Vocalist Roberta Donnay celebrates the music of Blossom Dearie with Mike Greensill on piano, Ruth Davies on bass, Mark Lee on drums, and Danny Caron on guitar. "With her singularly enticing sound, few contemporary vocalists are as well suited to dustily vintage material as jazz-blues stylist Roberta Donnay." –Jazz Times
Roberta Donnay is a singer, composer, producer who has been active on the jazz and blues scene for over three decades. A native of Washington, DC, and currently based in the Bay Area, she has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in jazz and blues. Donnay has toured internationally and performed at jazz festivals including Exit Zero Jazz, Montreux, Jacksonville Jazz, San Jose Jazz, Monterey Jazz, Telluride, Sonoma International Film Fest., and more. Her latest pressing, Blossom-ing, is her tenth album and celebrates the music of the legendary Blossom Dearie, whose wispy, delicate voice is the perfect match for Donnay’s own appealing sound. Music critic Bob Leggett called Roberta’s voice “pure sugar and honey”, while Jazz Times said, “With her singularly enticing sound, few contemporary vocalists are as well suited to dustily vintage material as jazz-blues stylist, Roberta Donnay”.
Mike Greensill is well known for his role as musical director to acclaimed vocalist Wesla Whitfield with whom he recorded twenty albums. As an arranger Mike, has had the opportunity to write for big bands and symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops and the San Francisco Symphony. He has accompanied such diverse talents as Rita Moreno,Margaret Whiting, Broadway stars Lillias White and Franc D'Ambrosio and jazz singers Madeline Eastman, Ann Hampton Callaway and Opie Bellas.. Mike has written and arranged for the Kronos Quartet.
Ruth Davies has performed with such jazz and blues greats as Keb' Mo', Charles Brown, Clark Terry, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Jay McShann, Van Morrison, Maria Muldaur, Junior Mance, Barbara Morrison, Etta Jones, Terry Gibbs, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Little Jimmy Scott. She has recorded with Charles Brown, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Van Morrison, Clark Terry, Vassar Clements, Toots Thielemans, Ernie Watts, Elvin Bishop, Maria Muldaur, Jackie Ryan, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, among others.
Mark Lee has a wealth of experience performing on the San Francisco/BayArea music scene. He has backed vocalist Ernestine Anderson, Freda Payne, Charles Brown, Mary Lou Henner, Stephanie Powers, The Pointer Sisters and many more. He is also very active on the instrumental music and musical theater scenes.
Danny Caron, served as guitarist and musical director for Charles Brown from 1987 until Brown’s death in 1999.He has played on numerous CD’s and sessions with Charles Brown, Clifton Chenier, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Van Morrison, Ruth Brown, Etta Jones, John Clayton, Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wilson, Donald Fagen, Dr. John, Little Milton Campbell, John Hammond Jr. and many others.