Biography

BIO

Dayna Stephens was born in Brooklyn, New York august 1st, 1978, and was raised in the San Francisco bay area. He began playing the saxophone at age 13. He attended the prestigious Berkeley High School and took part in their jazz ensemble. Dayna was then accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA on a full scholarship. There, he studied with Hal Crook, Billy Pierce, George Garzone and Andy McGee among others. While in Boston, Dayna also had the opportunity to perform with Chick Corea and the Boston Pops for a P.B.S. special.

After graduating from Berklee, Dayna was selected to be in the Thelonious Monk Institute of jazz program located at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard. He studied there for 2 years and while there, Dayna studied and played with, among others: Dave Holland, Kenny Barron, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Lewis Nash, Mark Turner, Christian McBride, Carl Allen and Terence Blanchard who was the artistic director of the program. In the spring of 2003 the Monk group made a recording featuring Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. The recording Featured some of the best compositions and arrangements made by group throughout their 2 years spent together.

Since Graduating from the Monk Institute in 2003, Dayna has been performing and teaching actively. He plays regularly in San Francisco & New York City and has performed in recent times with Salvador & Carlos Santana, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, OZOmatli, Patrice Rushen,Tom Harrell, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Parker, Freddie Hubbard, Steve Coleman, Oliver Lake, Eric Gravatt, Ndugu Chancler, Idris Muhammad, Bobby Short, and Josh Roseman. Dayna also plays upright bass and has performed with Stefon Harris, Marcus Belgrave, Sonny Fortune, Roy Hargrove and Natalie Douglas.

Equipment & Set Up -

Horns: Keilwerth SX90R nickel silver photo by Steve Sheraton

& on the recording "The Timeless Now" i used my old Selmer Super Action 80 from 1983

Mouthpiece: Bob Ackeman's Otto Link PT (amazing Otto Link copy)
bobackermansaxophones.com

Reeds: Rico Royal #5

Ligature: francois louis

Bass set up:
(east coast) Englehart 3/4 (2002) with Velvet Anima strings
(west coast) Palintino 3/4 (2005) with gut strings by Damian Dlugolecki damianstrings.com

Pickup: David Gage Realist pickup on both basses

Amps: Gallien Krueger (east coast), Crate acoustic (west coast)

Booking: Lisa Bautista with JFM Presents

jfmpresent@gmail.com

(510) 967-1109

Management: Jess Wolfe

jesswolfemanagement@gmail.com

(818) 489-6157





BIO Dayna Stephens was born in Brooklyn, New York august 1st, 1978, and was raised in the San Francisco bay area. He began playing the saxophone at age 13. He attended the prestigious Berkeley High School and took part in their jazz ensemble. Dayna was then accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA on a full scholarship. There, he studied with Hal Crook, Billy Pierce, George Garzone and Andy McGee among others. While in Boston, Dayna also had the opportunity to perform with Chick Corea and the Boston Pops for a P.B.S. special. After graduating from Berklee, Dayna was selected to be in the Thelonious Monk Institute of jazz program located at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard. He studied there for 2 years and while there, Dayna studied and played with, among others: Dave Holland, Kenny Barron, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Lewis Nash, Mark Turner, Christian McBride, Carl Allen and Terence Blanchard who was the artistic director of the program. In the spring of 2003 the Monk group made a recording featuring Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. The recording Featured some of the best compositions and arrangements made by group throughout their 2 years spent together. Since Graduating from the Monk Institute in 2003, Dayna has been performing and teaching actively. He plays regularly in San Francisco & New York City and has performed in recent times with Salvador & Carlos Santana, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, OZOmatli, Patrice Rushen,Tom Harrell, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Parker, Freddie Hubbard, Steve Coleman, Oliver Lake, Eric Gravatt, Ndugu Chancler, Idris Muhammad, Bobby Short, and Josh Roseman. Dayna also plays upright bass and has performed with Stefon Harris, Marcus Belgrave, Sonny Fortune, Roy Hargrove and Natalie Douglas. Equipment & Set Up - Horns: Keilwerth SX90R nickel silver photo by Steve Sheraton & on the recording "The Timeless Now" i used my old Selmer Super Action 80 from 1983 Mouthpiece: Bob Ackeman's Otto Link PT (amazing Otto Link copy) bobackermansaxophones.com Reeds: Rico Royal #5 Ligature: francois louis Bass set up: (east coast) Englehart 3/4 (2002) with Velvet Anima strings (west coast) Palintino 3/4 (2005) with gut strings by Damian Dlugolecki damianstrings.com Pickup: David Gage Realist pickup on both basses Amps: Gallien Krueger (east coast), Crate acoustic (west coast) Booking: Lisa Bautista with JFM Presents jfmpresent@gmail.com (510) 967-1109 Management: Jess Wolfe jesswolfemanagement@gmail.com (818) 489-6157
website by aeronet