Danny Kastner

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2014}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Danny Kastner

| image =

| caption =

| occupation = musician, composer, director, producer, and entrepreneur

| years_active = 1995–present

}}

Danny Kastner is an American musician, composer, director, producer, and entrepreneur.

Kastner is the founder of Minty Swirl Media, a music and interactive technology company. The company publishes and produces music for artist Ryan McCartan as well several additional performer/songwriters.[http://mintyswirl.com/ Minty Swirl web site] Kastner has written and produced music for Tkay Maidza, Espa,{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/espamusic|title=Espa.|website=SoundCloud|language=en|access-date=2017-12-11}} Kiah Victoria and others in collaboration with songwriter Autumn Rowe. He is producing and co-writing a project in 2023 with the artist, Nellie McKay. Kastner is a professional keyboardist for the Kiefer Sutherland band since July, 2015. He plays jazz piano in clubs around Los Angeles as a member of the band the Jazz Punks.[http://www.jazzpunks.com Jazz Punks web site] With their debut album, from May 2012 to July 2012, Jazz Punks spent seven weeks in the top four of the CMJ Jazz Radio charts, as well as holding the #1 position during this time.{{Cite web|url=http://themintla.com/artist.cfm?id=29541|title=The Mint|website=themintla.com|access-date=2017-12-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212084226/http://themintla.com/artist.cfm?id=29541|archive-date=December 12, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Kastner is a Founding Partner & Creative Director of the Milt Olin Foundation, launching a global movement dedicated to ending distracted driving through the Stop Wrex campaign.{{Cite web |url=http://miltolinfoundation.org/team/ |title=Milt Olin Foundation web site |access-date=December 12, 2015 |archive-date=December 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215015856/http://miltolinfoundation.org/team/ |url-status=dead }}

Kastner is a producer and co-founder of The Weather Report Legacy Project honoring the seminal jazz group Weather Report, with Tony Zawinul, son of the late Joe Zawinul. He is producing the Weather Report documentary "This is This," directed by Tony Zawinul.[http://thisisthisfilm.com This is This web site] He drove the fan-centered campaign to raise $62,438 for the documentary on crowdfunding website, Indiegogo.[http://indiegogo.com/projects/weather-report-s-incredible-jazz-journey/ Weather Report's Incredible Jazz Journey on Indiegogo] Kastner's been influential in multiple successful crowdfunding initiatives for artists.[http://www.backstage.com/news/why-crowdfunding-doesnt-always-work/ Backstage interview on crowdfunding with Danny Kastner]

Previously, Kastner was CEO of FanRocket, an internet digital content production company he founded in 2005.[http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/1041198 PodcastDirectory interview bio] He produced and directed video for numerous online projects and networks including Wonderglen for HBO,{{Cite web |url=http://wonderglen.com/ |title=Wonderglen |access-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925131530/http://wonderglen.com/ |archive-date=September 25, 2013 |url-status=dead }} Casual Fridays and HSN's, "Faces of Beautiful You."[http://ladyspruce.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/hsn-faces-of-beautiful-you-is-awesome/ Faces of Beautiful You review] FanRocket also created VooZoo, a movie sharing technology for Facebook, with Paramount Pictures.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2008/03/09/paramount-making-movie-clips-available-as-facebook-messages/|title=Paramount making movie clips available as Facebook messages|date=2008-03-10|work=The Mercury News|access-date=2017-12-11|language=en-US}}

Kastner has founded two internet start-ups driven by music and the arts, Music Interactive and POPstick.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120921074453/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7917490 POPstick BusinessWeek listing] At POPstick, Kastner created interactive animation marketing technology for Microsoft, IBM, Dell, among other technology firms. In 2004, Kastner launched POPstick Outburst and coined the term social network marketing as an approach towards brand marketing through social networks. He hired advertising executive, Steve Dworin, former chairman/CEO of NW Ayer as the president of the initiative.[http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/1716896/popstick-tries-social-network-marketing POPstick Tries 'Social Network Marketing']

Kastner appeared on the third season of NBC's The Apprentice and was cast after submitting a video entitled "Apprentice the Musical" which was featured during the credits of episode 9.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X63IJf0812Q Apprentice the Musical on YouTube] After being "fired" by Donald Trump, Kastner, who holds a master's degree in music composition from Boston University, wrote songs about his experience on the show. These, along with weekly musical recaps of each episode, were played on radio stations across the country.[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-128844345.html "Trump Tower Troubadour Danny Kastner to Release Recap Song for Episode Five of Hit Show The Apprentice This Friday"]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Kastner was re-hired by Donald Trump in an episode of Queer Eye that followed the Apprentice, in 2005, where Kastner organized a charity event for underprivileged children which won praise from Trump.[http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/queer-eye-2005/episode-11-season-3/danny-kastner-apprentice/191731 Queer Eye TV Guide Listing – Danny Kastner]

As a composer, Kastner is a two-time BMI Composition Award winner,[http://www.bmi.com/genres/detail/535120 Daniel Kastner on BMI.COM] as well as a two-time ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award Recipient.[http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/foundation/awards/morton_gould.html Daniel Kastner on ASCAP.COM] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812103508/http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/foundation/awards/morton_gould.html |date=August 12, 2010 }}

Kastner composed music for Padmé, the fan film that won the George Lucas Selects Award in the 2008 Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge.{{IMDb name|1827374}}