Daniel Palmer started playing guitar when he was 13 years old. Since then, he’s dreamed of performing on the big stage. Today, he’s planning on releasing his first 11-song debut album “NorthWest,” fulfilling a piece of that childhood dream.

“When I first started playing, I used to stand in front of the mirror and pretend I was in Lynyrd Skynyrd,” Palmer, a Hillsdale College Adjunct Instructor of Music, said. “I’d always think, ‘You know, man, that’d be so cool to tour around the world and do all that.’”

Palmer didn’t tour the country, but he never gave up on creating his own music.

“NorthWest” is planned for release today, Feb. 19, on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. A blend of alternative jazz and acoustic guitar sounds brings a decade of dreaming, composing, and experimenting to life. 

“It’s been a long time coming,” Palmer said. “Some of it I wrote over 10 years ago. The first few tracks were ideas that I’d written a long time ago that every couple of years I would come back to.”

Palmer, a guitarist, along with saxophonist Patrick Booth, bassist Ben Rowston, and drummer Travis Aukerman, collaborated to create Palmer’s debut album. The group once collaborated formally as a band under the name “Talking Ear,” but now has no official title.

“NorthWest” was recorded and mixed by Ben Cohen with Dream Louder Music, and produced by Dan Palmer.

Named after the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, the album draws its inspiration from Palmer’s experiences with the lakes, sand dunes, and forests of various parts of the state. 

“I grew up camping and hiking and backpacking and fishing,” Palmer said. “When I compose, it comes from a feeling of being inspired. Most often that feeling will come to me after spending time in nature.”

The progression of the album reflects changes in Palmer’s life.

“I grew up in the woods in northwest Michigan,” Palmer said. “The first half of this album is where I’ve been, and the second half is where I’ve gone since moving from Northern Michigan down to Southern Michigan and figuring things out there.”

An earlier album the group did under Booth’s name, called “Stillness,” served as inspiration for his compositions, Palmer said.

“Booth and I are both big outdoor enthusiasts,” Palmer said. “I could hear that in the music of his that we played, and I could also hear that in mine, but I didn’t quite know how to structure it. Doing that session for his record planted the seed for me to think of the way this could actually work.”

Palmer added that the album was written to be played with Booth, Rowston, and Aukerman.

“These songs are very specifically written for these people,” Palmer said. 

Booth highlighted the group’s tight personal bonds as an important factor in the album’s creation.

“The way we work together is a unique experience in and of itself,” Booth said. “There’s a very deep relational aspect to this whole making of music. Dan trusts us, that’s why he picked us. And that’s really important to the chemistry that a band can evoke, even on a record.”

Palmer added the album drew inspiration from guitarists Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, and Michael Gulezian and their willingness to mix acoustic elements with jazz improvisation.

“Their music is inspiring in the way that they can craft sounds with the acoustic guitar and open strings,” Palmer said. 

According to Palmer, the album’s method of blending improvisation and composition is unorthodox.

“The solo sections are not at all like the traditional solo sections where you’re just playing over the form,” Palmer said. “We’ll play through the composed material, and then a lot of the pieces just open up. There’s a small idea that’s a launch pad for improvisation, and then we’re all improvising together, and it’s not bound by a strict form.”

According to Booth, much of the work that went into the album was done far apart, with Palmer sending each member of the band music they could work on independently before the band came together to workshop the whole album.

“Dan sent us a ton of music as potential choices for the record,” Booth said. “And then we practiced them on our own, because our band is split up in all areas of the country.”

Rolston said he worked on the album from another continent.

“I was headed to China for a gig most of the summer, so I just put the music on the ipad I was taking on the trip, and I spent a bit of time looking at the pieces,” Rolston said. “Though most of the work was done in the week or so before the recording session.”

Booth added that the four musicians, along with vocalist Estar Cohen, started working together from out of Ohio.

“The band was originally all Toledo-based musicians,” Booth said. 

According to Palmer, although the group started in 2013 and disbanded in 2020, it still maintains strong ties today.

“We all still play together,” Palmer said. “Every chance we get. The friendship is important. Getting to know people, having shared experiences in life outside of music, that’s going to impact your music in a far greater way than just playing together.”