Status: Single
City: Brighton/London
State: South
Country: UK
Signup Date: 1/31/2007
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Sunday, November 15, 2009
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Photo: Dani, Dad and Will
THE REAL DANI WILDE
I come from a very close family. I love my parents and my younger brother ‘Will’. My parents are not musicians but my Dad is a keen music consumer and his record collection is what got me hooked on Blues and Soul music.
From them moment I was born, my Dad would have music playing in our house… Music that woke me up in the morning and music that I would hear blaring through the living room ceiling and up into my bedroom as I fell asleep at night. As a child unable to understand the maths and science of music, when I heard the likes of Muddy Waters, The Faces, The Jackson5, Van Morrison, Al Green and Buddy Guy, I just felt the magic and the emotion of the songs which brought me comfort and gave me hope and confidence in my childhood aspirations.
I was three years old when my brother was born. I cant remember much of life before he came into the world; but I can still remember the smell of his head in the mornings. When he was a baby, he had these beautiful blonde curls and a round chubby face. When he slept, he’d go all hot and pink and I remember waking him up in the mornings, burying my face into his curls and smelling that baby smell that was probably just the smell of the food he’d been eating sweating out of his skin (kind of gross) but I was very proud to have a little brother and I loved that smell.
As a family, the four of us used to drive from our house in the Wiltshire country side to the council estates of ..Essex.. where my parents grew up to visit my Grandparents. My Dad’s father was a very small, quiet old man, with a wrinkled face and a wheezy cough, who always sat in the same chair in his living room. My mum would say ‘Go and give granddad a kiss’ and me and Will used to feel slightly scared of kissing him although of course we obliged. My granddad didn’t talk much and the only other thing I remember of him is that he was ‘The pigeon man’. My granddad had a pigeon loft at the end of the garden filled with pigeons; and they were his life. I felt scared yet excited when on one occasion he took me inside the loft to see all the birds.
I think I was about nine years old when my Granddad died and although I was upset for my parents and my grandma, I didn’t ever feel like I had known him well. At the age of 9, I had already developed a passion for singing and performing. It wasn’t until I was a few years older that my parents told me about my granddads life: He was in the Army in the second world war when he fell in love with my Grandma. He was a very talented musician who played saxophone and piano although he would never have had the opportunity to take up music as a profession. He and my grandma had many children, however, one of them, a little girl, died when she was still very young. My granddad never recovered from the loss. Already a shy and quite man, he became more introverted and withdrawn and spent the rest of his life smoking tobacco and sitting in that chair. After losing his daughter, he lost his passion for life and never played music again.
I wish my granddad could have lived longer or that I had’ve been older when he was still alive because when I understood that it was his genes that had given myself and my brother the gift of music, I wish I could have had the opportunity to share that with him and to try to use it to help him find his passion again. For me music is all about passion, and when things get tough, writing songs to express myself is like therapy that heals me.
Even though I am of course inspired by the Blues greats such as John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, my childhood hero, who still is my biggest musical hero, is Michael Jackson. When I was about 6 or 7 years years old, I heard my first Michael Jackson record ‘Dangerous’. I would listen to it on repeat for hours and hours each day sat on the floor in front of the CD player. I just loved his voice, his emotion, his phrasing, his melodies, the grooves of the songs… I was hooked for life. My Dad told me all about Michael Jackson. As I said, my dad loves his music and he told me all about Berry Gordy and Motown in ....Detroit..... He told me about Michael being a child star and he video taped performances of the ....Jackson.... 5 for me off of the TV. As a child who loved to sing, as much as I liked the gruff male Chicago voices of 1950’s blues, at 7 years old I couldn’t really relate to Howlin Wolf… I could however relate to Michael singing ABC… and ALL the songs were in my key. Over the years I would spend my pocket money on more and more Jackson 5 Cd’s and would spend all my spare time in my room practising singing to them. Nothing made me happier.
When I started secondary school, I began having drum lessons. My Brother who was still at Primary was having guitar lessons and soon we began teaching each other our instruments. It wasn’t long before Will was a much better drummer than I would ever be and I had more of a passion for guitar and song writing than he did at that age. So we swapped and ever since I was 11 years old, my brother was always in my band with me… first on drums and later on Harmonica. Will is still a fantastic drummer who fills in for me if my regular drummer can’t make a gig. Will is also a fantastic lead guitarist; when he plays he sounds like a mix of Peter Green and Lurrie Bell. Even though as kids Will and I would fight a lot, music always brought us together and kept us close and working as a team. Will and I are still very different people and in many ways I wish I could be more like him. He is very loyal and dedicated. He really masters the instruments he plays rehearsing a lick over and over until he perfects each musical challenge he sets himself. I however tend to give up if I cant perfect something straight away, or find my own unique way of achieving something. Will is very quiet and shy and he thinks before he speaks. I am often quite loud and I always think aloud blabbering on about whatever crosses my mind. I am a lot more confident than Will, which is strange considering that I’m the one who’s always ‘winging it’ and Will is the one who perfects everything and therefore should have complete confidence in all he does. But despite of differences, we have a similar sense of humour and a HUGE passion for blues and soul!
When I was 14 and 15, My dad took me to Bishopstock blues festival in the ....UK..... I got to see all my hero’s play such as Van Morrison and Buddy Guy. Also, I discovered new hero’s: For the first time I saw young, female, contemporary artists playing the blues such as Susan Tedeschi, Sue Foley, Shemekia Copeland, and Deborah Coleman. I was blown away. I think the festival experience had a big impact on my brother too. We used to love going to the signing tent after each act played to get our Programmes and CD’s autographed and to meet the stars. It seems unreal that seven years on I had the opportunity to tour the world with Sue Foley and Deborah Coleman and have played the same festivals as Shemekia! It is still a dream come true.
I left ....Malmesbury.. ..School.... 6th Form with three A-levels in Art, Music and English Literature at the age of 17. I then moved away from home to ..Brighton.. to start my Degree in Popular Music. At school, my grades were all B’s and C’s with the occasional A. I didn’t do bad but I was far from being a straight A student and I felt less competent at learning than my friends. When I began my degree I decided to put all my heart, soul and energy into it. Whilst other students were out drinking and dancing I stayed in my student flat and studied hard. For my Final Professional Project/Dissertation I decided to fulfil my childhood dream of helping children in ..Africa..…
As I said, Michael Jackson was and still is my biggest musical hero. I adore him and he has inspired me so much as a singer, a songwriter and as a human being. As a child, I spent hours watching his music videos; video’s for songs such as ‘we are the world’, ‘heal the world’ , ‘man in the mirror’ and ‘they don’t really care about us’. Michael’s music opened my eyes to the poverty in the world and the children and families suffering as a result of War, corrupt governments, and lack of caring on our parts. Michael Jackson gave more money to charity than any other musical star in history. He sings ‘If you wanna make the world a better place, you better look at yourself and then make a change’. From the age of 6, his message stuck with me and inspired me. So for my degree I began an ongoing project to give Music Education, and other educational opportunities to ....County.. ..Primary School.... in ....Embu.., ..Kenya..... My whole family were very supportive and have all become very devoted to the children in Embu.
