CD Review by Eric Elias – Just Jazz Guitar –

To Be Released in Just Jazz Guitar’s January 2006 Issue

For Analise

Dave Dana (Guitar and Vocals)

Mike Ledonne (Piano)

Donnie Beck (Keybords)

Joe McWilliams (Piano)

Jeff Fuller (Bass)

Perry Lind (Bass)

Nick Forte (Drums)

Tootsie Bean (Drums)

John Cutrone (Drums)

Melancholy Moon

Dave Dana (Guitar and Vocals)

Donnie Beck (Piano)

Joe McWilliams (Piano)

Jeff Fuller (Bass)

Nick Forte (Drums)

Contact www.davedana.com

If a player can be measured in some way by the musicians they have worked with, then Dave Dana should rank at the top. His list of “Whose Who” that he has traveled with, backed or recorded with is extensive and includes such players as Buddy Rich, James Moody, Toots Thielmans, Joe Williams, Gene Harris, Eddy Harris, Kenny Barron, Kenny Burrell, Joe Diorio, Ira Sullivan, Jaco Pastorius, Tom Harrel, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, Lou Rawls and Steve Turre, to name a few (the list is far more extensive). What ranks Dave at the top though, is more than his accolades. More impressive than the players Dave has played with is his playing itself. Dave plays with the blues and soulful taste of players like Grant Green and Kenny Burrell. He also displays the flash and technique of chops monsters like Jimmy Bruno and Bob Conti. Couple that with his smooth style of singing (think John Pizzarelli) and you have incredible talent.

For years Dave traveled and toured with bands, eventually settling in Las Vegas. Lately, he has been back in his native Connecticut, playing NY clubs, jazz festivals, casinos and even a few local clubs. Dana has released two CDs as a leader as well recently. The Discs, For Analise and Melancholy Moon, both showcase Dana’s prowess as a guitarist and vocalist. Each disc contains 10 cuts.

On For Analise all the tunes are standards (with the exception of one). The disc opens with swinging rendition of Just One of Those Things. The vocals are sweet and Dave’s guitar solo is burning. Up A Lazy River is a tasteful ballad with vocals. Dana plays a great guitar solo that weaves inside and outside the changes. The band trades fours with a nice bluesy sense as well. The band grooves and swings wonderfully on each cut. The only non-standard tune is Shake Rattle & Roll (the rock & roll classic). Here Dana and co play it as an up beat jazz blues with changes. Dana burns on the solo section. Other highlights include Just Friends, Seven Steps to Heaven, Misty and a blazing rhythm changes time, Ready’N Able.

Melancholy Moon opens with Somewhere (from West Side Story). This is one of those classic melodies that we don’t hear covered enough. The band plays this one in 6/8 and gives it a kind of Blues for Alice sense. The playing is wonderful. The piano and guitar create some very nice textures harmonically. Two versions of Come Fly With Me are included (one includes a Dave’s vocal). Both are effective and unique. The vocal version has more piano fills out front. This disc demonstrates how well Dave Dana plays with a pianist. There is plenty of space for both to comp and fill without any clashing. Think of Oscar and Herb. Two originals are featured on this disc (I should Have and Melancholy Moon). Both demonstrate Dave’s talent as a writer. He pens melody and lyrics right out of the American Songbook. Dave’s originals hold up wonderfully with the standards and one would have trouble telling whether or not they were old standards). The Joint is Jumpin’ is another swinging highlight. Throughout the disc the band is cohesive, the groove and swing are in the pocket. The solos and trading are melodically sophisticated and technically superior. Overall, Melancholy Moon continues to show Dana’s skill as a composer, vocalist and guitarist, and along with his fellow players Dave puts together as great collection of standard style tunes. If you like the swinging sounds of players like John Pizzarelli and The Nat King Cole Trio as well as guitarists like Bruno and Conti, check out Dave Dana, his playing will put a smile on your face.

Reviewed by Eric Elias – Just Jazz Guitar

dave dana

BIOGRAPHY:

DAVE DANA (a/k/a David Dannenberg) was born in New Haven, Connecticut and grew up in West Haven. Dave's first interest with music came at an early age. Influenced by his mother, who was a pianist, he began playing the piano at an early age and then started playing the ukulele at the age of 11. Soon thereafter, Dave was introduced to the guitar, and he has never looked back since. Dave was inspired by such artists as Johnny Smith, Mundell Lowe, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, Hank Garland, Joe Pass, Richie Garcia, Billy Bean and Wes Montgomery.

Dave studied with several influential people, including Frank D’Amato, Vincent Bredice, Jimmy Raney, Joe Diorio and Linc Chamberland.

Dave’s ability to play by ear and read music has broadened his career to many levels. He is versatile in improvisation, reading and composition. Dave's multi-faceted talent enables him to play various gigs, including shows, symphonies, jazz ensembles and solo private event performances.

One of Dave’s first paying gigs was with drummer Charlie Smith’s group, (Smith was the drummer on the only existing video of Charlie Parker) which included Fred Tinsley on bass.

