Daniel Barnes

Daniel Barnes was born in 1965 in downtown Toronto to renown classical composer Milton Barnes and TV/radio and fiction writer Lilly Barnes. Daniel began his career singing and drumming with his brother in The Micah Barnes Band for club,concert and TV appearances.  Daniel’s work in jazz, world and popular music idioms is well documented having played on over 45 albums to date, contributing to JUNO nominations or wins with Joe Sealy, Richard Underhill and The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. Daniel has toured internationally with Canada’s Holly Cole and Jane Bunnett but most extensively with African singing star Aster Aweke (“The Aretha Franklin of Ethiopia”, TIME magazine).  Both of Daniel’s self produced jazz CDs “Culmination” (2003) and “Classic Beauties” (2007), are heard across the nation on the CBC and are favorites at JazzFM in Toronto. He was subsequently nominated for Drummer of the Year at The National Jazz Awards in both those years. His quartet has performed at The Montreal and Toronto International Jazz Festivals (among others), and has been broadcast in performance from TV Ontario. He is currently developing a fresh “International Jazz Sound” with The Daniel Barnes Groove Trio in Toronto.