I left University with a 1st Class BA Hons degree in Popular Music in 2006. I had never been that academic and so to leave with such a good grade was something I was very proud of. Having achieved that, my confidence had grown and I felt like I could achieve anything. Having made many mistakes in my life such as losing my virginity much to young and being very naïve, ungrateful at times, and stubborn, I was happy to have made my parents proud.
I then began working a part time office job whilst gigging in the evenings and my brother moved from Wiltshire to ..Brighton.. to live with me and my bassist. The three of us devoted all our time to our music and spent a lot of evenings travelling to ....London.... to try to get noticed, not making any money for the gigs we were playing. Every now and again we would get noticed by people who would give us great opportunities opening for bigger bands on the circuit; the biggest opportunity being when Chris Holland invited me and my brother to perform with his band opening for his brother Jools Holland at The Royal Albert Hall.
I saved up my money from my office job and spent it on recording a demo CD. I spent a lot more money on artwork, a professional photo shoot, and other promo material. I packaged the promo pack in bright pink enveloped with a sticker on the outside with my picture on posing with my guitar. I sent these Cd’s to all my favourite record labels. Alligator were once of my favourites who were kind enough to write back giving me good advice but still turning me down. Then, a few weeks later, I got a call from Ruf Records…. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. Thomas Ruf said he didn’t usually open unsolicited material but my package stood out because it was bright pink in colour and he was looking in particular for female guitarists so he opened it! Not long after that he came to see me perform and offered me a record deal.
My debut album ‘Heal my Blues’ was released in January 2008 and since then I have toured ....America.... and ..Europe.. extensively. Being on the road has made me grow up a lot and I have learnt so much from touring with my hero’s. I feel over the past 2 years my whole band and I have developed as performers and my songwriting skills have deepened.
I am currently writing more material for my next album which will be released in May 2010. This album is to be produced by my most favourite Blues Producer Mike Vernon. My brother and I are HUGE fans of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, and Mike produced all of their best material. Working with Mike is an incredible dream come true for Will and I. I feel my songwriting has matured and also I am keen to include a few songs about my experiences in ....Kenya..... I intend to dedicate my next album to the children of Toto Love Orphanage for children with HIV in ....Embu.., ..Kenya..... There are 12 children at the orphanage and I love them all so so much. I really wanted to bring them all home with me. It is so sad that their lives will be shortened by this dreadful disease. I feel it’s important to try and give them as special a life as possible with moments they can look back on and feel proud of. My family and I are currently fundraising to take the 12 children on Safari when we next visit the country in September 2010. The children have never seen the fantastic wild animals that ....Kenya.... is so famous for. We will see the animals in the daytime and camp out in tents at night, singing songs around the fire and having a bbq in the evening. I know the opportunity will bring so much happiness to the orphans.
My career is a family business… I owe my family so much. My Dad has helped me out a lot financially to be able to make music my career. My mum does all my admin and accounts and deals with all my tax that I would get in such a muddle with. And my brother inspires the sound of my band, gives me good advice, plays great harp and backing vocals and drives out tour van. When we tour ..Europe.., my Dad also shares the driving and sells my merchandise. I love being a touring musician and I am so grateful to them.
Well, this is pretty much my life; My friends and family, my fiancé, my music and all the children in ....Embu.., ..Kenya..... My plan is to continue to put all I have into my career and hopefully when my next album is released things will step up a level. The larger the gigs I am able to play, the more money I will be able to raise to help children who lack the opportunities they deserve.
To all of you who have donated money to my charity, come to my shows, bought my CD, and helped me further my career, THANK-YOU so so much!
Love Dani
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Thursday, October 08, 2009
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Current mood:  exhausted
Dani Wilde, Charity Trip to ....Kenya...., September 2009
This years trip to ....Kenya.... was fantastic…. The children we were working with had a great time and really benefited from the projects we organised this year.
BIG THANK-YOU to all of you who made donations to make these projects possible!
We arrived in ....Kenya.... on Saturday 19th September; Myself, my Mum, my Dad and Mark, who plays drums in my band. We rested at the Moving Mountains Charity Office in ....Nairobi.... for a while and then made the 3 hour journey from ....Nairobi.... to Embu.
We arrived at our accommodation, The Scout Centre, in Embu late on Saturday evening. It felt great to be back. The accommodation, though simple, felt very warming and cosy. We had dinner and got to bed early, ready for an early start the following day!
During our fundraising, many people had been kind enough to donate clothes, toys, books etc. A lot of the things donated were sold at boot-sales to raise money before we came; but some of the more suitable items we brought with us. These proved to be really useful…. On the Monday morning, it was a Muslim holiday and therefore no school for the day… so instead we made a visit to the local HIV children’s orphanage called ‘Toto Love Orphanage’.
The 11 children we met there were all such a delight. They were polite, fun, passionate about learning and very caring towards each other like a close family. Other than the eldest child ‘Rhonda’ age 16, who had a bad eye infection, the children all looked happy and healthy. It was very sad and hard to believe that these children suffer from HIV. The youngest child was a little boy age 2, and the majority of the children were aged ..7 to 11... They have treatment for their illness, but during my stay, I spoke to a British Medical Student about the treatment and he informed me that if they were British Citizens living in England they would have much better treatment tailored to their individual needs and development which would give them a much longer life expectancy. This is upsetting… I plan on writing to medical companies in ....England.... to see if anyone could sponsor them with better medication but I know my efforts may not get me anywhere. If any of you reading this have any ideas in regards to the medicine, please get in touch!
So… the children were extremely excited to get a visit from ‘Mzungu’s’ (the Swahili term for ‘white people’), and they were even more excited when they saw the presents we had brought them. Dereck, one of the boys who I would guess was 11 or 12 years old had a real talent for art and he was delighted with the sketch pad and colouring pencils… we also took a giant bubble blower, a skipping rope, sweets, and board games such as domino’s. The children had not played domino’s before but were keen to learn and it didn’t take long for my mum to teach them. The Orphanage, although a better quality building than most of the slum houses where the children at ....County.. ..Primary School.... live, was still very ‘poor’ by western standards. We played with the children for a few hours and when it was time to go they begged us to come back to see them again.
