About

Daniel Ellis Perez is a Puerto Rican-American multi-instrumentalist and composer who paradoxically situates himself at both the center of the jazz tradition and the periphery of the avant-garde. A bassist and seeker who views music as a meditative search, Perez crafts emotional landscapes that function as a social and spiritual record. Whether navigating the city's historic jazz stages or the introspective depths of alternative music, his work is defined by a sound that is as much a disciplined study of rhythm as it is a poetic exploration of the human condition.

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Under My Lonely Bench, Perez released the Lonely Bench EP (2019) and the debut full-length album I Think I’m Fine (2021), followed by a Slowed + Reverb version of the album. His final singles—The Process of Deterioration (2021), Rail System (2022), and A Seclusion Room / Liberations (recorded in 2022, released in 2024)—were part of the never-released concluding album, A Seclusion Room, 2019–2022, marking the closing chapter of the project.

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Beyond his solo work, Perez plays electric bass for the rock band Indigo Hall, bringing his versatility and dynamic musicianship to some of Chicago’s most iconic stages, including Beat Kitchen and Martyrs'. In 2025, he was featured as a bassist on The Peacocks, the debut album by vocalist Alfie Jackson, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile and sought-after collaborator.

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Born on the literal border of Chicago and Oak Park, Perez’s music is deeply informed by the textures of his hometown—a city as renowned for its diversity as it is for its historic segregations. His compositions often serve as a narrative bridge, interpreting the Gospels or responding to the shifting political tides of the modern world to connect the aesthetic with the communal. This search for stability and depth has led him from the traditions of the Orthodox Church, providing a spiritual ballast to his uncompromising creative output and a desire to see the margins of the world restored.

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With his rich cultural background, diverse influences, and commitment to artistic innovation, Daniel Ellis Perez continues to be a rising force in the Chicago music scene, crafting a sound that is both rooted in tradition and boldly forward-thinking.