Arlene McDaniel is a jazz pianist/educator who has been active in the Mid-Michigan area since  1981.  She has a Bachelors Degree from MSU in Music Theory/Composition (1984).  Jazz compositions range from piano solo to full jazz ensemble.  Arlene has performed at Old Town Jazz Fest, Summer Solstice Jazz Fest, Montreux/Detroit Jazz Fest, East Lansing Art Fair, as well as local venues such as  The Firefly Club of  Ann Arbor, The Cappuccino Café,  Coral Gables, and The Exchange.  She also hired and scheduled all the music performances at The Cappuccino Café from 2002 up to their closing in July of 2009.  As well as leading her own group, Arlene has performed with notable artists such as The Truth in Jazz Orchestra, Nick Calandro, Ed Fedewa,  Randy Gillespie, Sheila Landis, Larry Ochiltree, Sunny Wilkinson, The Pied Pipers, and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.   Arlene was the accompanist for the MSU Vocal Jazz Ensemble I from 2005-’08, under the direction of Sunny Wilkinson.  Arlene began teaching jazz piano at the Michigan State University Community Music School (CMS) in the fall of 2008, and is excited about continuing to further the education of jazz.

Arlene’s trio of many years with Gene Rebeck (bass) and  Ian LeVine (drums) recently released their recording  Timeless. The CD contains mainly original material.