On the walk back to the Scout Centre, my Dad and I decided that the following day, we would like to take all 11 of the children out on a Day trip. We spoke to Kenyan Moving Mountians staff Gilbert and Kioni about where we could take them and they agreed upon a lovely outdoor swimming pool in a richer area of ....Kenya...., about an hours drive from Embu. We were to travel in the Moving Mountains Safari Truck… A big green truck with huge windows all along the side to look out of.
The next morning, before we picked up the children from the orphanage, we decorated the truck with balloons. The driver O.T had music playing and by the time we arrived at the orphanage, the inside of the truck looked like some kind of magical party bus… The excited children climbed on board…. Probably many of them had not even been in a car before, let alone this… Most of them had never been outside of Embu…. They had a great time on the journey there eating biscuits, playing with balloons, wearing the sparkly stickers I gave them and gazing out of the windows. They also loved to cuddle… I think the love of cuddles really did show how much these kids really are missing out on the kind of love and one-on-one attention that a parent gives a child. 13 year old Bansy latched on to me at the start of the day and barely left my side, playing with my hair and snuggling up to me. I could have cuddled her forever, and I’m pretty sure she would not have objected.
We arrived at the Swimming Pool…. It was kind of like a holiday resort, like you’d imagine in ....Cyprus.... or somewhere like that…. A big outdoor pool in a posh (by Kenyan standards) resort area. We sat and had a lovely restaurant lunch at the pool side and then the elder kids swam in the big pool, and the younger ones in the baby pool. There was also a park with slides and swings. This really was a rare ‘rich’ side of ....Kenya.... that I hadn’t seen… and the children had seen anything like it before either…. Those of them who had swam before had only swam in rivers and there is no park or western style restaurants in Embu. The children were so happy… I wish you could have seen their faces!
On the way home the children fell asleep… many of them collapsed, contented and dreaming across our laps. They looked like angels. We visited the children a few times throughout the week and they asked us if we would be able to take them out again next year… My Dad was already hatching a good plan for next year…. And the plan is to take all of the children on Safari to see the animals and camp out overnight in tents, singing songs around the campfire in the evening! I think, especially considering that these children’s lives are going to be short, it is really important to give them happy life experiences that they can feel proud to have been a part of; experiences they will never forget…. The Swimming pool day was definitely a day they will never forget and next years Safari will be even more fantastic…. We really need your donations to save up and make this possible…. Of course, my family and I, as always will pay for our own flights and safari… all the money we raise will be 100% spent on the children and making them happy!
On the Tuesday we went to start work at ....County.. ..Primary School..... The 900 children all remembered us from last year and were happy to have us back. On the Tuesday afternoon, I taught Class 4, who are all about 10 years old. I decided to teach them a song that they could perform as a group on ‘Fun-day’. Fun-day was to be held on the Friday. I decided to teach them the Elvis Presley version of Big Mama Thornton’s ‘Hound Dog’. Last year, I discovered that the children had never heard of blues music. This year, when I chose ‘Hound-dog’, thought some of the kids surely must know who Elvis is… but no… Elvis meant nothing to them…they usually only listen to modern hip-hop. They did however love the song and were passionate and keen to learn it and perform it well… I will put a video clip of them doing so on you-tube in the near future! Mark taught two of the boys hand-drums to play along with the song. And, I took over 10 Kazoo’s and had ten children playing an ensemble Kazoo solo in the middle of the song.
On the Wednesday, I made a banner with some of the children. We took across a big sheet of pale blue material that my mum had hemmed, and wrote “....COUNTY.. ..PRIMARY SCHOOL....” in big letters across the centre. Then the children used the fabric pens we had brought to draw their self portraits and decorated the banner with a box of felt stickers. It was a good opportunity for the children because usually they lack the facilities and equipment to explore ‘Art and Design’. I also continued to teach Class 4 ‘Hound Dog’ and at lunch and break times, I would find little groups of them practicing it so that they no longer needed to use the lyric sheets. I was very proud of them.
On Thursday we spent the morning handing out gifts to all of the children in each class such as pens, pencils, biscuits and sweets. The children were proud to own a brand new pencil or pen that they could take home. At lunch time I was playing with the children in the dusty playground and noticed a very small and timid looking child at my feet. As I scooped her up into my arms, Felix, the music teacher, told me that she was one of the most desperate cases attending the school. The little girls name was Nola. She was beautiful and only five years old. You could tell from the clothes she was wearing and the shoes on her feet that she was not very well off. I took her into the head teacher’s office with me and asked some of the other school staff if they knew any more of her background. I learnt that Nola has two elder sisters attending the school, aged 8 and 13. Nola is in the nursery class and the nursery children go home at ..3pm.. each day. Since their was no-one around at Nola’s home she has to wait 2 extra hours each day for her sisters to finish school. I kept Nola by my side throughout the rest of that day and she enjoyed coming into the elder childrens classes while I performed for them and Nola happily banged away at the tambourine. When the school day was over we met Nola’s sisters Pamala and Ahadi. The eldest girl Ahadi looks after the younger two; cooking for them and putting Nola to bed and getting her up each morning. Their Mother had walked out on them and the father worked such long hours that he left before they got up in the morning and came home long after dark. Some nights he would work out of town and if he didn’t make enough money to get home, he would have to sleep rough and come home the following evening.
We took the three girls to Embu’s supermarket, escorted by Julius, a member of Moving Mountains Charity, Felix the music teacher, and Doris the school secretary. We bought them food and drink and toothbrushes and toiletries. Afterwards we decided to walk them home… I had no idea of the horror I was about to see.
The girls lead us to their home. It was down a winding, thin dirt track in a wood on a steep, rocky, slope which lead deeper and deeper into the depths of a valley. The houses in the wood were very basic wooden structures rather like tree houses sat on the ground. Their were many adults and children drunk and on drugs in the wood who were staring at us as we followed the girls further down the slope. The further down we got, the worse the area and the houses seemed to be until we reached the very bottom, where the very worst ‘house’ of all sat…. and this was their home…. But really, it wasn’t a house or a home at all…. It wasn’t waterproof… an adult couldn’t stand upright in it…. It had no toilet or cooker…. It really was no more than some scraps of material thrown over some branches. It would not have taken a man more than ten seconds to knock the whole structure down. Inside was cramped and looked more like a squat where tramps might live… a rabbit hutch or kennel would have made a more adequate home. Their was a mattress inside that the three girls had to share; and whenever it rained they would be soaked through. I couldn’t hold back the tears. It was so upsetting, the reality that these poor girls face. I couldn’t hold back the tears; I was so angry that society could let this happen. The worst part was that it was about 8pm in the evening, it was dark, and there was no-one there to meet them. Julius explained to us that this particular slum in the woods was a lawless area where criminals hid from the police. A few months before, innocent people who had come to try to clean up the area to make it more safe were beheaded. It was not a safe area for us to be in. It certainly was not a safe area for these girls to be left alone in. We were worried that all the food we had bought them would be stolen. When we got back to the Scout Centre that evening, we spoke to one of the ....Moving.. ..Mountains.... charity staff Gilbert Njeru, a social worker in Embu, and he agreed to try to do something to help.
