That Other Label

ROBERTA DONNAY
“Roberta Donnay is an exception. She covers such songs as Johnny Mercer’s “Drinkin’ Again,” and Bob Dorough and Fran Landesman’s “Small Day Tomorrow” in the same way that she covers her face in the photo on the cover of her album: with a wide brim. Her engagement with the lyrics, her supple sense of time and her soulful, little-girl timbre reminds you of Billie Holiday. She is elegantly accompanied by the pianist Eric Reed and a discreet rhythm section.” – Mike Zwerin, Herald Tribune Int’l.

Sample “What’s Your Story” here

View Roberta’s website here.

Our favorite rebel-jazzer, Roberta Donnay, has been having it her way of late. The hardworking troubadour, who tours relentlessly as a member of Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks – this would make her a “Lickette,” an honored position – and as a solo artist supported by a trio or quartet, has been reaping what she sews.

The San Diego-based record label Pacific Coast Jazz has picked up Roberta’s acclaimed What’s Your Story album, which was released in 2006 on her Rainforest Records label. Hopefully this pairing of independents will help bring greater exposure to what is a truly excellent LP. (Click here to go to her MySpace and listen to some tracks.)

Roberta’s vocal performance of “Something Happened Last Night” (by Joel Evans & Johnny Elkins) aired on the CBS show THE UNIT (CBS) in November. As if that isn’t sweet enough, she has also found time to be feted in Europe. Roberta writes – “Eddy & I had an amazing European visit.. We were in Munich, (I also went to Salzburg – the original home of Mozart & the Sound Of Music!), Venice, Florence, Viareggio, Portofino, Monaco, Ville-Franche sur mer, and Paris. Heard some amazing jazz musicians and met some wild Polish musicians in Munich, Fabulous jazz trio invited me to sing w/them in Venice. I was invited to sing at a small jazz club in Paris.. Fun was had by all!

“Then, I flew directly to NYC…as Dan (Hicks) had a great invitation to perform Nov 7th – at THE BEACON THEATRE. We played on the I’M NOT THERE concert – honoring BOB DYLAN –the film-… Backstage Dan called the band the “Dylianaires” & the guys he called the “Zimmer Men”.. We performed SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES – great version of this song! After, they threw a party for all of us, I met famous actors – (oh yeah, Heath Ledger was one of the MCs) and I met a young guy who works w/Alec Baldwin on a show called ” 30 ROCK ” & his cute actor friend tried to pick me up! (This is very encouraging since he is around 20 or 22 and I am – well, a little older..). So many musicians played including The ROOTS, ALICE COOPER, MICHELLE SHOCKED, JOHN DOE, YO LA TANGO and a host of others – We, of course, were the highlight (from several reports) along w/The Roots and Michelle…”