Photo by Kadie Pangburn
Jason Knight |
If you are looking for a sassy reed player, Danielle Knight is at the top of your list. Some nights she's playing some hot licks or doing her best Benny Goodman/Artie Shaw impression with JJ and the Riff Raff. Other nights you'll find her running mad arpeggios with Bacchunneers or playing the Blues with the K-Night Owls.
Danielle started playing music in middle school joining the school band program alongside many of her peers playing through high school and marching in college. She unpacked her clarinet to start Harlequin Jazz, recording 3 studio albums and touring along the way. Additionally, Danielle is also a founding member of the K-Night Owls, picking up the soprano sax, and is often one of Megan's Goody-Goodies. Along with Clarinet and Soprano Sax, Danielle also plays Tenor Sax and can be seen playing some Tiple in the Harlequin Halflings. Her musical influences include Johnny Dodds, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Sidney Bechet. Her favorite songs to play are La Vie en Rose, The Mooche, Egyptian Fantasy, and Southern Sunsets. Let me tell you about a guy a lot of people refer to as “Some Jerk” but is actually named Jason. He first started playing trombone in middle school band, sliding with the best of them. Later on in high school he moved on to guitar so he could entertain his fellow shenanigan inducing friends.
Jason always enjoyed music of many forms but when he was introduced to Swing Dancing in college he was mesmerized by the Jazz era. After years of researching and appreciating this music he was an integral part of starting up Harlequin Jazz Band which he picked up tenor banjo for. As the years went on and needs for different instruments arose he also started playing bass, tuba, guitar, and even singing with dulcet tones. He particularly enjoys varying up his options in blues and has been a large part of a blues band called the K-Night Owls in 2017. Jason has had the honor of playing with Ben Polcer and the New Orleans Grinders, Megan and her Goody Goodies, Harlequin Halflings, and is a founder of JJ and the Riff Raff. Jason thoroughly enjoys the adventure that is performing jazz and blues music and is constantly delving into the rich history that comes with it to further his own playing and to educate others. |