Fri: This morning, Gilbert got up early and made his way to the home of Nola, Pamela and Ahadi. He was equally upset by the situation. He spoke to the children’s dad before he left for work and he agreed to help the Dad to improve his business so that he would make more money to care for his children. Gilbert then spoke to the ....Moving.. ..Mountains.... directors and they agreed to help to find some proper accommodation for the girls. I was so relieved. My Dad also treated the girls to some much needed school shoes which they were very pleased with.
After breakfast, we headed to the school for ‘Fun-day’. It was a great day. The children performed ‘Hound-dog’ and the recorder group and harmonica groups performed songs on the instruments we had donated in previous years. I accompanied on guitar some girls who wanted to sing solo. They sang some lovely hymns. I also performed some of my own songs for the whole school and my favourite Eric Bibb song “Don’t let nobody get your spirit down”… They all joined in on this one and it sounded fantastic. Some of the older girls performed some traditional African dances and then it was the children’s turn to be entertained. We had hired professional Acrobats and Musicians to perform for the children. They really enjoyed this. We also had a DJ and the children were having dancing competitions. We also brought bouncy castles and trampolines to the school and everyone got to have a go. And they were given a nutritious lunch with a bottle of coca-cola. It was a great day; one that they will never forget. We intend to hold a fun-day at the school every year if we can continue to raise enough funds.
Saturday was our last day at the school and only the children who were about to do exams were in school on the Saturday morning. We said bye to those children and gave them the last of the sweets we had. Then we went to check on the work team, who all week had been working on the toilets at the school. A big part of the money we raised this year was spent on fitting proper working toilets to replace the smelly ‘hole in the ground’. These new toilets were to be connected to the main sewage system and had sinks for the children to wash their hands…. Much more hygienic. The toilets looked great and are now in use.
I can’t believe how fast the time in ....Kenya.... went. It was a very productive week and I can’t wait to raise much more money so that next year we can go back and take the orphans on safari, and fix up some of the worse classrooms at ....County.. ..Primary School.... which need new desks and windows.
Thank you again to all of you who donated. In ....Kenya...., a little goes a very long way; and the children and I greatly appreciate your support.
All my love,
Dani Wilde
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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MARYPORT BLUES FESTIVAL 2009 review which will appear in the worldwide electronic blues magazine BluesWax on September 3rd by Dave Scott The tragic death at sea of three Maryport fishermen just days before the festival cast a long, dark shadow over the annual celebration of music in this closely knit community. There was unanimous agreement that the event should proceed so it was important to acknowledge the underlying grief whilst also lifting the spirits of the townspeople. This was to be achieved through what turned out to be an upbeat, inspiring festival, Maryport’s best ever, with its unique mixture of gospel, soul and blues and the recurring themes of hope, love and salvation. As always, the festival started with the winners of the local Battle of the Bands competition, on this occasion Nine Lives. Unfortunately, in contrast to previous winners, only the lead singer was of an acceptable standard and the performance overall was disappointing. It is far too ambitious to attempt rock classics like ‘Out In The Fields’ with mediocre musicians although they clearly enjoyed themselves and were encouraged by their friends in the audience. It took Laura and The Tears a while to get into their stride but Laura Welsh grew in confidence and sang a combination of blues classics and original material in a languid style but gradually building into crescendos when the occasion demanded. ‘Love Live On’ and ‘Undone’ were the highlights of an impressive debut from a new band with a great future. Jethro Tull surpassed the expectations of even their staunchest followers with a dazzling set of pure musical theatre, a choreographed rhapsody with Ian Anderson at the centre. The tights and codpiece may have given way to a more sober costume but he dances with his flute as nimbly as he did 40 years ago. Extended versions of ‘Bach’s Bouree’ and ‘Thick As A Brick’ were at the heart of an electrifying, eclectic set, but interspersed with songs from folk and blues traditions. The latter included, ‘Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You’ which as Ian explained, “Is not Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee but it could be!” The audience was ecstatic and it seemed an impossible act to follow but the Friday evening in the marquee ended on a high with King King. The band roared through ‘I’m Going Down,’ with front man the charismatic Scot Alan Nimmo a vocal powerhouse, before settling into some original tracks from their new EP. The highlight was an outstanding, virtuoso performance of ‘Feels Like Rain’ which Buddy Guy himself would have applauded.
The hardest slot was undoubtedly the first on Saturday afternoon given that the W T Feaster Band from Indianapolis are generally unknown to British blues fans despite having blazed the pub trail at last year’s festival to rave reviews. This is all set to change with national exposure of their set on the Paul Jones Show on BBC Radio 2 and a host of radio and magazine interviews in the UK and USA. ‘Feastermania’ is about to enter the blues vocabulary given the number of fans from all over the UK who followed the three talented musicians to Newcastle upon Tyne to see their next gig, and the prolific ‘You Tube’ and other website postings. From the moment Travis Feaster confidently launched into ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ until the finale, ‘Hey Joe’, the local nuclear power station was made redundant. The raw energy generated seemed to suck over 1000 spectators into the marquee within minutes as Feaster pushed his guitar to unprecedented heights with an amazing dexterity reminiscent of Hendrix and SRV. However, it is the original material such as ‘Devil’s Daughter’ and ‘Back For More’ which will give the band international success, together with superb interpretations of classics like Otis Redding’s ‘Mr Pitiful.
Deborah Bonham was next on stage and lived up to her ‘duchess’ status with songs from her latest album and a magnificent tribute to the fishermen entitled, ‘When I See Them Again.’ Although she has a tendency to scream her way through some songs, Deborah is at her best when more soulful and restrained as on ‘Black Coffee’ and ‘Devil’s In New Orleans.’ It was back to hardcore blues with Rab McCullough who draws upon his experiences of violence and unrest in his native Northern Ireland to inspire his singing and playing. He growled his way through ‘Going Down Slow’ but lightened up with some cooking 12 bar blues and boogies, ably supported by his experienced band. In a short space of time, Dani Wilde has established herself as a consummate blueswoman with a much acclaimed debut album on the unrivalled Ruf label entitled, ”‘Heal My Blues.” This appearance was sandwiched between tours of Germany and the States where she is to grace the stage of the legendary Slippery Noodle Inn. Dani has a first class honours in music, drinks Ribena and raises money for her charity in Kenya; not many of these credentials feature in the current blues-rock field. However, like Laura, Travis and Sean Webster, she is leading the new generation of blues fans to a love of the genre which will secure its future. Dani gave a sensational rendition of ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ in a rap style and, by contrast, a poignant, heart-rending self-penned song, ‘Abandoned Child.’ Her brother Will showed in, ‘Blues Is My First Love’ that he is capable of pursuing a dazzling career in his own right as a harmonica master.