Touring with Billy Fellows Quartet:

Dave toured with the Billy Fellows quartet and played with them in various locations, including The Americana in Puerto Rico, the El San Juan in Puerto Rico and The David Frost Show in NYC.

Dave played his first reading gig with Henry Mancini during his second year of college. Shortly thereafter, he played with the Supremes and was hired immediately to play with Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts, including, but not limited to gigs at the Apollo and Regal Theatres.

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Las Vegas Hilton Orchestra:

In the late 1970's early 1980's Dave was called to Las Vegas for a year’s contract with Copeland Davis. Here he befriended and performed with Jimmy Bruno, James Moody, Lockjaw Davis, Joe Williams, Sammy Noto, Carl Fontana, Gene Harris, and Carmen McRae.

Dave was soon hired to play with the Las Vegas Hilton Orchestra following Jimmy Bruno. There he played with many talented musicians, including James Moody, and he backed many celebrities, including Liberace, Tina Turner, Lou Rawls, and Tony Orlando, Julius La Rosa, and Tony Bennett.

While in Las Vegas, Dave also played at the Hacienda Monday Night Jazz Special, which was sponsored by the Monk Montgomery's Las Vegas Jazz Society. There he played with Gene Harris, Eddy Harris, Marlena Shaw, Lockjaw Davis, Carmen McRae and Carl Fontana.

In Florida:

1974-78: Dave moved to Ft. Lauderdale where he befriended and had the opportunity to perform with Joe Diorio, Ira Sullivan, Jaco Pastorius. While in Ft. Lauderdale Dave played regular lounge jazz gigs with Jeff Palmer.

For a few months while in Florida, Dave performed regularly with Duffy and Chubby Jackson at the Hideaway in Hallandale, Florida.

In Columbia:

In 1976 Dave went to Columbia on US State Department Tour with Claude Williams. While in Columbia Dave played the Media Torta Festival and the Cartagena Festival.

While in Vegas, in 1979 Dave also performed with the jazz band (“Eagle Eye” Shields Band) backing the Redd Fox show at the Landmark Hotel.

During this time, Dave also studied arranging and guitar with Joe Lano.

The Buddy Rich Orchestra:

From 1969-1970, during his tenure with The Buddy Rich Orchestra, Dave recorded on two of Buddy Rich's albums (Buddy and Soul Live and Studio). Some of the many performances he played while on the road with Buddy included Basin Street West in San Francisco, the Johnny Carson Show, The River Boat (NYC), Newport Jazz Festival in1969, Baltimore Jazz Festival, and Izzy’s in Vancouver in British Columbia 1969, and Esquire Show Bar in Montreal.

In Boston - performed with Rebecca Parris:

After playing with the Buddy Rich Orchestra, Dave moved to Boston where he performed with Rebecca Parris in various clubs in the Boston area.

Touring with Stevie Wonder:

Dave was “on the road” with Stevie Wonder. After touring with Stevie Wonder, Dave toured with Leslie Uggums.

Touring with Leslie Uggums:

While gigging with Leslie Uggums, at Jim and Andy’s bar Dave ran into Rick Stepton who told him Buddy Rich was looking for a guitar player and that he should come down and play. That night Dave read Buddy Rich's book cold and he was hired on the spot.

Back to Connecticut:

Back to Connecticut in 1983, due to the death of his father, Dave woodsheded jazz while gigging in theatres playing shows with celebrities like Juliet Prowse, Bernadette Peters, Buddy Hackett, and Regis Philbin.

From 1984-1987 Dave ran the Quinnipiac Jazz Festival in Hamden, CT. During that time, he brought in and performed with Paquito D'Rivera, Toots Thielmanns and James Moody.

In 1988 and 1988 Dave toured with Laco Deczi's group, Jazz Cellua, throughout Germany. During this tour, they played several festivals, television shows and concerts. During this time Dave recorded on Laco's album, Jazz Cellua New York. Click here to see article see article

After touring in Germany, Dave also performed on a few cruise ship gigs, including the Norwiegian Lines Jazz Cruise with Bob Wilbur, Ray Anthony and Erskine Hawkins.

From 1992 to 1997, Dave landed his own jazz gig with Bobby Buster, and later Mark Templeton at the Foxwoods Casino in their Atrium Lounge as a vocalist/guitarist. He learned several hundred vocals on that gig and did two vocal CDs, Meloncholy Moon, featuring Mike Ledonne on piano, and Tootsie Bean on drums, and For Analise.

Since then Dave has been leading his own jazz groups and doing various stage band work with a variety of artists such as Marylin McCoo, Jimmy Webb, Rich Little and Michael Amante.

Dave has played at Carnegie Hall twice, and on one of those occasions he took Jim Hall’s place and opened for a group including Tom Harrel, Vincent Herring, and Steve Turre.

Dave thanks the Lord for the wonderful opportunity he has to play the guitar and sing.