Daniel’s 30+ years in the industry include scores for corporate-industrial film, commercials, documentaries and short-form drama. His production library music is used widely on network and cable television and film. He also composed and produced extensively for Apple Inc. (see the “Jingles” folder on any Mac) and developed a number of the virtual instruments for their GarageBand recording application. Much of his writing/producing has been for chamber ensembles, acoustic guitar and world music. His wide range of projects also includes songwriting in alt-rock and gospel styles, orchestral instrumentals and a cappella religious choral works. He co-wrote and produced Big Whisper a 16-song cd with Nashville hit songwriter, Rand Bishop.

Acoustic Guitar – Daniel has collaborated with several of North America’s premiere guitarists including:

  • Alex DeGrassi – fingerstyle (Windham Hill and Narada records),
  • Doug Smith – (Grammy winner and 2006 National Fingerstyle Guitar champion),
  • Mark Hanson – fingerstyle (Grammy winner),
  • Terry Robb – (Cascade Blues Assoc. “Muddy Award” winner – 19 times and counting!!),
  • Ralph Towner – jazz/experimental (ECM, multi-Grammy winner),
  • John Standefer – (2002 National Fingerstyle Guitar champion),
  • Daniel’s most recent guitar collaboration focused on a six-song mix of Flamenco and rock genres using San Francisco guitarist Daniel Fries and local guitarist, Dan Blamer – as part of a new release entitled Fuego Rapido.

World Music – Several of Daniel’s world music projects were the result of trips to Kenya, Sri Lanka and Thailand and followed a decade as director and principle composer for The Portis-Cathers Ensemble (guitar, tabla, electric violin) which Joseph Roe of OPB called, “One of the truly great New Music ensembles in the Pacific Northwest”. His African field and festival recording collection resulted in Heart of Africa 2 for Spectrasonics and has since been integrated into Omnisphere – one of the music industry’s most used virtual instruments.

He owns Deep Sea Music, Inc. and lives in Portland, OR