Not surprisingly, The Blues Band in its 30th year did not disappoint with a trademark professional and polished set lasting 90 minutes, Paul Jones immaculate as ever in his white linen jacket. A combination of classical blues including Bo Diddley’s ‘Before You Accuse Me’ and material written by Paul and Dave Kelly was well received, the latter in particularly fine form. Dave’s solo appearance at another venue the previous evening proved that he is one of the world’s best exponents of slide guitar. His heartfelt playing is infused with deep feeling and complemented by flowing, sandpaper edged vocals.
John Mayall brought the second day to a conclusion with arguably one of his greatest gigs in recent years. He looked buoyant from the outset with amazing vocals and harmonica solo on ‘Another Man Done Gone’ taught to him by Sonny Boy Williamson. He revisited his back catalogue to maximum effect, with new, vibrant and fresh interpretations of Parchman Farm’, ‘Hideaway’, ‘Chicago Line’ and ‘Room To Move.’ A taste of the forthcoming album, “Tough” was given with an excellent new song, ‘Moving Out Moving On.’ Mayall at 75 years of age appears to have been reinvigorated by the retirement of The Bluesbreakers with the exception of Tom Canning. The two keyboards are now centre stage but alongside high quality bass, drums and lead guitar, with Rocky Athos more understated than Buddy Whittington but in many respects equally good.
It was appropriate for the first act on Sunday to sound like an evangelist rally, with Grammy nominee Ryan Shaw from Georgia singing fervent gospel and soul numbers. Much of his music is about God and love and he sings with sincerity and passion, notably on, ‘White Cliffs Of Dover’, ‘I’m looking For Love’ and ‘Nobody But Me.’ The audience participated enthusiastically throughout and clearly loved Ryan’s version of The Beatles ‘Let It Be’ and the tribute to Michael Jackson, ‘Man In The Mirror.’ The rest of the afternoon was devoted to the Sean Webster Band and Friends who provided superb entertainment. Sean must be the best guitarist to come out of Nottingham since Alvin Lee and he has a rasping, throaty voice to complement his hard driving riffs. He is also an accomplished songwriter in the Ian Parker mould with a similar anguish to the delivery of his lyrics. Ex Hoax guitarist John Amor added his considerable talents to the proceedings before harpist Giles King joined in after playing amongst the audience before reaching the stage. King is gaining credibility as a potential harp legend as he adds both texture and punch to a driving, flowing style of technical brilliance. An established legend who is genuinely worthy of the title is Eric Burdon who brought his Animals the length of the Roman Empire to stand in for Taj Mahal who cancelled his European tour at short notice. His selection by the Maryport committee turned out to be a tour de force as it transformed a good festival into a great one. Eric might look like the quintessential granddad these days but he is singing even better than he did in the 60s when he was famously heralded as the only English white singer who sounded more authentic than most black American blues artists. He has put together a versatile, enthusiastic band, with a young instrumentalist called Georgia Dagaki who plays a beautifully toned ancient Cretan lyra.
Burdon started by reminiscing on ‘When I Was Young’ and strode like a colossus through Animals classics and contemporary songs before encoring to tumultuous applause with ‘House Of The Rising Sun.’ Minutes later a very tired looking Eric who had given the show of his life was whisked away in a taxi to the nearest airport to resume his tour of Italy; what a trouper! The festival ended with Ruby Turner who had undertaken the same role so successfully last year with the Jools Holland Orchestra. Although she never quite reached the same heights it was still a memorable conclusion, with spellbinding interpretations of songs by, and tributes to, Etta James and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Ruby thoroughly deserves to be a platinum album award winner, with her wonderfully crafted musical arrangements including the inspirational and rousing, ‘Nobody But You.’,p/> At 6pm on Sunday, July 6th a one-minute silence was held for the brave fishermen who drowned at sea when their boat capsized. Every single person in the pubs, on the streets and in the marquee stopped in their tracks along with the music and shared Maryport’s sorrow and despair. Blues is about these emotions and human frailty in general but also offers comfort, understanding and hope for a better future. The 2009 Festival brought a feel good factor as well as a sharing of the community’s heartache with the 35000 friends and visitors who made the pilgrimage. Best band: John Mayall Best guitarist: Travis Feaster Best female vocalist: Dani Wilde
Best male vocalist: Eric BurdonDave Scott
Contributing Editor Highlights from the festival will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2, The Paul Jones Show, on August 31st 2009!
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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MIDWEST RECORD – CHICAGO, IL – JULY 30, 2009
DANI WILDE/Heal My Blues: You know time is flying by too fast when you have a young, bluesy guitar slinger when she says that says was inspired by Susan Tedeschi. Contemporary blues fans, put Wilde on your list pronto. She got that something extra that separates the great from the good. Even though she’s steeped herself in the tradition, this is a rocking, up to date set that works just fine with contemporary ears looking for a roadhouse good time but finds themselves stranded at some joint in the out lot of an exurban strip mall where the roadhouse used to be. She’s as much Alanis Morrisette as she is John Lee Hooker. Nothing less than the total package, Wilde is an original voice that is sure to bring new fans into the blues tent. Fun, feisty and furious, this is no pre-packaged market driven diva pre-digested for your protection. Buddy, when the real thing like this comes along, grab it. Hot stuff. – Chris Spector
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange by Mark S. Tucker
Well, the surname is entirely appropriate as young Dani certainly sings like a wildcat, charged up with passion, squeals, yelps, and an indomitable "what you got, being it here!" demand. She plays guitar as well, electric blues through and through, and dragooned younger bro Will Wilde in for some just as crazed harpwork. The cover photo has her dolled up in a David Bowie (Spiders-era) psychedelic outfit, and the lass wrote all but three of the cuts, so what you hear…it's all her.
Wilde's debut was auspicious, singing behind Maddie Prior, and she spent a few years thereafter working her way through music jungles across the waters, in 2006 arriving in such venues as the Royal Albert Hall in conjunction with notables like Jools Holland and Gary Moore. Yeah, nothin' ta be sneezed at! The BBC took a strong interest and featured her music as well as a series of interviews. Heal my Blues is the young femme's debut solo, and it's overdue, bursting with energy and vigor. Even the restrained numbers like I Love You More than I Hate Myself, which harkens back to Candy Givens and the old Zephyr band (Tommy Bolin's genesis point), strains with volcanic pressures beneath the recital, release finding its way in her guitar solo in the middle of a churning ensemble cranked up for the middle eight.
