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Tier 2 · legacy legendfull biography
David Darling
Person · male · United States · Elkhart · born 1941 · died 2021 · recording since 1980
American musician
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Also known as 大卫·达令
Timeline
32 events▣ Album 29◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1940s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Journal October
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography646 words · 6 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1365698231
Biography
David Darling (March 4, 1941 – January 8, 2021) was an American cellist and composer. In 2010, he won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. He performed and recorded with Bobby McFerrin, Paul Winter Consort, Ralph Towner and Spyro Gyra and released many solo albums. Among these were 15 recordings for ECM.
Music career
Darling was born on March 4, 1941, in Elkhart, Indiana. He was interested in music from an early age, beginning piano when he was four, cello at ten, and string bass in high school. He studied classical cello at Indiana State University and after graduating remained there another four years as a teacher.
He worked as a studio musician in Nashville, Tennessee and was a member of the Paul Winter Consort until 1978. During the following year, he was part of the chamber jazz group Gallery with Ralph Towner and released his first solo album, Journal October
Journal OctoberSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Slow Return12:53A2Bells and Gongs1:25A3Far Away Lights3:40A4Solo Cello5:43A5Minor Blue3:15B1Clouds6:17B2Solo Cello6:22B3Solo Cello and Voice2:58B4Journal October, Stuttgart10:21.
Darling's performance and composition draw on a wide range of styles, including classical, jazz, Brazilian, African, and Indian music.
He wrote and performed music for more than a dozen major motion pictures, the horror film Child's Play (1988), Heat (1995), and Until the End of the World (1991). He contributed music to Nouvelle Vague (1990), Éloge de l'amour (2001), and Notre musique (2004).
In 2000, he recorded a collaboration with the Wulu Bunun, a group of Taiwanese aborigines.
In 2007 he recorded The Darling Conversations, with Julie Weber discussing his music philosophy. It was issued by Manifest Spirit Records. In January 2009, Darling released the Grammy-winning Prayer for Compassion, a follow-up of his earlier 8-String Religion, both on the Curve Blue label.
Other activities
In 1986, Darling joined Young Audiences, an organization that seeks to educate children about music and the arts through school programs. In the same year, he founded Music for People, which seeks to encourage self-expression through musical improvisation. His teaching methods are the subject of a book, Return to Child (2008).
In May 2008, he became part of a collaboration of music teacher and performers offering a training program in holistic and intercultural approaches to healing with sound and music at the New York Open Center Sound and Music School.
David Darling died in his sleep, January 8, 2021.
Awards and honors
Grammy Award, Best New Age Album, Prayer for Compassion
Prayer for CompassionSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Untold Stories4:492Prayer for Compassion4:193Stones Start Spinning4:164As Long as Grasses Grow and Rivers Run3:445Music of a Desire2:496Remembering Our Mothers3:197Beautiful Life2:368War Is Outdated4:109September Morn4:3610Shoestrings2:5011Heaven Here on Earth2:2012When We Forgive4:03, 2010
As leader
Journal October (ECM, 1979)
Cycles (ECM, 1981)
Cello (ECM, 1992)
Dark Wood, (ECM, 1993)
Eight String Religion, (Curve Blue,1993)
The Tao of Cello (Relaxation, 1993)
Musical Massage: Balance (Relaxation, 2000)
Cello Blue, (Hearts of Space/Valley Entertainment, 2001)
Musical Massage: In Tune (Relaxation, 2001)
River Notes, (Curve Blue, 2002)
Open Window (Relaxation, 2003)
Mudanin (Kata World Music Network/Riverboat, 2004)
Balance (Gaiam, 2006)
Musical Massage: Blissful Relaxation (Relaxation, 2007)
