While the first performances of the group Daydream weren't until early 2016, the themes for this mix of music had taken ahold of bass player and band leader Riley Day around three years prior. The golden age of nostalgia inspired the thought of a group that played through-composed music which allows the listener to wander back through their own childhood memories of games, fights, family, and an overactive imagination. Wichita provided a wide spectrum of musical experiences, and our protagonistic bassist proceeded to gather musicians from the various bands, gigs, groups, and ensembles he gelled with around the city. The result: Daydream, an 11 piece ensemble that started with a crust of classic form, filled with delicious meaty jazz, punctuated by some nostalgic funk, and sprinkled over with a touch of dubstep. Bake at 2016 degrees for 3 months, and the result is a savory musical pie that satisfies the musical cravings of even the pickiest listener.
Testimonials
"I am pleased to have recently learned about bassist Riley Day and his excellent band, Daydream. Riley has a unique compositional approach, utilizing a wide range of styles, sounds and structures, yet he maintains a cohesive, well-conceived concept throughout his work. His band is well suited for his stylistic leaps, and everyone in the ensemble plays at a high level and is sonically dedicated to the group's concept as a whole. As a bassist, Riley holds down the complexity with adept playing and deep grooves, allowing for the challenging music to sound effortless and accessible. Daydream's energy and commitment to the music are a tribute to Riley's unique talent as a composer, bassist and bandleader."
-Cory Combs, Executive Director of San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music
"Riley Day and his band, Daydream, effortlessly blends together various musical styles and relentlessly showcases them in a Jazz-Fusion setting. The band does a phenomenal job executing Riley's own compositions, as well as covers without losing any musicality in the translation. Recently they made their Kansas City debut here at Californos, and from the first notes played, the crowd was enthralled. Musicians and music lovers alike were both captivated by the ease in which the band performed, seemingly, very challenging arrangements. I am very much looking forward to having them back."
- Trey Green, Californos Bar and Restaurant in Westport, Kansas City
"Ya'll are some BAAAD muthaf****s!"
-Reggie, patron of Barleycorns in Wichita, KS
The Band Members
Riley Day
Riley grew up in the bustling metropolis of De Soto, KS in a household where music was highly encouraged. He took piano lessons from ages 6-12 (but only because the cute girl from church walked past the piano teachers house on the way home from school). In 7th grade he was taught how to play the intro to "One Last Breath" by Creed on guitar and his whole life changed. He began studying theory and playing guitar/bass in the jazz and pep bands. After getting first place in the prestigious Battle of the Bands in the back room of the Johnson County Library with his then band "A Grim Day for Justice" (band members included Joey Grim and Adam Justice), he decided that getting squiggly and melting face was his passion. Since then, he has played in numerous bands and written for a wide range of ensembles. Riley went to Emporia State University for Music Education, Wichita State University for Double Bass Performance, and is now the proud orchestra/strings teacher at Emporia High School and Emporia Middle School. Riley enjoys hacky sacking, listening to the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast, and playing with Dalton's dog, Linus (aka "Wubbozh").
Andy Slater
Andy Slater received his first drum set at age 10 while the country was in the midst of a Beach Boys revival. Coming of age during the early 2000's exposed Slater to the music of Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Paul McCartney.... because this was the middle of Kansas before internet so he listened to his parents music. Eventually his parents brought the household into the 21st century with satellite television. This meant MTV, CMT, and VH1 were accessible for the first time. Soon he was playing along to Alien Ant Farm, 311, Blink-182, and The Baha Men. Everything changed when Slater's dad brought home a Jeff Lorber Fusion album. Soon he was in the realm of Miles Davis and Thelonias Monk. When Slater went off to pursue a bachelors degree in music performance he joined the big band where he learned the basics of driving a large ensemble from behind the kit. He continued playing jazz through his masters degree; constantly refining and learning from the greats like Jeff Hamilton, Tony Williams, Ed Thigpen, and so many more. Slater joined DAYDREAM shortly after it's inception as congero/percussionist. With the departure of the band's former drummer threatening to tear the band apart Slater moved over to take the reigns and single-handedly save the band. Some of Slater's favorite artists include Kneebody, Tigran Hamasayan, Square pusher, Mark Guliana, Tanya Tagaq, Beck, Punch Brothers, and Gilad Hekselman.
