Impressions from her tour in the Netherlands . READ THE CONCERT REVIEWS HERE:: http://www.bluesmagazine.nl/verslag-donna-grantis-bluescafe-apeldoorn-11-oktober-2012 | 11 Oct 2012 LIVE Impressions @ Bluescafe Apeldoorn Netherlands www.bluescafe.nl DONNA GRANTIS Electric Band http://www.donnagrantis.com 2012 European TOUR Read the concert reviews here: http://bitly.com/QBNv7I Dates & Websites Venues: 29.09.& 30.09.2012:Alkmaar: http://www.alkmaarbluesexpress.nl , 05.10.2012: Oude Meer: http://the-shack-oudemeer.tk/,06.10.2012:Almelo: http://www.cafedestam.nl ,11.10.2012: http://www.bluescafe.nl ,13.10.2012:Winkelwagenshow http://www.vlokproducties.com ,13.10.2012: http://www.blues-rock-garaasj.nl ,17.10.2012:Amsterdam http://www.maloemelo.nl ,18.10.2012:Luxembourg; http://www.brasserieleneumunster.lu ,19.10.2012:Alkmaar: http://www.podiumvictorie.nl , 20.10.2012:Terschelling: http://www.sleepyhunterbluesclub.nl
Composer & Musicdirector : Donna picked up her brother's acoustic guitar as a young teenager and began shredding Guns N' Roses and Led Zeppelin songs; but the acoustic wasn't cutting it... she wanted to emulate the soaring electric guitar solos of her heroes like Hendrix, Page, Slash and Clapton. She made a deal with her dad to learn Stairway To Heaven in its entirety in exchange for a new axe. It wasn't long before she had her hands on a hot red electric. Three years later Donna was selected as a semi-finalist in the North American wide Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Competition. She was asked to perform her interpretation of "Red House" to a capacity crowd including Al Hendrix (Jimi's father) at a rock bar in Cleveland, Ohio. This was her first public performance.
Shortly after, Donna was awarded a music scholarship to the Jazz Performance program at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, where she was exposed to the city's eclectic music scene. Donna gained invaluable experience performing with a number of projects, including blues and rock bands, jazz ensembles and fusion groups. Her studies allowed her to be engaged in composing and arranging music for big bands, woodwind octets and string sections.
Although she loved immersing herself in jazz, Donna's true passion was playing loud distorted rock guitar. Upon relocating to Toronto, she formed an original rock band that played the club scene throughout southern Ontario in support of an independently released album. At the same time, Donna's diversity on the instrument kept her playing guitar night after night as an in demand session musician. She played alongside r&b soul singers Divine Brown and Haydain Neale of Jacksoul, singer/songwriter Emma-Lee, Toronto funk gurus Planet Earth, roots artist Harry Manx, virtuoso Tony McManus and guitar legend Coco Montoya among others.
Donna continues to tour throughout Canada and internationally. In November, 2009, she performed in the 23rd Annual Women's Blues Revue at Massey Hall with Shakura S'Aida - and was the first instrumentalist to be included as a featured artist in the history of the Revue.
In September (09), she traveled to Memphis, TN to work with acclaimed producer Jim Gaines on Shakura's second studio album, set for release in early 2010. "Working with Jim was amazing", describes Donna, "it was so inspiring to hear about the sessions he produced with some of my favourite players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Santana and Buddy Guy". The album will feature nine tracks that Donna co-wrote with Shakura.
Through recent months, Donna's playing has been featured on four studio albums, including an upcoming release by indie soul artist Saidah Baba Talibah, which boasts four songs co-written by Donna. She is also the Musical Director of Saidah's band, an eight piece funk rock orchestra.
In addition to performing, songwriting, recording and collaborating with other artists, Donna composed music for an instrumental psychedelic rock trio called the Donna Grantis Electric Band. Check the band's debut album called "Suites "on her website!: www.donnagrantis.com
DONNA GRANTIS 2012 oct EuropeanTour NOW guitarist w/ PRINCE!
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