Danny Mixon

Who is Danny Mixon?

Daniel Asbury Mixon is an American jazz pianist.

Mixon gained some attention in the 1970s and continues to record and play in New York and abroad. He started off as a tap dancer, attending the Ruth Williams Dance Studio. Later, he attended the High School of Performing Arts with Dance as his major but soon switched to playing the piano after being inspired by visits with his grandfather to see jazz artists playing at the Apollo Theater.

In 1966, at the age of 17, Mixon was invited to play with the trumpet player Sam Brown's band backing Patti Labelle & the Blue Bells in Atlantic City at Reggie's Cocktail Lounge. After working with Joe Lee Wilson from 1967–70, Mixon started to play regularly with Betty Carter during the years 1971-72.

He formed his own jazz trio, recorded with the Piano Choir and worked with a variety of important jazz musicians including Kenny Dorham, Cecil Payne, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Frank Foster, Grant Green, Pharoah Sanders, Joe Williams, Eddie Jefferson and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

1976 saw Mixon playing in Charles Mingus' band.