Dan Nelson Art

You can order a copy of this painting, "Held High" by Dan Nelson at https://trumpposters.net/
$20.00 11 x 14 (image 9 x 12 plus 1-inch margin)

Another inept cameraman. But it's the only flute sample I have right now.

18 Headless Flute Another inept cameraman. But it's the only flute track I have at the moment.

There's a section in the middle of this where I am playing the flugel through an Octave-Lower Processor. A fun way to lay down a sonorous bass line.

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Sorry I missed my head on this shot! I have since fired the cameraman. That's LIVE SHOWBIZ for ya! Still . . . I like the improv. Hope you do, too.

16. Headless Harp Sweet Minor Blues

I particularly enjoy getting sounds out of an instrument that people don't expect. Not too many whistles in your local garage band. But guess what? A quick internet search brings up about 8 times that the recorder/whistle was used (usually quite poorly, I'm sorry to say) by several classic rock groups. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix, to name just a few. Who knew!?

14 High Whistle over Rockin' Groove I particularly enjoy getting sounds out of an instrument that people don't expect. Not too many whistles in your local garage band. But guess what? A quick i...

The harmonica is the most serendipitous musical instrument ever created. It was invented in Germany in the early 19th century, essentially for playing polkas. Then it went across the ocean, and-- I imagine-- some slave down in Louisiana got ahold of one and started playing it "backwards", ie: sucking air IN more than blowing air OUT. And voi la! The Blues were invented. This may not be EXACTLY how it happened . . . but still . . . a complete musical accident. Then, 200 years later, Howard Levy came along and showed us all how to get the MISSING notes out of this amazing little box. Will wonders never cease?

13. Blues Harp over Rockin' Groove The harmonica is the most serendipitous musical instrument ever created. It was invented in Germany in the early 19th century, essentially for playing polkas...

Of course we all hate drum machines. Unless you need a drum machine, of course.

12. Godin w Drums Rockin' Groove & Improv

Put on your asbestos suit. I'm going to be a musical snob for a moment. PLEASE don't tell me, "Hey! I played one of those in 5th grade."

Um . . . No, you did not.

Most of you received a musical immunization in 5th grade. Those of you for whom the Musical De-sensitization Sessions did not work (ie: you turned out musicians anyway) know exactly what I'm talking about.

Okay, I promise to be good again. You can take off your asbestos suit.

11. Whistle Jammin' Over Jesu Groove Put on your asbestos suit. I'm going to be a musical snob for a moment. PLEASE don't tell me, "Hey! I played one of those in 5th grade." Um . . . No, you did...

My wife wants to know why I'm walking around like that. That's called STREET PERFORMING! I don't know . . . It just seemed like the thing to do. Plus it gave me a minute to warm up.

10. Tenor Sax Jammin' Over Jesu Groove My wife wants to know why I'm walking around like that. That's called STREET PERFORMING! I don't know . . . It just seemed like the thing to do. Plus it gave...

People often ask me-- of the dozen or so that I play-- "What is your favorite instrument?" That's impossible to answer. A good smart-aleck answer is "The RIGHT one!." Different ones are favorites for different reasons. I suppose for just pure JAMMIN' Improv, the classical or nylon-string guitar would have to be near the top. Oh, wait . . . unless it's the blues harp . . . or the whistle . . . or the soprano sax . . . Oh, never mind.

9 Classical Jammin' over Jesu Groove People often ask me-- of the dozen or so that I play-- "What is your favorite instrument?" That's impossible to answer. A good smart-aleck answer is "The RIG...

Using Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" as a springboard for a new groove . . .

8. Laying down Jesu Joy Groove

A little trumpet-- with Harmon mute-- over previous chord progression. Sorry for the bad balance--- this is RAW footage!

7. Trumpet with harmon mute improv A little trumpet-- with Harmon mute-- over the previous chord progression.

One thing I try really hard to avoid is wall-to-wall "Spa Music"-- you know, that schmoozy, put-everybody-to-sleep stuff. I like SOME of that . . . But then there's a time to wake up! I try to cover a wide range of styles on the street. That's one of the keys I've discovered for NOT having people complain about you.

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This shows a little more of my creative process . . . though I'm always looking for ways to mix it up.

5. The Layering Process-- Guitar, Horn & Whistle

The horn is one of my latest additions. I love surprising people-- That's not exactly what they were expecting to see on the sidewalk today. And if they were, they weren't expecting to hear jazz coming out of it! This is played over the previous groove ( #3), of course.

4. French Horn Over Minor Jazz Groove The horn is one of my latest additions. I love surprising people-- That's not exactly what they were expecting to see on the sidewalk today. And if they were...

This is how most of my improvisational pieces start. I try to play a chord progression I have never played before, often on my favorite "Godin" guitar-- Solid body classical electric guitar that I play through a whole bevy of synthesisers, processors, and effects. Then I improvise on top of that foundation on as many instruments as I can.

3. Godin Minor Jazz Groove This is now most of my improvisational pieces start-- I try to lay down a chord progression I have never played before, often on my prize "Godin" guitar-- t...

Another snippet of me playing downtown-- Sometimes ya just gotta beat the heck outa that guitar! After all, that's what six-strings were invented for.

2 . Acoustic Straight-Ahead Strum A little snippet of me playing downtown. Sometimes ya just gotta beat the heck outa that guitar! That's what six-strings were invented for, after all.

I am occasionally asked if I do WATERCOLOR Wedding Paintings. And the answer is YES! I am most known for my oil painting style so if a bride wants just ONE painting, I recommend oil. But if the client wants TWO or more paintings, I recommend making one of them a watercolor. Take a look at these and tell me what you think!

2/2/24-- First Friday-- HeART for Raleigh Show--
In the beautiful lobby of 333 Fayetteville Street.

The latest Raleigh paintings by Dan Nelson, who has been painting our city for twenty years.

ALONG WITH a selection of Dan's distinctive ABSTRACT PAINTINGS-- Beautiful color accents for decorators on a budget!

ONE MORE SPECIAL: Dan and his friend, Tim Sauve, will be providing the MUSIC for the evening. Dan is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist.

Dan Nelson Art America's foremost Live Event Painter.

First of all: ALL of my brides are beautiful. Period.
But . . . Some are, perhaps, just a little more beautifuller than others.
Now when you get a beautiful bride AND a handsome groom . . . (Not an uncommon occurance) well, then, my job is easy. All I have to do is try to capture the reality.

THIS COUPLE does come to mind. At Bella Colina in North Carolina.

Brett & Mike at City Market last week.

Latest Wedding Painting - - a rooftop reception in Roanoke, VA.

My latest wedding Painting. Beautiful Kayla and Michael (nephew to Uncle60, for My YouTube friends) in North-Central Virginia.

Some of you have wondered what I am up to these days (I'm not doing as much painting) Here is a hint -- me playing yesterday in downtown Raleigh surrounded by some of my 54 instruments. Happy musician!

It's been awhile since I had a good excuse to create cartoons. Here's a bunch I've done for my blog over at
If ya wanna know what they mean, go to FineArtsLeagueofCary.org. Clip on BLOG