The Darling Conversations, Vol. 1 (Manifest Spirit, 2007)
Prayer for Compassion (Curve Blue, 2009)
Where Did the Time Go (CD Baby, 2013)
Gratitude (Curve Blue, 2016)
Homage to Kindness (2019)
As sideman
With Peter Kater
Homage, 1989
Migration, 1992
With Ketil Bjørnstad
The Sea (ECM, 1994)
The River (ECM, 1996)
The Sea II (ECM, 2000)
Epigraphs (ECM, 2000)
With Terje Rypdal
Eos (ECM, 1984)
Skywards (ECM, 1995)
With Jacqueline Tschabold Bhuyan
Cello & Piano Meditations (Sounds True, 2012)
Improvisations for Cello & Piano (CD Baby, 2012)
With others
Introducing Glen Moore, Glen Moore (Elektra, 1979)
Old Friends, New Friends, Ralph Towner (ECM, 1979)
Amber, Michael Jones, 1987
Until the End of the World 1991
Window Steps, Pierre Favre, With Kenny Wheeler, and Steve Swallow (ECM, 1996)
Pendulum, with Kevin Keller, 1999
96 Years, with Patrick Leonard, 2000
Refuge, with Terry Tempest Williams, ( Curve Blue, 2002)
Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World, 2010)
Return of DeSire: Improvisations, with Eve Kodiak (CD Baby, 2008)
Tympanum, with Jane Buttars, 2013
"Where Did The Time Go" with Neil Tatar 2013
In Love and Longing, with Silvia Nakkach, (Sounds True, 2014)
Ocean Dreaming Ocean, Posthumously with Hans Christian (Curve Blue, 2023)
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 15 | 72.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 31 | 90.7th |
| Studio albums | 29 | 98.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 32 | 97.1th |
| Recording span (years) | 41 | 81.6th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (31 release groups · 29 studio albums)
Albums · 29
1980 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 52:54
A1Slow Return12:53A2Bells and Gongs1:25A3Far Away Lights3:40A4Solo Cello5:43A5Minor Blue3:15B1Clouds6:17B2Solo Cello6:22B3Solo Cello and Voice2:58B4Journal October, Stuttgart10:21River Notes: Dance of the Herons
1982 · studio album
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Tracklist · 3 tracks · 57:58
A1Dawn14:27A2Drought15:02BThe Log Jam28:291982 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 46:26
A1Cycle Song7:10A2Cycle One: Namasté4:11A3Fly9:25B1Ode6:55B2Cycle Two: Trio5:31B3Cycle Three: Quintet and Coda7:53B4Jessica's Sunwheel5:211984 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 46:21
1Laser4:092Eos14:343Bedtime Story6:044Light Years4:535Melody2:236Mirage9:167Adagietto5:021987 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 43:23
1Rainfall5:202Sunshine Canyon4:333Indian Summer5:244Wu Wei7:295After the Sun5:106Dreamlight11:337Shadows of the Moon3:541992 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 44:16
1Darkwood I2:272No Place Nowhere4:393Fables5:074Darkwood II1:235Lament2:556Two or Three Things4:477Indiana Indian3:288Totem2:189Psalm2:2710Choral4:0911The Bell2:4212In November4:3513Darkwood III3:191993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 47:56
1Soft Light5:302Clouds6:033Sweet River7:004Minor Blue5:145Only One Wish5:016Eight String Religion6:237Sojourn7:398Remember5:061995 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 44:30
1Darkwood IV: Dawn5:122Darkwood IV: In Motion4:183Darkwood IV: Journey5:144Darkwood V: Light1:065Darkwood V: Earth4:336Darkwood V: Passage0:567Darkwood VI: Beginning2:108Darkwood VI: Up Side Down2:009Darkwood VI: Searching2:5410Darkwood VI: Medieval Dance3:5411Darkwood VII: The Picture3:5112Darkwood VII: Returning3:1213Darkwood VII: New Morning5:101995 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 1:14:44
1The Sea I7:572The Sea II7:323The Sea III4:424The Sea IV8:505The Sea V6:426The Sea VI9:207The Sea VII5:198The Sea VIII2:439The Sea IX5:5110The Sea X4:3511The Sea XI7:3412The Sea XII3:391996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 1:08:32
1亞熱帶之夜10:052浮橋 - 有機建築2:243浮橋 - 玉壺 文化大革命7:034鋼琴獨奏3:535巴爾托克變奏曲8:206印度之路4:467巴哈無伴奏大提琴奏鳴曲5:188大海20:169望春風6:271997 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 55:37
1The River I3:182The River II5:483The River III2:344The River IV5:215The River V5:396The River VI5:197The River VII7:428The River VIII4:599The River IX6:3010The River X3:2711The River XI3:1712The River XII1:431998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 47:14
