Master's Touch Music  - About Us

Dan & Ellie Blana are the owners of Master's Touch Music.

Dan Blana was born in Detroit Michigan where he grew up loving music, especially Alto Sax music and especially Paul Desmond of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. This love spurred him on to take music lessons in the third grade. He wanted to start on Saxophone but there were no Saxes left to use in the school music department. His teacher recommended the Clarinet. “The Clari-WHAT?” , he asked. He had never heard of it. (Its a good thing he started on Clarinet because it is then easier to learn Sax after than the other way around) Anyway, he then took group lessons for a year and then private lessons for ten years from the prestigious Wayne Music Studio in Detroit, under the tutelage of bandleader Emil Moro, Dr. Dimergian, Martin Stella, and others.

Dan played Clarinet in the Notre Dame High School Concert and Marching Bands for 3 years. In his last year of High School, he finally decided to take up Alto Sax, his dream. He took lessons from the famous studio musician and bandleader of the Austin/Moro Big Band, Lanny Austin. Dan played it in the Marching Band during the football season, but still played Clarinet in the Concert Band because his band leader thought he was the best Clarinet player there (1st Chair, 1st Clarinet).

He wanted to play in the school swing jazz (big band). He tried out for one of the 2 Alto Sax parts but more advanced players were already chosen. He was chosen to play the school’s Baritone Sax (this is about 3 times the size of an Alto Sax but sounds an octave lower on all notes).

After high school, he attended Wayne State University which has an excellent music program. He wanted to major in Music but was persuaded to major in something more practical, like TV/Radio Broadcasting.

He did minor in Music, Photography and Psychology. He played Clarinet and Sax in the Wayne State University (Symphonic) Concert Band there all four years and took many Music Theory, Composing, Ear Training, and Keyboard Harmony classes.

After college, he did play Clarinet and Sax from time to time but let the instruments go. (His Clarinet, which was wood finally fell apart many years later, but he kept his Alto Sax).

Dan had many occupations in the next several years. He worked in electronic repair of TV sets and Stereos. Then he worked his way up to engineering recordings at a major (Motown type) recording studio named United Sound, owned by producer Don Davis of Groovesville productions. (Don Davis made his fortune on the song "Watcha see is watcha get" by the Dramatics in the 60's.)

Dan Blana got to engineer on recordings with Marylin McCoo (of the 5th Dimension), Leslie Uggams, The Dramatics, The Dells, and other artists. He also got to work with some great studio musicians like Lanny Austin on bari sax, flute, The WSU strings, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra strings, and many others.

Dan worked mainly in mainframe Computer Programming after this for Banks for many years. He also did various other things.

Over 20 years later, Dan started playing Alto Sax again at a church in Denver, Colorado. The Pastor there heard him and immediately asked him to play in the Sunday worship band.

He married a wonderful woman named Ellie. She was born in Denver and has a long history of ministering in song at many tent revivals. She continues to be the light of Dan's life here on earth as the Lord Jesus (Yeshua), together with the Holy Spirit and the Father, is the Light of his life spiritually.

A few years later, while studying for his Masters Degree, he recorded his Christmas Album. He completely arranged and orchestrated one of the songs. To his surprise, it was well received by Jerry Nelson and officials at Clarion Records and Eagles Nest Recording Studio. They said that it was better than most of the recordings they receive. This inspired Dan to professionally package and market the album.

Dan & Ellie have played professionally with various jazz players at the Denver Bronco Headquarters, Adams Mark Hotel, Inverness Hotel, and various social functions in the Denver area.

They both been improvising and singing also with the Promise Band, a Contemporary Christian Group, and play in the Nazz Jazz (Big Swing Band) and he also played in the Denver First Church of the Nazarene (full pops) Orchestra as Ellie sang in the DFC choir.

Ellie sings and plays small percussion.

Dan also plays Tenor Sax on which he performed weekly along with sporadic Alto Sax performances on local TV. He also plays his Clarinet, Flute, and Alto Flute in performances from time to time.

They maintain websites at:

http://MastersTouchMusic.com
http://ProfessionalPianoProducts.com

Dan Blana & Bob Sullivan playing at Denver Broncos Football Headquarters

Ellie at FTM studios for our demo

    

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