More than once, I was also reminded of my all-time favorite belter, Janita Haan (early Babe Ruth), as well as Darby Mills, the Headpins' incredibly powerful singer, women who both followed in the Janis mode, as does Wilde. By dint of that wailing voice alone, her place is assured as a mainstay, but the girl knows her way around that guitar as well, and her brother is as much an asset as her own drive and talent. Oh…and anyone doubting she mightn't be all that on the axe should listen to In the Mood, where she yanks out the acoustic six-string, an instrument you just can't fake the blues on. When all's said and done, then, we hafta devoutly wish the CD's titular plaintive desire never sees its fulfillment, as I just don't envision Dani Wilde as a Karen Carpenter should those aches and pains ever go away.
Bring Your Loving Home Heal my Blues Come Undone I Love You More than I Hate Myself I Want Your Loving Testify In the Mood I'm Going Down Slow Coach Little by Little All songs written by Dani Wilde except I'm Going Down (Norman Whitfield), Little by Little (Junior Wells), and In the Mood (John Lee Hooker).
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Tuesday, July 21, 2009
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Current mood:  artistic
 | Next month... On Tour With Candye Kane.... I cant wait! |
| Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, and a very good friend of mine who gave me that album. |
| To leave the world having contributed to making it a better place for others and future generations |
| A few people.... Martin Luther king, John Lee Hooker, Berry Gordy, Sam Cooke, Muhammed Ali, The President of Kenya |
| I'm keen to learn Swahili so I can teach with more ease in Kenya... Lessons are so expensive though and its difficult to teach oneself... i'll keep trying! |
| I really want to adopt... I'd like to adopt two or three siblings aged between 3 and 13 |
| I dont believe in organised religion... I believe in Love, Respect, Caring, the power of music, Friendship, and giving aid to those in need... I believe in equality. |
| I'd love to swim with dolphins.... I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to riding horses... i'd happily ride a donkey! |
| Always.... but i can be spontaneous too! |
| A great smile, slim body, caring personality, ability to play the blues with feeling, and intelligent conversation |
| Going for a long run, and then going out for a late breakfast/early lunch with friends |
| Jambalaya with King Prawns and Chorizo and lots of veggies! |
| On Children living in the slums in Kenya. I would try to give them a better start in life... and the opportunity to escape the slums and go to university. |
| I would take back the times i have upset my close friends and family. |
| Michael Jackson... He still is my hero... I grew up singing along to all the Jackson 5 records... it was the only thing in my dads record collection in my vocal range! |
| I have most fun on the road with my band. I love seeing new places and singing along to our fave motown records in the tour van. I love being on stage! |
| My younger Brother.... He's an incredible blues singer..www.willharmonicawilde.com |
| Both. When i write songs, im not usually into sloppy love songs... I prefer to write about how i wont stop till i get that man im chasing in my bed! |
| Excited about touring America with Candye Kane & Looking forward to performing with her band; Laura Chavez on guitar, Evan Caleb on drums, Paul Loranger on Bass! |
| The Jungle Book.... The soundtrack is incredible... Louis Prima!!! |
| How i'm looking forward to rocking out the mainstage at Maryport Blues Festival this weekend!!! |
| Avocado.... i also love melon, grapes, Mango.... |
| As Etta James sang... "I would rather, oh I would rather be blind boy" |
| Creative, Achiever, Diciplined. |
| Yes... I can eat cereal any time of day... especially Cheerios and Crunchy Nut Cornflakes |
| Different Strokes.... Because of that show, if i ever have a baby boy, i will call him Willis ;-) |
| I took a big issue guy out to lunch recently. We had Pizza at Fat Leo's. He was very sweet and trying to start his life over; I wish him all the best! |
| I love seeing the world... I have never been to Prague and have always wanted too... also Bangladesh, Borneo, Ethiopia, |
| I love most food lol... Sushi, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Soul Food...My mums roast dinners! |
| I love Kenya, because the kids there mean so much to me... People make favourite places... anywhere with the people i love is special. |
| Power to end world poverty; I wish i had the ability to give ALL the kids i help at County Primary School in Kenya better lives. |
| Usually, i'm playing a gig, or if i get a night off, i'll be found having a meal with my friends. |
| I have so many.... but probably something by Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Smokie Robinson or Bob Marley! |
| Yes, especially with custard! |
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
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Current mood:  sad
I was on tour in Spain last week with fellow Ruf Records Artists Oli Brown and Erja Lyytinen when I heard the news of Michael Jackson's tragic death.
We were in the Hotel Lobby when Oli recieved a phonecall from his father telling him the news. I heard the shock and dissapointment in Oli's voice and already my stomache was turning as i hoped that there was nothing wrong with Oli's family... "are you ok?" I asked... and that was when he told us... "Michael Jackson is dead."
We stayed up drinking bacardi rum till 5am whilst watching CNN updates. I just couldnt believe it. It was only earlier that day that I had been telling Oli how much I love michael Jackson, how Michael was my childhood hero, the reason I started singing when i was a kid, and how Michael's music video's such as 'Heal The World' had inspired my ongoing charity work in Kenya. Oli too was a keen fan; he had tickets to see Michael perform next month at the O2 Areana; infact all of our band and entourage were very upset by the news, and so we got together that evening to commiserate his death and celebrate his life.... but i was in no mood for celebrating... After a few drinks, i couldnt hold back the tears.
As a soul vocalist, and an entertainer, Michael really has been a huge inspiration to me. Sometimes I cover one of the songs he used to sing with The Jackson Five 'Who's Loving You' in my set. It's a Smokie Robinson song, but no one could sing it with the Soul that Michael did. I discovered Michael Jackson among my Dads CD collection when I was 6 or 7 years old. At that age, The Jackson Five's material really was the only music in my fathers CD collection that was in the right key for me to sing... and as a 7 year old, i could relate to songs like 'ABC' alot more than I could John Lee Hookers 'In the Mood.'
So, I just want to say Thank-you Michael for all the Joy and Inspiration you brought to me and all of your fans across the world. Thank you for all the efforts you put into your charity work helping children across the world. Thank you for helping to break down the barriers of Racial prejudice (Michael was the very 1st african american artist to have a mass crossover on MTV with Thriller - At first MTV didnt want to play Billie Jean and Beat it... but their was such huge demand for Michaels music, they agreed to give it a go!!!) Thank you for your music, through which you will live forever.