1Laila5:222Outward Bound4:553Brand5:394The Mother4:235Song for a Planet4:016Consequences6:227Agnes4:208Mime4:189December3:1310South4:412000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 56:54
1Epigraph No. 13:052Upland4:043Wakening4:104Epigraph No. 1 (variation 1)1:395Pavane3:396Fantasia1:597Epigraph No. 1 (variation 2)2:208The Guest2:419After Celan3:4610Song for TKJD6:2411Silent Dream4:4112The Lake4:1213Gothic4:0814Epigraph No. 1 (variation 3)1:2815Le jour s'endort3:4416Factus Est Repente4:542000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 4 tracks · 1:11:37
1Dream Pearls of Kathak17:182Irish Miles19:183Lady Child's Dreams18:094Bach's Persia16:522001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 4 tracks · 1:00:45
1Memories Of Children15:022Brazilian Sunset15:293Clear Day15:544Journey To Dudek14:202001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 59:58
1Children5:532Prayer and Word5:543Cello Blue8:114Thy Will 'Not Mine' Be Done7:395Serenity3:596Colorado Blue3:057Awakening4:018Morning7:289Presence4:0110Solitude3:4511Prayer6:022001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 52:55
1Tranzdanze4:192Hawthorne Memories4:433Morning7:214U Can B4:405Corezon5:596Goldberg Variation # 185:257Goldberg Variation # 193:108Gnossiene #17:059The Water Is Wide5:5610Over the Rainbow4:172003 · studio album
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Tracklist · 22 tracks · 57:11
1Restraint Begins With Giving Up One's Own Ideas2:422Man Follows the Earth3:153When Men Lack a Sense of Awe, There Will Be a Disaster2:224The Tao of Heaven Is to Take From Those Who Have Too Much and Give to Those Who Have Too Little3:505Man Follows the Earth. Earth Follows Heaven. Heaven Follows the Tao. Tao Follows What Is Natural2:046Knowing Others Is Wisdom4:307The Further You Go, the Less You Know1:568It Is Not Wise to Rush About1:479Returning Is the Motion of the Tao3:0310See Simplicity in the Complicated2:2811In Dealing With Others, Be Gentle and Kind2:0612He Who Is Filled With Virtue Is Like a Newborn Child2:0513Yield and Overcome1:5414What Is Firmly Grasped Cannot Slip Away2:2715Tao Follows the Earth2:3616Becaome as a Child Once More2:1017Sometimes One Is Up and Sometimes Down2:4218Just Do What Needs to Be Done4:1019That Is Why a Victory Must Be Observed Like a Funeral1:2620All Men Will Come to Him Who Keeps to the One2:5221The Valley Spirit Never Dies2:2322Heaven and Earth Last Forever (Improvisation on Bach Suite II, Praeluium)2:232003 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 57:06
1Memories of Children5:192Journey to Dudek5:293Lady Child's Dream6:574Longing6:065Bach's Persia5:076Brazilian Sunset5:467Little Miss Blue Eyes5:308Irish Miles5:349Clear Day5:5910Dream Pearls of Kathak5:192004 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 56:46
1Ku-Isa Tama Laug (Weaving Song)2:122Lugu Lugu Kan-Ibi (Diligent Child)2:263Mudanin Kata (The Journey Home)1:414Manas Kala Muampuk (Joy Tonight)3:145Malas Tapag (Celebration)3:506Wulu Dream3:357Macilumah (Song for Concluding Work)2:438Pasibutbut (Prayer for a Rich Millet Harvest)8:569Mataisah-Hik Sagan (My Dream Last Night)3:0810Wulu Mist3:1011Bunun Tuza (The Bunun People)3:5912Sima Cisbug Bav (Who Is Shooting on the Mountaintop?)4:1313Malkakiv Malvanis3:5414Wulu Sky (Song of the Trap)1:2115Pis Lai (Song of Prayer for Rifles)8:24The Return of Desire: Improvisations
2008 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks
1Intimations2Imagining You3Grieving4Breathing Cycles5Entering the Now6Reminiscence7Blue-Green Berceuse8Bridge Across the Waters9Mystery10Meeting of Eyes11Who Are You? Who Am I? Who Are We?12Approach13Opening Hearts14Cycles of Desire2009 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 43:51
1Untold Stories4:492Prayer for Compassion4:193Stones Start Spinning4:164As Long as Grasses Grow and Rivers Run3:445Music of a Desire2:496Remembering Our Mothers3:197Beautiful Life2:368War Is Outdated4:109September Morn4:3610Shoestrings2:5011Heaven Here on Earth2:2012When We Forgive4:032011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks
