an amazing person and musician, was the reason for our collaboration.” It was a great honor to be able to record this song with him before his death. The final track was a huge success for us both. It was one our most favorite collaborations. This is a great opportunity to share with others, in the hope that it will bring attention to Wayman Tisdale’s genius and legacy. He was a gifted and talented man, and his talent was just as impressive as life itself. Rahn started producing and programming tracks in the mid-90s. Rahn’s early work with Tisdale on “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” in 2004 was what would propel him to the forefront the music industry. Rahn said, “Before my work with Wayman I remained pretty much behind-the scenes.” Rahn worked in the studio alongside Tisdale, as well as a variety of smooth jazz heavyweights. These relationships were pivotal to Rahn’s solo career, allowing him to swiftly move from the console to the stage. In 2006, Rahn was co-headlining Catalina with Brian Culbertson. He has also toured with Tim Bowman and performed with top acts such as Wayman Tisdale and Eric Darius. Rahn signed with nuGroove in 2007 and released his first CD, Once in a Lifetime. Rahn tries to balance his solo career as an artist and his producer side. Rahn will be the first to admit that saxophone is his true love. “I was an artist before i was a producer.” Rahn said that the producer thing “just kind of happened.” Rahn said, “Long before I did what I do now,” he explained. Rahn is an artist who strives to set new standards in his music. Rahn stated, “I want the music and playing to speak for themselves. Rahn stated that Rahn wants his playing to last a lifetime. It is equally important to create his own sound. The people who are successful have their own sound. He said that they have the ability to sustain a long-term career. Rahn believes that to be a great performer you need to not only be creative but also be attentive to the connection you have with your audience. Music is not only for me. If a song were just for me, I don’t see why it should be recorded on an album. My playing is about sharing my music with others. Rahn stated, “I want to share what’s in my heart with the audience.” Rahn stated, “I hope that my music brings happiness to people and is a positive force.” I don’t want to listen to dark music. He said that he wants to make music that inspires people. Rahn is able to keep his passion for creating his own sound in an industry that often values artistic merit more than artistic merit. Rahn has proven that it is possible for creativity and commercialism to co-exist. Rahn stated, “Every time that I write new music I try to break at most a little bit of ground.” He said, “I’m aware of what has worked in the past and what people enjoy but I don’t want it to be stuck there.” Rahn keeps up to date with industry trends, but he doesn’t attempt to tailor his writing to radio formats. “I am aware of the trends in the music industry, but I don’t base my writing on them. I write from my heart. The outcome is determined by what is in my heart at the moment. My heart is my guide, but I also draw on the knowledge I have gained from the industry. Rahn said that the trick to making sure everything serves the art is to ensure it is.” Rahn, a young lion, doesn’t consider him a pioneer. “There have been many great pioneers of this genre before me. They have taught me a lot. Rahn stated that there is no doubt that pioneers like Grover Washington Jr., Jeff Lorber and David Sanborn were around.” Although there are many changes happening in the industry, I don’t consider myself to be a pioneer. I am not presumptuous or pretentious about the things I have done and will do. He said that he is just happy to do what he loves. Darren’s latest album, “Talk of the Town”, was released by NuGroove Records. It features the best session players in the industry and thoughtful collaborations with Bob James and Jeff Lorber as well as Wayman Tisdale and Tim Bowman. Darren is a proud endorser of the P. MAURIAT Saxophones, and MARCA Reeds. from http://darrenrahn.com
