Dan De lisle Trombonist, Flutist, Multi-Instrumentalist
Daniel de Lisle
Born in Bellevue, Washington, and quickly transplanted to Bellingham, Daniel de Lisle found himself rooted in a city with a thriving music scene he would one day help define. Music was in his blood from the start, his father, an amateur flutist, unknowingly set the course when he placed a flute in young Daniel’s hands. By the age of seven, de Lisle was already teaching himself to read and play music, driven by curiosity and an ear for melody.
Through middle school, the flute was his voice. But when he reached high school, his band director had no need for another flutist. Recognizing his potential, the director handed him a tuba instead. Most students would have balked at the switch, but de Lisle took it in stride, mastering the fundamentals and earning a spot in Squalicum High School’s advanced band within a year.
Still, the school’s celebrated jazz program remained out of reach, at least officially. Undeterred, de Lisle borrowed a school trombone and began showing up to jazz band rehearsals at 6:30 a.m., teaching himself an entirely new instrument before most of his peers were awake. By the end of his sophomore year, his determination paid off: he tested into Jazz II, and by junior year, he was first chair in Squalicum’s premier jazz ensemble.
That same year, he joined the Whatcom Community College Jazz Band. Two years later, at just 18, he crossed paths with a young bandleader named Will Glazier, who was seeking horn players for a new funk project. That meeting proved to be the start of an unbroken musical partnership spanning nearly every major chapter in both of their careers, from Snug Harbor to Yogoman Burning Band, from the Michal Menert Big Band to the electronic funk project Willdabeast.
With Snug Harbor, de Lisle found more than a gig , he found a sound and a community. The blend of brass-driven funk, tight grooves, and raw energy felt like home, and his trombone became an essential voice in the band’s signature punch. His versatility has always been a secret weapon: the same player who can drop a bone-rattling funk line can just as easily pick up a flute and weave a soulful, melodic counterpoint.
Over the years, de Lisle’s horn work has been heard on festival stages, in sold-out clubs, and across a wide range of recordings nationwide. His ability to move seamlessly between genres, whether holding down the low end in a big band section, driving a funk horn line, or adding textural depth to an electronic set, has made him an indispensable collaborator.
Much like the Bellingham scene that shaped him, de Lisle’s style is a swirl of influences: the discipline of jazz, the groove of funk, the warmth of soul, and the openness of improvisation. His long-running partnership with Glazier is a testament to both his musicianship and his loyalty, a shared musical language built over years of late-night rehearsals, long drives, and high-energy shows.
Whether with Snug Harbor, Willdabeast, or any number of collaborations through Grand Alliance Music, Daniel de Lisle plays with an unwavering commitment to the groove and to the joy of live performance. In every note, you can hear the years of dedication, the breadth of his journey, and the deep roots he’s planted in the music that has carried him from a borrowed school trombone to stages across the country.
Born in Bellevue, Washington, and quickly transplanted to Bellingham, Daniel de Lisle found himself rooted in a city with a thriving music scene he would one day help define. Music was in his blood from the start, his father, an amateur flutist, unknowingly set the course when he placed a flute in young Daniel’s hands. By the age of seven, de Lisle was already teaching himself to read and play music, driven by curiosity and an ear for melody.
Through middle school, the flute was his voice. But when he reached high school, his band director had no need for another flutist. Recognizing his potential, the director handed him a tuba instead. Most students would have balked at the switch, but de Lisle took it in stride, mastering the fundamentals and earning a spot in Squalicum High School’s advanced band within a year.
Still, the school’s celebrated jazz program remained out of reach, at least officially. Undeterred, de Lisle borrowed a school trombone and began showing up to jazz band rehearsals at 6:30 a.m., teaching himself an entirely new instrument before most of his peers were awake. By the end of his sophomore year, his determination paid off: he tested into Jazz II, and by junior year, he was first chair in Squalicum’s premier jazz ensemble.
That same year, he joined the Whatcom Community College Jazz Band. Two years later, at just 18, he crossed paths with a young bandleader named Will Glazier, who was seeking horn players for a new funk project. That meeting proved to be the start of an unbroken musical partnership spanning nearly every major chapter in both of their careers, from Snug Harbor to Yogoman Burning Band, from the Michal Menert Big Band to the electronic funk project Willdabeast.
With Snug Harbor, de Lisle found more than a gig , he found a sound and a community. The blend of brass-driven funk, tight grooves, and raw energy felt like home, and his trombone became an essential voice in the band’s signature punch. His versatility has always been a secret weapon: the same player who can drop a bone-rattling funk line can just as easily pick up a flute and weave a soulful, melodic counterpoint.
Over the years, de Lisle’s horn work has been heard on festival stages, in sold-out clubs, and across a wide range of recordings nationwide. His ability to move seamlessly between genres, whether holding down the low end in a big band section, driving a funk horn line, or adding textural depth to an electronic set, has made him an indispensable collaborator.
Much like the Bellingham scene that shaped him, de Lisle’s style is a swirl of influences: the discipline of jazz, the groove of funk, the warmth of soul, and the openness of improvisation. His long-running partnership with Glazier is a testament to both his musicianship and his loyalty, a shared musical language built over years of late-night rehearsals, long drives, and high-energy shows.
Whether with Snug Harbor, Willdabeast, or any number of collaborations through Grand Alliance Music, Daniel de Lisle plays with an unwavering commitment to the groove and to the joy of live performance. In every note, you can hear the years of dedication, the breadth of his journey, and the deep roots he’s planted in the music that has carried him from a borrowed school trombone to stages across the country.
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