Daily Inspiration: Meet Daryl Gott

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daryl Gott.

Hi Daryl, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed with your story and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Daryl Gott, and I am originally from Denver, CO, and grew up in Aurora, CO. I was born into a musical family (my dad plays bass and guitar, my mom plays piano, and my sister plays bass), so I was always around music and encouraged to take part. I began with piano lessons and by the end of fifth grade I picked up the alto saxophone. 

In middle school, I joined the jazz band (we used to meet before school twice a week at 6:30 am)! There was a great band director there at the time by the name of John Toepfer, who really engaged me. This paired with the fact that I was playing jazz with my family for services in the church we were attending, gradually built my interest and drew me towards music and improvising. Through the jazz band at school, I met a drummer named Ashton Fuller. 

We became friends and I found out his older sister (Tia Fuller) played saxophone. She was maybe ten years older than me and we had her stuff together! Of course, Tia went on to have major success, playing with everyone, including Beyoncé. I was really blessed to have her as my first saxophone teacher. The Fuller family lived like two blocks from the middle school, so I would go after school for lessons. After middle school, I attended Gateway High School. Unfortunately, they had just gone though some faculty changes and the new band director left a lot to be desired (they have since got a much better teacher). I remember when I was a freshman, I had been learning Cannonball Adderley’s solo on All Blues from Miles Davi’s masterpiece recording Kind of Blue. 

We happened to be playing the song in the jazz band at school and when my solo came up, I started playing the Cannonball solo, and a few measures in, the director stopped me and said “no! those are all wrong notes!” I told him it was the start of the solo from the original recording, and he just ignored me and passed the solo to someone else. It really opened my eyes to the fact that not all educators have the right tools or intentions. It also made me really value the good ones. 

I quit the band not long after that and joined Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA), which is a non-profit mentoring program for kids (and now adults) interested in learning to play jazz, started by Chris and Paul Romaine about 23 years ago. This paired with my family band and private lessons set me up for success. During high school, I began studying saxophone with Rich Chiaraluce, an old-school Italian guy from New Haven Connecticut who whipped me into shape. He was very no-nonsense about the music but also loved to joke around (once you proved you were serious about the music too). 

I really started to develop my sense of swing and sound during my time with Rich. We became very close friends and still keep in touch today. While I was getting a lot of musical opportunities outside of school, I still wasn’t taking any music classes in school. That all changed when Paul Romaine called me the day before school started in my senior year. He said “Hey man! They need a sax player over at Denver School of the Arts (DSA), would you be interested in transferring schools for your last year of high school?” I jumped at the chance! 

Of course, it was a bit of a transition, but I had known a number of students at DSA through CCJA already, so it was pretty smooth. Being at DSA was a game changer in that all of a sudden, I went from being around no music at Gateway to being immersed in it at DSA. Not to mention, being around so many creative people and so much creative energy. This solidified my ambition of becoming a professional musician. 

After high school, I attended Metro in Denver for a semester. It was short, but I got to study with the late great trumpeter Ron Miles, which was incredible! From there, I moved to NYC to study jazz performance at City College Of New York (CCNY). Being in New York expanded my inspiration and love for music immeasurably. Being around my talented peers and the NYC jazz scene really showed me where the level of the best musicians in the world was at. It was definitely rough at times (I remember getting cursed off the stage once at a jam session for not knowing the song), but overall, it is one of the most valuable experiences I have had. 

While in NYC, I studied with people like Jon Gordon, John Patitucci, Jason Rigby, Dick Oatts and Fred Hersch to name a few. I worked as an usher at Jazz at Lincoln Center to make money and it was a dream job at the time. I was able to get paid to see some of my favorite musicians live including Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Kenny Garrett, Flora Purim just to name a few. After graduating, I moved back to Denver and started trying to pursue playing music full-time. 

It took a couple of years of working random jobs, including grocery stores, lesson studios and I was even a body transport person for mortuaries and morgues in the Denver metro area (but that’s another story). All the while, I was going out at night with my saxophone and sitting in wherever I could to try and get my name out there and hopefully get some gigs. In about 2012 or so, I was able to quit my day jobs since I had enough gigs coming in. I also began teaching for CCJA (which I still do today). 

I continued my education in 2016 and received my Master’s degree in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where I studied with John Gunther. I was already working as a professional musician at the time so there was very little sleep to be had during these couple years. Going into the present, I have been playing professionally and teaching for over ten years. I have a regular Monday night gig at The Meadowlark (27th and Larimer) from 9pm-midnight, and a regular Tuesday night gig at Herb’s Hideout (21st and Larimer) from 9:30pm-1:30am. 

I am in several different bands including my own and typically play 4-7 gigs a week. I just released my debut album as a leader called Aperture at the end of 2023 (which is available on all streaming platforms). Taking a page out of my mentor’s books, a little over two years ago I started The All-Ages Jazz Jam at The Stanley Marketplace. The idea is to give people of all ages a safe environment to learn from each other. Most of the gigs I play are in places that are 21+ so I wanted to find a place that younger people would be welcome. 

It happens the last Sunday of the month from 1-3 pm at The Stanley Marketplace (2501 Dallas St, Aurora, CO 80010). I’m more passionate about music than ever and so excited for the future. Thank you for giving me the chance to share my story and come see me play out and about! 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, trying to exist and navigate the world as a professional musician guarantees some bumps along the way, as well as some unparalleled fulfillment. When I started playing saxophone in fifth grade my parents bought me a $200 used Armstrong brand saxophone. As I got older and into high school most of the other kids at school had upgraded to nicer saxophones than me. 

My dad would always say that in order to truly appreciate a quality instrument you need to prove you have discipline and also you need to buy it yourself, so you feel responsible for it. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I was able to save up enough money to buy a Selmer Mark VI (the holy grail of saxophones). I was so proud and inspired by that instrument (and talk about a step up)! About halfway through my undergrad degree in NYC I was robbed on the subway and that horn was taken from me. 

It was a devastating blow on many levels. Long story short, after some time, pain, support and effort, I ended up with an even better Mark VI which is the one I’m currently playing on. Suffering and obstacles are inevitable in life, and I believe you can either be defeated by them, or you can use them as fuel to get to the next step on your journey. Existing and navigating the world when you’re making your income as a professional musician has a number of potential built-in struggles such as financial hardship, complacency, playing in bars most nights, not getting enough daylight, etc. 

I have found that a dedication to consistently getting better, staying organized (always a work in progress) and being a part of a healthy community of musicians and non-musicians are a few ways to help myself not get stuck. It’s not easy, and some days are better than others, but I’m reminded of a quote from the great Daisaku Ikeda: “If you failed yesterday, strive to win today. If you were defeated today, strive to win tomorrow.” 

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in jazz and original music. I also play several different styles such as funk, rock, and hip-hop. I am most passionate about playing jazz and my (and my peers’) original music. 

A good description of my sound and style can be summed up by this quote from the super prolific jazz writer and historian Scott Yanow: “Daryl Gott has his own sound and adventurous style. While his accessible tone may remind one at times of the West Coast cool jazz players of the 1950s including Paul Desmond, his choice of notes is quite modern and original.” 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My mom, dad, and sister.
My wife Lindsey.
My mentors (too many to name).
My friends (I am so blessed to have incredible friends from all walks of life). 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.darylgottmusic.com/
• Instagram: @darylgott
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daryl.gott/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIM2pZCVQ78&list=OLAK5uy_krAQa6IkcfA6OwGnGaSwnAkFm__CslmmI&index=1

Image Credits
Phillip Bebesi