Juan Daniel Chávez (Born September 15, 1993 - Guadalajara, MX) is a Mexican-American saxophonist , multi instrumental recording artist, composer, educator, co-founderof PCCCArts (est. 2020), a non-profit arts organization dedicated to bridging the opportunity divide in low to moderate-income areas by providing enhanced access to the arts for youth and adults. Having 16 years experience in the entertainment industry, his formal career spans nearly 8 years working with musicians and artists from all around the world and across genres.
Early Life
Daniel grew up in Coos Bay, Oregon and at a young age, he developed a love for 80’s Regional Mexicano and Popular Latin Hits by artists such as Selena, Grupos Norteños and Bandas; burning his parents and tios' cassette tapes to CDs to accommodate the new era of music consumption. At the age of 10, he picked up the clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone and played in his school's concert band hoping to one day play in a Mexican banda. After school, Daniel participated in the Oregon Coast Lab Band, a local non-profit with a mission to preserve jazz, America's musical legacy through education and performance where he performed with artists such as Mic Gillette, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy & Bria Skonberg. He continued to learn, record, and tour across the west coast with the Lab Band throughout high school, gaining valuable experience in the music industry.
Music Career
Daniel graduated high school with honors and received a full-ride scholarship to attend the Oregon Center for the Arts (OCA) at Southern Oregon University (SOU) where he continued his music studies with mentors such as Rhett Bender, Jeff Richmond, Terry Longshore, Cindy Hutton, Alexander Tutunov & Tony Hayes to name a few. During his time at OCA, he helped build the institutions developing jazz & pep band programs, student taught, participated in and wrote for multiple collegiate ensembles, and was a part of a foreign exchange program to South Korea.
Outside of school, Daniel was performing as a leader and with artists such as Morgan James, with the Britt Festival Orchestra. With BFO, he was also a part of the world premiere of “Natural History - Symphony for Nature'' on PBS. Daniel graduated cum laude in 2016 with a B.A. degree in music education with an emphasis on classical music & saxophone performance.
Following graduation, Daniel recorded his first album as a leader, “Chillin’ with the Daniel Chavez Quartet” at Oregon Sound Recording. This 5 song album features Daniel on tenor saxophone and collegiate fiends Brandon Crafts on guitar, Garrett Baxter on bass, Jake Riggs on drums and Tony Hayes on tenor saxophone.
Daniel then signed with Lime Entertainment, an agency that booked him to play and entertain on Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruise Lines, backing up comedians, dancers, and musical artists such as 90’s icon Deborah Cox. Throughout his time with Lime Entertainment, Daniel played on 7 cruise ships across fleets and traveled to more than 30 countries, working and connecting with people from over 100 nations.
After two and a half years traveling at sea, Daniel sought to be more grounded and closer to family. He moved to Los Angeles for a brief moment when he quickly realized he was looking for something different. Daniel took a trip to Chicago in the Fall of 2018 where he was swept up by the Windy City and has been planting roots ever since. He now resides in the Pilsen neighborhood with his wife Katrise.
Today
Daniel collaborates as a leader and a side man with a broad array of artists in genres such as Regional Mexicano, Blues, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Hip Hop, and Soul; given Chicago's diverse music scene. He has recorded, written, and performed with artists such as Katie Kadan, Lester Rey & Purple Tokyo, Marca MP with Banda Estrategia and Herman Olivera & Willy Garcia with the GFC International Big Band. Frequently Daniel performs with the Alan Gresik Swing Orchestra, Rosalba Valdez, Luis Alfredo, Joaquin Garcia & Clif Wallace to name a few. Daniel’s most recent album “Chicago”, is now available on various streaming platforms.
As a community leader and organizer, Daniel is the co-founder, executive director and mentor at The People's Center for Cultural & Contemporary Arts. The non-profit arts organization provides art and STEAM opportunities to students in under-resourced communities across Chicago by partnering with schools and community centered organizations. Their mission is to empower students with vital and adaptable creative skills, equipping them to overcome challenges, seize future opportunities, and build lifelong community connections. Daniel believes that the arts are a vehicle for celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, creating sustainable connections to community and networks that afford greater opportunities.