My thoughts and love are with your children,
Dani xxx
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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Current mood:  accomplished
Baby's got the Blues Tour of Germany Blog Diary!!!
The Crew: Dani Wilde (Vocals and Guitar), Will 'Harmonica' Wilde (Harmonica and later on, after Alan's Accident... Drums..), Ben Poole (Rhythm and Lead Guitar), Johnny Chase ( Awesome Bass Guitar), Alan Taylor (Drums), Mark Earl (Fantstic new Drummer After Alans Accident!), Chris Wilde (My Dad was Tour Manager and Merchandise Man for this tour!)
Day 1, Thursday 9th April 2009
We got off to a good start and were all very very excited. My Dad offered to be our Tour Manager for the tour which i was so happy about; I knew he'd be the best Tour Manager in the world! Johnny and my Dad had crashed at mine and Will's house in Brighton the night before and so we got up at 6:30am ready to go... (actually... johnny was being really grumpy because he is terrible with mornings but throughout the tour he adapted very quickly!) By 7:30am we got to Alans house on the outskirts of Brighton and picked up Alan and Ben. Al and Ben were keen to get the portable play-station they had bought hooked up in the back of the van, and then we were on our way.
It's difficult to describe quite how Alan and Ben are when they are together... They became close friends very quickly when I hired Ben to play in my band. When they are together, onlookers often question their sexuality... but they are infact very much straight men who have a bond like true brothers. They are both fantastic musicians who bring the best out of eachother on stage.... Off-stage however, you could say they bring the worst out in eachother, with their loud mouths chanting like football hooligans in the back of the van and shouting out crude jokes that nobody but the pair of them finds funny. The drive Johnny and my Dad completely crazy. At times, my Dad admits he was ready to hit them ( i dont think he would really LOL) ... Taking Alan and Ben on the road is like taking two 13 year olds on tour. But even though they can be so loud and obnoxious, i will admit that this is partly why i love them both so much... especially Alan who i often feel like a big Sister or even a second Mother too. I really like how life to them is like a big adventure.. and thats why I love being a musician too!
The drive to our hotel in Munster, Germany, was a very long one. Dad and my younger Brother Will shared the driving and did a great job. We got to our hotel at about 9pm that evening and had a few drinks at the bar before bed.... I say drinks.... actually, i dont drink alchohol, I'm more of a 'cuppa tea' kinda Girl.
Day 2, Friday 10th April 2009
Today we drove to the first gig of the tour at The Downtown Blues Club in Hamburg. I had played this venue on the Blues Caravan Tour in 2008 with Candye Kane and Deborah Coleman and it was great to be back there with my own band. The gig was a support for a German blues band called Blues-Package. This was a really important gig for us because not only did we have to impress the audience and the venue promotor, but also Florence, the Assistant Booking Agent from my Concert Promotions Agency 'A.S.S'. I was very lucky when A.S.S agreed to book this tour for me because i knew they had turned down booking for my peers in the blues industry. A.S.S are quite a prestigious agency; they also book for the likes of Bob Geldof and Kim Wilde. Florence and Mick, who booked the tour for me had not seen me perform live; they had agreed to book me purely based on my album and the hype from the Blues Caravan Tour. It was important they were impressed so that they would continue booking for me.
Blues-Package were really nice to us and told us if the audience wanted us to do an encore, they were happy for us to play one. This was good because our show was really well recieved and so Will and I sang our own take on Muddy Water's 'Mannish Boy' for an Encore. Florence said she was very impressed with our musicianship and the profesionalism of the show. I was really proud of how well the boys played. We were all buzzing with adreniline after the show and Florences friend Bjorn wanted to take us out to show us around Hamburg. Dad, Will, Johnny and I decided we needed a good nights sleep to be ready for the early start the next day. However, Ben and Alan decided to go out on the town with Bjorn. Ben and Alan promised me they would only go out for about an hour and that they would get a taxi back to our hotel at 2am......
Day 3, Saturday 11th April 2009
It's 2:30am in the morning after the gig at the Downtown Bluesclub in Hamburg. I'm awoken by my Dad hammering on my door. I'm quickly snapped back from sleepiness to reality as i open the door and my dad tells me "We have to go to the hospital... Alan's been hit by a car!" I immediately burst into tears.... I was so frightened.... I had immediately assumed the worst and I was worried that Alan was dead.... Dad explained that he'd spoken to Alan and Ben on the phone and that Alan's life wasnt in danger, but he'd smashed his teeth and hurt his arm. Dad was already panicking over whether Alan would be fit enough to drum for the rest of the tour but at this point all I wanted to do was hold Alan in my arms and make sure he was going to be ok. He must've been so scared getting hit like that and being in a hospital in a foreign country.
Dad and I drove to the hospital. I was still shaking from the shock of it all. When we walked into the hospital and I saw Alan, both Alan and I burst into tears. His face was such a mess.... there was so much blood. It was horrible. Even my Dad was shocked because the boys had downplayed the extent of Alans injury when they spoke to my Dad on the phone. I love Alan to bits and it was horrible to see him that way. He had been a victim of a hit-and-run accident. A parked Taxi suddenly decided to accelerate, and when the driver saw he had knocked Alan down, he just sped away! Alan explained to my Dad that unlike the rest of my band, he handnt thought to buy health insurance. He needed to borrow money to pay for the X-rays he'd had on his arm and face and he needed to have an emergency operation on his mouth that night. We drove to the emergency dentists and waited for over an hour whilst Alan had his mouth attended to. At this point I knew I would have to find a new drummer for the tour. Alan's arm was not broken but it was badly sprained and bruised and he was in to much pain to use it. Making a big impact on the German audiences was so important to me and Alan was the only drummer who knew all the tempo's and stops to my songs. I was gutted. I waited until 8am in the morning and then started to contact drummers.
The first drummer I contacted was French drummer Denis Palitin. Denis is an incredible drummer who played with me on the Blues Caravan Tour. Denis really wanted to help me, but he couldnt get out of his other drumming commitments in Paris at such short notice. The other drummer I knew would do a great job of learning all the material very quickly was Mark Earl. Mark had drummed for me before and he has a great shuffle. I was frustrated when i kept getting Marks answer machine but half an hour later i was relieved when Mark called me back and said he would fly in the following morning to join the tour.
After Alans operation, we drove to the next gig. The mood in the van was not great. We were all exhausted having been up all night, but at least Mark would be there the following day. Our gig that night was at a venue called Honerkamps Ball in Melle. My Brother Will had agreed to drum for the gig. Fortunately for me, before being a professional Blues Harpist, Will used to be a fantastic drummer. Despite having not been behind a drum-kit in years, the moment Will sat on that drum stool he was grooving like a muther fuc**r! Will is so talented at so many instruments. I was so proud of how well he played that night, he really rescued the tour!
