Artist Information
Biography
D. R. Commander’s musical style is not easily categorized, but to him, it seems like a perfectly natural product of his many diverse musical experiences. From teaching himself the piano at age 7 by playing along with early 80's country radio to playing lead trumpet in the University of Houston Jazz Ensemble, music-- in one form or another-- was always an integral part of Commander's young life. After college, he played piano professionally in the Houston jazz, swing, and R&B scene for four years before moving to Austin. Commander has spent more than a decade in Austin honing his keyboard and songwriting skills with various bands, including country dance band Laredo, jazz fusion quintet The Harmony Theory, and R&B/funk band Akina Adderley & the Vintage Playboys (whose first album contains two of his songs.) On occasion, Commander has also leant his keys to a variety of other artists, including Michelle Shocked and bluegrass singer Anna Mae Mitchell, and he sits in regularly with roots rock/R&B band Flounders Without Eyes.
In addition to the musicians with whom Commander has played over the years, his original material is inspired by many other diverse artists, including folk rockers like Mark Knopfler, Bruce Hornsby, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, and Bruce Springsteen, modern jazz pianists such as Lyle Mays, and R&B artists such as Jon Cleary, Steve Winwood, Donald Fagen, and John Legend. Commander is a versatile performer who is equally as comfortable belting out his songs in an intimate solo keyboard setting as rocking them out with a 4-piece band (D. R. Commander and the Space Cadets.) He often performs his songs in different styles based on the nature of a particular performance.
Instrumentation
D. R. Commander - Vocals, keyboards
Discography
"Seven Cities" (in production)
Links
Video
Photo Gallery
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Publicity Photo by Esther Havens
Download print quality (high-res) version -
Publicity Photo by Esther Havens
Download print quality (high-res) version -
Moving concert on the Austin Street Pianos, 4/20/11
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Performing with Flounders Without Eyes at Old Settlers Music Festival, 4/16/10
Press
Setlist
D. R. Commander has approximately 90 minutes of original material, but he is capable of performing shows of any length, up to and including a full evening (3 sets.) For longer shows, his original material will be interspersed with eclectic classic rock, folk, and R&B covers performed in his own unique style.
