Danny Fischer is one of the most in demand and highly sought after freelance jazz drummers and educators currently working in Australia. There is scarcely a jazz musician in Australia that Danny has not worked with at one time or another.
After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne), he had a highly successful teaching and performing career across the country working with many visiting overseas artists such as James Williams, Gary Bartz, Gordon Brisker, Paul Bollenback, Mark Murphy, Curtis Lundy among many others. During this time he appeared on over 30 recordings including Andrea Kellerʼs ARIA award winning debut CD 13 Sketches. During the period of 1997-1998 Danny visited New York and undertook extensive study with Leon Parker, Barry Altschul, Andrew Cyrille & Matt Wilson.
In 2000 Danny was awarded a professional development grant from the Australia Council which enabled him to relocate to London, which provided a European base while he studied with two of Europeʼs most respected improvising percussionists, Roger Turner and Paul Lovens.
Upon returning to Melbourne in 2001 Danny joined Andrea Kellerʼs Bartok ensemble and released ʻMikrokosmosʼ in 2002, winning an ARIA and a Bell award. Other notable recordings during this time include multiple releases from trumpeter Paul Williamson, saxophonist David Rex, Kynan Robinsonʼs ensemble En Rusk, Andrea Keller’s Quartet and Jamie Oehlers’ recording ‘The Assemblers’, which was also awarded a Bell award in 2004.
In June 2004 Danny toured Europe as a member of Jamie Oehlersʼ quartet, with performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and Ronnie Scottʼs Jazz Club in London. Following this tour he then relocated to New York.
Soon after arriving in the city he formed the co-operative quartet Spoke, and became a member of the critically acclaimed group ʻBryan & the Haggardsʼ and ʻJon Lundbom & Big Five Chordʼ with multiple CD releases on Hot Cup Records and Northern Spy Records with Dr. Eugene Chadbourne. The group Spoke released three critically acclaimed recordings, with tours across Europe, US, Canada & Australia and recently won third place in an international jazz competition in Macau. Danny was also a member of bassist/film composer Bill Lee’s Natural Spiritual Orchestra and Ben Stapp’s Zozimos Collective.
During this time Danny undertook (by invitation only) drum study/mentorship with Master Drummer Michael Carvin, whose core principles about life/drumming remain a core element to Danny’s performing and teaching ethic.
Upon returning to Australia in 2012 Danny continues to perform and record with many of Australia’s top improvising musicians including Vince Jones, Barney McAll & Joe Chindamo while also performing with countless visiting European and American musicians including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Lionel Loueke, Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones), grammy award nominee singer/pianist Karrin Allyson, pianists Laurence Hobgood and Jef Neve (Belgium), singer Veronica Swift, saxophonists Ben Van Gelder (Netherlands) and Francisco Cafiso (Italy).
Danny is also a highly passionate drum teacher/educator/historian, proudly endorsing Canopus Drums and accessories and is a devoted cat lover!