Jon Dahlander
Songs for Smiler McGee
“Fourteen tracks of solo piano–some sad, some happy, but every track overflowing with emotion. Jon’s music is thoughtful in every sense of the word.”
“Jon’s music is sensitive, skillful, passionate and contemporary.”
– RJ Lannan, The Sounding Board
Discography
Available for Downloading and Streaming
Events
Upcoming Events
Video shoot 2017
Promo Photo
![023_23[1]1100x](https://www.jondahlander.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/023_2311100x-300x300.png)
Jon, Heidi and Jared
Jon and Jared at the Piano
Press
Review: Songs For Smiler McGee
I met Jon Dahlander and heard his music for the first time at the Whisperings Solo Piano Awards weekend near Seattle in 2018. He played a piece at the Whisperings Discovery Concert, which featured artists who had never played in a Whisperings Concert in the first half and a mix of the more prominent pianists […]
Songs for Smiler McGee by Jon Dahlander
After an on again, off again, presence in the music scene spaning more than 17 years, Jon Dahlander has returned with is stunningly beautiful solo piano album, Songs for Smiler McGee written and composed as a tribute to the son he and his wife a loved and lost. In the 14 years of Jared’s fragile life, he […]
The Sounding Board – Songs For Smiler McGee Review
I never heard of Jon Dahlander until this year. I read his email, more of a letter then a note really, and with each passing word, I knew I had to hear his music. As you read this I want you to know that this review is about music that celebrates a life. Not a passing of […]
Jon Dahlander’s first album in 17 years emotes his son’s life and death
Mournful music Two weeks before his son, Jared, was born, Jon Dahlander was at the Lakewood Theater hosting his third CD release party. A self-taught pianist, Dahlander was excited to welcome his first child in 2000 and wondered what kind of music fatherhood might inspire. Within a month, Jared was back in the hospital. The […]
About the Cover Photo
The cover photo of Songs for Smiler McGee was taken of a sunset near Boothbay Harbor, Maine. It’s a special place for our family, not only for its peacefulness and beauty, but also because an experience that started there with our son Jared (Smiler McGee) changed our lives and perspectives forever. Let me explain. Leading […]
Who is Smiler McGee?
Smiler McGee is a nickname I gave one day to our special needs son Jared, who is and will always be my number one fan. He loved music more than anything—except for maybe being in a pool or riding on a horse at hippotherapy. Jared died shortly before his 14th birthday of a kidney disease. […]
