This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Danny Mixon: A Homegrown Jazz Legend

The pianist — a star in his own right — played alongside the likes of Charles Mingus during his lengthy career.

Pianist, vocalist and bandleader Daniel “Danny” Asbury Mixon credits his Fort Greene upbringing for inspiring his sylish, gospel-influenced jazz.

Mixon, who started out as a tap dancer at the age of 3 and was a student at Harlem’s Ruth Williams Dance Studio, decided to take up the piano after watching musicians like late drummer and jazz dancer, “Scoby” Stroman and the pianist Ed Stoute play gigs around his neighborhood.

“I was exposed to many types of music in Fort Greene," Mixon said, recalling his days at P.S. 67. "But my main interest was always jazz.”

Find out what's happening in Fort Greene-Clinton Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To say he took advantage of his surroundings growing up would be an understatement. At Sands Jr. High School Mixon joined the band and played the trombone. Later he hooked up with the local Brooklyn All Boroughs Orchestra.

An afternoon outing with his grandfather to the Apollo Theater when he was 15 years old inspired him to take up piano lessons.

Find out what's happening in Fort Greene-Clinton Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“My family, mother, grandmother and grandfather encouraged me to continue to participate in as well as develop a taste for all different kinds of music,” Mixon recalled.

At 17, while working for a fabric company, Mixon decided to play the piano for good, getting his first big break at a gig in Atlantic City backing Patti Labelle and the Blue Bells with Sam Brown's band.

Long recognized for his fusion of old blues with contemporary jazz, Mixon has stirred crowds with demanding riffs that often feature transcendent gospel sounds. His lengthy career that began in the late 1960s led to him performing with the likes of Charles Mingus and Betty Carter.

Today, Mixon can be found playing gigs at the Night of the Cookers restaurant on Fulton St. He also continues to work with new talent and teach piano.

"I have stood on the shoulders of many great jazz musicians and am grateful for all I have been blessed to learn,” he said. “Now I make every effort to teach others, especially youth, of our rich jazz history and artists.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Fort Greene-Clinton Hill