Daniel Eikmeier (Trumpet)
The newest member of the horn section, Dan Eikmeier is just beginning what may prove to be a long and varied musical career.  Growing up on a farm outside St. Cloud, MN, Dan started studying piano at age 5, picking up the trumpet at age 11.  He added the guitar to his arsenal at 15, and this soon became his passion.  He played in several punk, rock and blues bands throughout high school, and made his way around the coffeehouse circuit with his Bob Dylan and Replacements covers.  Dan's interest in popular and local music led to a DJ job at the St. Cloud State University radio station, KVSC 88.1 FM, a position he held for five years.  He was also very active in the Rocori high school band program, assisting in the arrangement and instruction of the marching band program.  He was awarded the John Philip Sousa Band award in 1997.

Upon entering college at SCSU, Dan quickly learned that his true voice was with his trumpet, but didn't make it his primary field of study, preferring piano and composition.  At St. Cloud State he played in several large ensembles and chamber groups, finding a home in the classical as well as the jazz world.  He also pursued his initial love for marching band, spending three years marching with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, based in Rockford, IL, and one year with the St. Paul-based Minnesota Brass, Inc.  Frustrated by the lack of professional music opportunities in St. Cloud, Dan moved to Minneapolis in 2001, where he began attending the University of Minnesota.  After two years of intensive study, including one year in the U of MN Jazz I Band, Dan graduated with a B.M. in Trumpet Performance.  Dan's trumpet instructors have included Frank Pasquerella, Dr. Albert Moore, Peter Bond, Petr Nedbal, Dave Anderson, and Dr. David Baldwin.

Dan currently lives in Minneapolis and waits tables in the downtown area.  He can occasionally be seen at jazz and blues jam sessions, or playing with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.  Dan's long-term goal is to teach music at the college level, but right now he just wants to play.  He is excited about his first professional job, and loves playing with such a talented group of musicians.  So far he is enjoying the freedom he is given to put his own personality on the music, which is what the blues is all about for him.

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