SAXOPHONIST and composer Dan Mar-Molinero has been nominated for a prestigious Ivor Novello Composers Award for his composition 22:22.
The piece, recognised in the Jazz Ensemble category, was written for Dan’s own jazz orchestra, a 17-piece group made up of professional jazz musicians who all owe a significant debt to Southampton’s music scene.
The eight-minute piece is from Dan’s forthcoming album, Taproot, and is a solo feature for saxophone, played on the recording by UK jazz titan, Julian Arguelles.
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Written during the lengthy Covid lockdowns and first performed at the city’s Turner Sims Concert Hall as normal life began to resume, the piece is a journey from ‘dark to light’ reflecting the composer’s experience as a musician over the lockdown period.
Based in Southampton, Dan’s writing work spans many genres, from pop to jazz, and appears in films, video games and hit records including a top three hit for Gareth Gates and a record for the city’s very own Craig David.
Dan is best known for his jazz work, especially within jazz education where he has been recognised nationally. He is also Head of Jazz, Pop & Musical Theatre at the University of Southampton where he works part-time.
Alongside composing and performing, Dan is a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective and runs the pioneering youth jazz organisation Southampton Youth Jazz Orchestra.
He is also the band leader for Saints Brass and can often be found performing on the pitch at St Mary's on matchdays.
The awards ceremony is set to take place at The British Museum in London on November 15.
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are celebrated awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been awarded. The awards are presented at two annual ceremonies known as The Ivors and The Ivors Composer Awards.
Previous recipients of the awards include John Lennon and Paul McCartney from The Beatles, Amy Winehouse and 10CC's Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart.
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