DAN LIPTON is an ace musician
whose dynamic career straddles the uptown/downtown divide. A songwriter/composer, arranger/orchestrator, pianist and lover of backslashes, Lipton's work bridges pop music, film scoring and theater. He's a musical chameleon with a solid reputation as one of the busiest musicians in New York City.
He appears on the new album from feminist hip-hop trio Northern State (Ipecac Recordings)... his playing and songwriting are featured on the new album from theater singer Lauren Kennedy (PS Classics)... he surfaces regularly in downtown clubs with both Brazilian groove chanteuse Eliane and folk/soul songwriter Dina Dean... he spent two years touring with Brooklyn indie rocker Matthew Pop, who is now based in Nashville.
DAN LIPTON: ZEITGEIST
Music from and inspired by Dan Lipton, 2005.
Dan Lipton's latest album of original songs and music is ZEITGEIST, a collection of collaborations with today's most exciting musicians and vocalists in classical, pop, jazz and theatrical music. It has nothing to do with the new Smashing Pumpkins album; it was released in late 2005. Album guests include Steely Dan trumpeter Michael Leonhart, opera singer Valérie MacCarthy, carnival rock band The Misconceptions, Tony-nominated actor/singer Gavin Creel and Nonesuch Records artist Audra McDonald, among many others: 41 musicians, 68 minutes and 19 tracks for 5 bucks.
JUKEBOX SALOON
Recorded at WBEZ Chicago, released in 2006.
Another recent recording is his collaboration with Colby Beserra, on JUKEBOX SALOON, a jazz duo project inspired by the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans collaboration. Beserra and Lipton create unique, jazzed-out re-interpretations of their favorite pop songs... by Beck, Cowboy Junkies, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney and more.
RECENTLY:
In 2007, Dan Lipton appeared onstage and in costume, playing piano in SALVAGE, the third play of Tom Stoppard's trilogy THE COAST OF UTOPIA at Lincoln Center, which swept the Tony Awards with the most nominations and the most wins of any play in Broadway history. His playing can be heard on the play's Ghostlight Records soundtrack recording. On John Lithgow's latest (Grammy-nominated) children's album THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (Razor & Tie Records), DL played piano, kazoo and contributed to arrangements... He has helped Duncan Sheik develop the music for his latest theatrical projects, THE NIGHTINGALE and NERO... Dan Lipton is a co-creator and resident music director of DON'T QUIT YOUR NIGHT JOB, the hit comedy variety show that ran off-Broadway in the spring of 2007 and currently resides at the Zipper Theater in NYC.
Lipton has scored award-winning short films including THE WAITING ROOM (above, directed by Reif Larsen), Corey Rosen's KEEP CLEAR (Empire State Film Festival) and Jeff Yorkes' WINNER'S CUP (Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker Award).
Dan Lipton is also no stranger to the legit concert stage. He appears regularly in concert halls across the country accompanying acclaimed Nonesuch Records recording artist Audra McDonald. Supporting McDonald, Lipton has played with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Dallas Symphony. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and Town Hall in NYC, Chicago's Symphony Center... and in February 2006 they performed for the President in the East Room of The White House.
OTHER ALBUMS:
DAN LIPTON: LIFE IN PICTURES
His 2003 album of guitar-based pop earned an ASCAPlus Award for Popular Music.
DAN LIPTON: TRAVELOGUE
His debut solo album from 1999 is a pop song cycle written and recorded in transit.
OTHER STUFF:
DL made his first mark on Broadway in 2000 as pianist for the hit musical THE FULL MONTY. Lipton, the youngest member of the orchestra, played on the show's Grammy-nominated cast recording (RCA Victor) and wrote about his experience in the HarperCollins book WORKING MUSICIANS alongside anecdotes by legends like Carole King, Bruce Springsteen and Keith Richards. Since then, he has played on theatrical projects by Nonesuch composer Adam Guettel (THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA) and pop songwriter David Yazbek (DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS).
A spry 32, Dan Lipton has already covered acres of musical ground and is poised for career longevity. Or something like that. Can you tell he's tired of writing about himself in the third person?? Jeez, self-promotion's a bitch! The albums TRAVELOGUE, LIFE IN PICTURES, ZEITGEIST and JUKEBOX SALOON are all available at CD Baby.
Next Wednesday, the 25th, the New York Civil Liberties Union Young Professionals will be hosting a fabulous party with Au Revoir Simone as our resident DJs at the powerHouse art space in DUMBO. The event will showcase local up-and-coming artists who have designed pieces inspired by the work of the NYCLU, a fabulous silent auction & raffle with some fantastic prizes - including designer furniture, weekend getaways, and Broadway and SNL tickets.
Come support local artists and the vital work of the NYCLU as they defend freedom of expression, marriage equality, and the right to privacy. Tickets are $40 pre-sale - www.nyclu.org - and include OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT and yummy munchies by APT 138. Tell your friends! Hope to see you there!
