Kansas City-based Danny Embrey has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading jazz guitarists. In addition to recording and playing concerts, festivals and club dates, Embrey is in demand as an arranger, composer and producer.
Danny Embrey toured and performed during the 1980s with Sergio Mendes and Clare Fischer’s Latin Band. With the Sergio Mendes Band, he traveled the globe. “My first trip with Sergio was seven weeks in Europe; then, we went to South Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, and Australia.” He recalls playing for King Hussein in Jordan and the Reagans in the East Room of the White House. There were also television appearances on Solid Gold, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Johnny Carson Show.
While in the Los Angeles area he also toured and/or recorded with such notables as Gary Foster, Steve Houghton, Alan Broadbent, Gene Harris, Bob Brookmeyer, Bob Sheppard, Barry White, Shelly Manne, Monty Budwig, Annie Ross, Sam Most, and Leroy Vinnegar.
When Embrey left the Sergio Mendes group, he moved to Seattle, Washington where he would spend the next two years. Living in the Seattle area gave him the opportunity to work the local area, continue to work the west coast, and to begin a new phase in his career. Chuck Israels asked Embrey to join him as a guitar instructor at Western Washington University. He became a member of the IAJE and did clinics in Seattle, Interlochen, Michigan, and in Canada.
Upon returning to Kansas City area Embrey recorded and toured with jazz artists, Karrin Allyson, Interstring, Frank Mantooth, Sons of Brasil and numerous other world-class jazz groups. Embrey appears on eight of Allyson’s recordings and has toured worldwide as her musical director and he was co-producer on two of her albums: “I Didn’t Know About You,” and “Azure-Te.”
The Interstring connection resulted in two more highly acclaimed albums: “Odahoda” and Winter Song.” Embrey also recorded during this time with Mike Metheny, PBT Trio, the Blvd Big Band, Angela Hagenbach, Pat Wilson, Margaret Carlson, Ed Pharr, Charlie Gatshet and numerous others.