Disc 11Mountaintop Trough2The Debtor Sheikh3The Poet and the President4Lost Camel5Luke and the Duct TapeDisc 21Entering the Shell2Butcher and Sheep3Wine Poems4Raggedness5The City of SabaDisc 31The Opening2The Teacher Who Played With Children3The Tuesday Before Thanksgiving4Song of the Swordsmith5A Grainy Taste2013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:08:41
1First Light0:552Another World3:493A Flash of Fire5:554Inside We Move Closer5:455Outside It's Still Dark5:316Connecting a Sea of Stars5:087Mars Ipan5:278C'est Najii4:519Super Nouveau11:0010Heaven's Waiting Room9:1211Super Earth Overture11:082014 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 1:03:10
1Luar6:002Alma Divina6:423Missing You8:514Melting8:205Beyond Words5:436Adoro Voar4:007Icaro Blue7:328Awakening5:239Indiago3:1510Slowly7:242016 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 38:48
1Laughing at the Moon5:102Of Faith2:353Song of the Rain3:234Gratitude3:435And Grace3:336Illumination3:517Reverie4:148With Kindness3:259Into the Wonder5:1810Untold Beauty3:362018 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 42:38
1Crossing To Inisheer4:212Slipstream Reverie3:213Parallel Universe5:064O My Soul3:385Butternut Brook4:286Our Love Is - Down The River I Go5:357Walk In Beauty4:268The Fairy Hills (Si Bheag, Si Mhor)4:159Burren Dreams3:3510Ode To Joy3:532019 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 57:08
1The Beauty of All Things3:422Homage to Kindness2:573The Great X3:244First Impression4:165Lament4:216Wonder's of Nature5:267Mysterium4:048Ketil’s Norwegian Light7:329Veil of Crescendo2:1310Troubled Reality4:1611Elegy2:1912July Sketch6:4813Universe3:4614Dulce2:042023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 43:29
1Epitaph6:082Minor Blue Chorale4:303Miracle6:374Unforseen Rain Ambient2:365Seven Veils5:056Unforseen Rain6:327Below the Horizon4:398Ocean Dreaming Ocean7:22
Album · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | VallisaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 49:041Very Early One Morning on Old Road4:52 2The North Green Down4:19 3Falling Apart II4:31 4Things We Lost Along the Way5:31 5One Day Without Harming You6:04 6A Worn Out Life6:23 7Introduction3:50 8Des Etres Disparus5:52 9Hands Swollen With Grace4:07 10Remember3:35 | Live | 30 September 2010 |
Other · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Cello and Piano MeditationsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 1:00:571Radiance of Dawn5:39 2Mist Upon Thy Face5:23 3Mirage for Debussy2:25 4Impressions2:53 5A Walk in the Forest4:12 6Fantasie in C for Brahms7:00 7The River at McNaughton4:30 8Squirrels in the Meadow4:41 9Dance in Three3:02 10Rhapsody for the Setting Sun7:22 11Duet with Silence5:33 12Monastic Chant5:10 13Our Lullaby for Our Children3:07 | 2012 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put David Darling head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 15 | 72.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 31 | 90.7th |
| Studio albums | 29 | 98.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 32 | 97.1th |
| Recording span (years) | 41 | 81.6th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallery(band) | — | present | |
| The Many Rivers Ensemble(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/03e7fbb0-024e-423f-bbcd-f8c65aa14b8fdiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/03e7fbb0-024e-423f-bbcd-f8c65aa14b8fcore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174479genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174479seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Darling_%28musician%29biography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Darling_%28musician%29
Why this artist is in the database
- List of jazz musicians
Tier rule: genre canon: jazz
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q174479 · MusicBrainz: 03e7fbb0-024e-423f-bbcd-f8c65aa14b8f
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