“It is great to look to the guys who are most successful in the business, and ask what they have done, but I would say without exception that the greatest (artists) are the ones that when they play one or two notes, you automatically know who they are,” says Denver Colorado native Darren Rahn, and he ought to know. The transplanted Canadian has established himself as one of the premier smooth jazz saxophonists, while building a dual career as a highly respected producer, who among other accomplishments, helped send Wayman Tisdale’s CD Way Up all the way to the # 1 spot on the Billboard music charts.

The sax man with the cool grooves, is one of the most likeable guys in the music industry, and the preceding comment was his response to my question concerning what advice he would offer to a young artist at the beginning of their career. “Rather than encouraging an artist to move to New York City or LA (as the most important priority), you really have to find out who you are as a musician, and who you want to be. It is then your responsibility to go get it. That can be done nowadays, from almost anywhere,” he says.

Once In A Lifetime, Rahn’s current CD which features guest artists Wayman Tisdale, Dave Koz and Jeff Lorber is one of the best smooth jazz albums released in 2007. It has been recognized north of the American border, with two nominations for the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, most notably in the Album of the Year category.

“I have worked very hard as a saxophonist to have my own voice, and perhaps that caught their attention. There really is so much talent in that category, that it is an honor to be included (with that group of musicians). I do know that a lot of people are also familiar with the work that I have done as a producer, with artists such as Wayman Tisdale, Dave Koz and Jeff Lorber. Those collaborations are really great. Maybe people are starting to recognize those collaborations. I don’t know if there is something that you can really pinpoint, that makes people say, ‘Hey, let’s nominate this CD for Album of the Year.’ I am certainly thankful that they see it that way,” says Rahn.

Straight ahead and bop jazz artists are usually associated with New York City and the eastern seaboard, while California tends to be a hotbed for smooth jazz musicians, so it probably took a little longer for Rahn’s talent to be recognized since he lives in Denver. He has however adopted the glass half-full attitude, and sees it as far more likely that people will remember him as the saxophonist from Denver, than they would, if he lived in a more intense musical environment such as Los Angeles or New York City. In those centers, he might become lost among the sea of musicians that exist in those centers. It is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine that anyone will soon forget who Darren Rahn is, especially when you listen to songs such as “Side Steppin’,” and “Uptown,” from his current CD.

“The record (Once In A Lifetime) was developed around a bunch of unique experiences in my life. My wife Heather and I had decided to start a family, so during the course of that record she was pregnant with our first child. Also, I had enjoyed some success as the producer for Wayman Tisdale’s # 1 hit, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now.” They (the songs on Once In A Lifetime), are about real life experiences which have meaning and feelings attached to them, and I tried my best to translate that into music. It is very important for me to convey (those feelings) to the listener. The most important thing is for me to share music with other people. When I see a smile on someone’s face, or someone says that your music has affected me in a positive way that is my greatest reward in doing music.

“That record was developed around a bunch of unique experiences in my lifetime. My wife (Heather) and I had decided to start a family, so during the course of that record she was pregnant with our first child. I had also (enjoyed) some really good success as a producer. Wayman Tisdale had got my first number one hit, with “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now.” There were just so many circumstances around that first record that were really once in a lifetime experiences. I tried my best to translate that into music. They are songs that are real life experiences with meaning and feelings attached to them. On the album I tried very hard to express myself but within a context that I felt would uplift people, and draw the listener in,” says Rahn.