STAN O'DAFFER

Grounded and practical in his everyday life, Stan O’Daffer offers audiences a musical experience that embraces risk, defying rules and expectations. With the mind of a scientist and the soul of a musician, he transforms elements from distinct and disparate musical styles into a mysterious alloy of multidimensional melodies, expansive harmonics, and nuanced rhythms. Stan’s alchemical style manifests compositions daringly unpredictable yet intentionally refined, exposing his very soul and reflecting the shared experience of being human. 

His debut solo project, "Distance," features an approved rendition of Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street" and earned him numerous accolades. Stan's next album, "Sweet," tells the tale of an orphaned juvenile dinosaur with each track serving as a contemporary tone poem. In 2026, Stan will release a highly-anticipated third album of his original works.

A native of Decatur, Illinois, Stan performed with and composed for an award-winning high school jazz ensemble before entering Illinois State University to study music composition and jazz under the tutelage of Roque Cordero and James Boitos, respectively. After co-founding the fusion ensemble, Abstract Notion, Stan moved to Minneapolis where he collaborated with Marnie Jones, contributing to her Billboard-charting New Age album. He worked sessions for the Commodores, contributed to various TV/film projects, and joined Ingrid Chavez's European tour band. He has spent the past few years scoring for film and performing solo or with the rock band Blackfish Movement or jazzy group Jessie Street.