Dalton williams
Dalton was born in Austin, TX on a Friday the 13th while a solar eclipse was passing directly over the South by Southwest music and arts festival. When Dalton was 6 seconds old, he heard a trumpet player on one of the nearby hooligan-riddled stages and, despite the plea from his good-natured, sophisticated parents, decided to play trumpet for a living. On one of Dalton's first days in grad school, he found Riley amidst a storm of beautiful women entranced by his charm, intellect, and devastatingly good looks. After a while Riley was sympathetic enough to allow Dalton to associate with him from time to time. Dalton has his fingers in just about every music scene that Sedgewick County, KS is legally allowed to offer (and some that it isn't). Aside from playing the trumpet, Dalton also enjoys reenacting scenes from the various Harry Potter movies with his conducting baton, inventing new taco recipes, and actively participating as president of the National Geriatric Barbershop Quartet Education Association.
Luke Young
Although he started off playing the clarinet, from the first time Luke Young touched a saxophone he knew that it was what he was supposed to play. He picked it up to play in his middle school jazz band and practiced hard, although he continued to play clarinet as he liked being the only guy in a section full of girls. He continued throughout high school, and started to delve more into jazz and the music of the greats like Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. However, when he got to college Luke received a sharp dose of reality as he realized that being the best in your high school does not mean you are actually good. He doubled down and worked harder than ever before, and by the time he graduated Wichita State in 2015 with degrees in music performance he had become a very well rounded player with experience in multiple genres. Luke has been a member of multiple local groups, approaching all styles of music from jazz to soul to rock, and some of those groups had more than one show. Along the way he met Riley, who seemed to like when Luke's solos went more "outside" (meaning way, way beyond our solar system). Luke has played with Daydream since its inception. He enjoys cooking, working out, and spending time with his also-saxophonist fiancé.
tyler gauldin
Tyler has had a varied musical career as an educator, clinician, and recording artist. As a saxophonist, Tyler holds both a Bachelors and a Master’s Degree in Classical Performance from the Eastman School of Music. During his time at Eastman, he was a featured soloist with the Eastman Wind Orchestra and was selected for their Midwest tour in 2009. As a founding member of the Eastman Saxophone Project, Tyler has premiered many classical chamber arrangements and transcriptions. A native of Upstate New York, he has had frequent performances throughout Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, and in the Finger Lakes region.
In addition to his work as a classical musician, Tyler has also extensively studied jazz from a young age, working with distinguished artists such as Jose Encarnation, Bob Sneider, Jeff Campbell, and Matt Stuver. Tyler has conducted various jazz workshops and clinics throughout the United States and has been a driving force behind many different touring Jazz and Fusion ensembles. He currently resides in Wichita, where he is active in the Jazz and Latin music scene.
Lucas Hulett
Lucas graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2012 with a Bachelor of Music in performance, and studied tuba/euphonium with Fredrick Boyd. Realizing he would be homeless and starving if he continued to play euphonium, he figured out how to play trombone. Lucas has since had the opportunity to perform with widely successful jazz artists such as Dick Oatts, Brad Leali, Scott Wendholt, Mike Steinel, Jeff Coffin, Harold Danko, Terell Stafford, Jim Riggs, Paul McKee. After undergrad, Lucas worked as a full-time freelance musician, from clean cut Tuxedo Orchestra pits to grungy tour vans and moldy motels. He worked primarily with salsa band Orquesta Mayor, performing on their first album and toured the southeast regularly. This life of feast or famine led to his professional affiliation with the NBA and the co-founding of Buzz City Brass mini corp. This group performed regularly on site as an entertainment band and as a community outreach organization. Lucas moved out to the Midwest to pursue his masters at WSU in trombone and Conducting. Upon arrival, Lucas was approached by Riley Day to join Daydream, and like any good salsa bone player should do, plastered everyone to the wall, and thus, single handedly, saved the band from a lifetime of doing Kenny G covers.
Meri Jenkins
Meri Jenkins started life as a head-in-the-clouds, nose-in-a-book child who spent time writing poetry and singing country music at Grandma’s house. Despite being dressed like a cowgirl and thrown to the eager crowds of nursing homes, she decided to ditch voice and picked up a saxophone in 7th grade. After several years of ALMOST making honor bands, she switched to horn and never looked back. Meri holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in horn performance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Wichita State, respectively. While Meri loves performing in a classical setting, her passion is for composing and performing new works, and fusion projects. DAYDREAM is a fantasy group for a horn player looking to evolve the stereotype of the instrument, and Meri is thrilled to be a part of it. She has been a member of the group since Fall 2017. When she is not gigging or working, Meri enjoys gardening, sewing, and wants to hire a maid.