Daniel Biro is a London-based keyboard player, composer, sound-designer and producer. His music draws upon diverse roots in jazz, rock, minimalist, and electronic music. As an improvisor, Biro specializes in exploring the sonic depths of the Rhodes piano, with which he performs regularly.
Early life and education
Born in Johannesburg, Biro spent his early years in Rome, London, Milan and Menton where lived until the age of 22. He studied for 8 years at the Jazz Conservatory of Monaco under the direction of Roger Grosjean and, after completing a Literary Baccalauréat, three years at Nice University in France. He moved to London in 1985 where he's lived ever since.
Music
In the 1980s and 90s, Biro formed pop-rock bands such as the electro outfit IC and L'Orange with French vocalist songwriter Véronique Joly. He also toured worldwide as a keyboard player with Dennis Greaves' The Truth and EMI-signed Big Bam Boo. He has also been very much involved with contemporary dance, notably with choreographer Jane Turner with whom he has developed new real-time interactive dancers/musicians technologies based on Emergence Theory, where simple patterns generate complex results. In 1993, Biro founded Sargasso Records to promote contemporary experimental music. Artists on the label include the late Jonathan Harvey, Lawrence Casserley, Violeta Dinescu, John McGuire, Simon Emmerson, John Palmer and more He plays and records with his jazz/psychedelic band Mysteries of the Revolution formed together with multi-instrumentalist Peter BB Davis as well as the ambient/jazz/electronic/improv Echo Engine with guitarist Rob Palmer, sound-designer Adrian Newton together with collaborations with guest artists such as saxophonist/flautist Theo Travis. As a singer-songwriter he has released the album 'Songs of Refuge'. He is not the Daniel Biro from Hawk Nelson.
Film
He has written numerous soundtracks for TV documentaries by French director Olivier Sarrazin, experimental shorts and, in 2014, the award-winning 'Things of the Aimless Wanderer' by Rwandan director Kivu Ruhorahoza. The film was part of the official selection at the Sundance, Rotterdam, Durban, Sydney and London Film Africa festivals in 2015. Biro has also made many videos and short films himself, often to accompany his music.
Selected works
Performed Compositions:
Shir Hadash for 5 male voices, electric piano and electronics
A Thin, Still Sound for bass clarinet and live electronics
e-Merge for 5 voices and e-Merge computer system
Black Fire On White Fire for amplified calligraphy, voice, 7 clarinets and electronics
Re-sound for electric piano and tape
Elegant Enigmas for harpsichord and electric piano