When we walked into the concert hall at Melle to load in our gear, as we looked around, Ben voiced what we were all thinking... "I hope you're really famous in Melle, Dani!!!"..... I hoped i was famous in this little town i had never heard of before too.... the Concert Hall was HUGE! We were all worried we wouldnt pull in a big enough audience to create a good atmosphere. The Promotor though was a really intelligent and hardworking man. he had done a fantastic job of promoting the gig. Ben did a great job of playing Will's harp lines on the guitar and although i missed the texture that the harmonica gives to my set, it was a great show. We did very well with Cd sales and in soundcheck we even wrote a new song which i'm hoping to put on my next album. It was inspired by Buddy Guy who is one of m favourite blues guitarists and it's called 'Some Kinda Crazy'. The concept of the song is along the lines of 'after all you have put me through i dont know why i still love you'.... In hindsight, perhaps i subconsciously wrote this song about Alan! Alan came up on stage to perform the encore song. he did a great job of playing with one hand.
After the show, we packed all the gear away (At least, we thought we had packed all of it away...) went out for a lovely chinese meal and then got to bed.
Day 4, Sunday 12th April 2009
This morning, I got up early and went on quite a long run. One thing I dont like about being on tour is that you spend so much time sat on your arse in the Van. Its difficult to get any exercise and then when you arrive at the venues the promoters are all really kind giving us endless amounts of cheese and salami sandwiches, which i love, but its very easy to put on weight!
Then we loaded up the van and set off to Frankfurt airport to pick up Mark and drop off Alan. It was sad to see Alan go but from the moment Mark arrived he fitted in perfectly. Alan is one of the least professional drummers i know; as i said, it's like taking a 13 year old on tour. However, Alan has a great natural ability for drums... he really grooves and has great feel, so much character in his playing and a fantastic shuffle. Mark however, takes his drumming very seriously. He is incredibly hardworking and professional and he also has great feel. Considering the craziness of the first few days, Marks professionalism and calmness was a welcome change. We quickly discovered that Mark has a great sense of humour too as he entertained my band and the venue promotors with his magic tricks and dissapearing coins and hankerchiefs.
We arrived at the next venue, Alte Piesel, in Fulda, early. This was good because we needed a very long soundcheck to run through all the material with Mark. As we unloaded the equipment, Mark came up to s and said with some worry and uncertanty... "Um, Guys... I'm not being funny, But, Um, We haven't got any of the Toms!" ARGHHHHH..... I was so angry.... It didnt take long to realise that we had left the tomtom drums 6 hours away at the previous venue. Alan, Will and I had all been packing the drums away. I stupidly assumed that Alan would make sure all his gear was in the van. It was embarressing to have to ask the promotor if we could borrow a drum kit. The promotor was very kind and went out of his way to borrow a kit off of a friend in a local band. Mark was relieved that he didnt have to play Alan's drum-kit which to put it lightly is a pile of shit. Considering all of Alans talent, none of us could understand why he wouldnt take some pride in himself as a musician and buy himself the professional equipment he needs to sound his best. We often made jokes about Alans kit being bought at Matalan; but now that Mark was here setting an example of what its like to tour with someone who takes his job so seriously, i realised that i really needed to drum into Alan (excuse the pun) just how important it is that he starts to put in more effort to be as professional as he can be, because at the end of the day, its not just his reputation that suffers, but also mine.
The show went incredibly well. Will and Mark shared the drumming between them. Mark didnt mess up once! Also, I noticed that Ben's playing was especially tasteful. Under the pressure, we were all really gelling as a band. Will's harmonica, vocals and drumming were wowing the audiences and Will sold many copies of his own CD release 'Nothing but Trouble'. Johnny was really on the ball too. Him and Mark were a great rhythm section. Johnny was playing with alot of feel whilst doing a great job of cueing Mark on the stops in my songs.
Day 5, Monday 13th April 2009
Today we drove up to the mountains and were very near the Austrian/Swiss border in the Alps. It was an extremely long drive. I was worried because my throat was feeling really sore and I was starting to get a bad cough... Maybe it wasnt such a good idea to do a gig every single night. James Brown is one of my big hero's... The hardest working man in showbusiness. I really look up to him for that.... I'd like to be the hardest working Woman in show business... I try to be but it's so easy to get run down. James Brown wouln't have let his band go out and get pissed and hit by a taxi after the first night of his tour. He would've fired their ass's on the spot if they put him through that shit... But i feel i'm not able to pay my band enough money to ask for those kind of expectations. When i'm on tour, I wont drink, i wont take drugs, i always try to come across very professionally in front of the promotors and i always try to keep healthy and get enough sleep so i can give the best performance each night. I wish all of my band would have the same approach.... and some of them do.... but after what happened with Alan, i hope that the boys ALL realise why im so strict on this now.
The venue was in a beautiful, scenic location. The promotor was very kind to us, the food was lovely. The show was well recieved by the audience and the CD sales at this venue were well beyond my expectations. My band played great, but i felt i couldve performed alot better. My throat was really sore and my heart wasnt really in it. I felt exhaused. I cheered up after the show though... There were two lovely little German girls in the audience; Sisters, aged 5 and 7. After the show, Mark let them play his drum kit and was teaching them the blues... then Ben and Johnny got out there guitars and were jamming with the little girls on the drums. I filmed some of it on my video camera... it was really cute. I love to see kids that young getting so into music. I loved live music from when i was that young too and i like to think we may have inspired those little kids so much that they may become the next Dani Wilde, or Joss Stone one day!
Day 6, Tuesday 14th April 2009
Today we drove to a venue called Tanschule in Weiden. My voice felt a bit better today and when we arrived at the venue for soundcheck i was really looking forward to the show. The on-stage sound was excellent and this makes a huge diference to me. When it sounds that good on stage i get really into the performance. The food at the venue was deliscious and the promotor was a lovely man who showed me all of the newspaper promotions he had been doing to advertise the gig. At all of these shows, with the help of woring with some great promotors, we pulled in really good sized audienced. My booking agency were pleasently suprised, as was I, at how much of a 'buzz' there was in Germany for 'Dani Wilde'. We had a German support act at this show who did a great job of warming up the audience for us. The show went really well. The audience had a great energy that we really played off of on stage. I felt my guitar playing stepped up a level at this gig. The band were very tight and the show was a great sucess. The promotor said it was the 3rd best concert he had ever seen; second to Louisiana Red and BB King. It was a fun evening.
Day 7, Wednesday 15th April 2009
This was a really great, but really long day. We played two gigs... One in the evening at a venue called Franziz, and one at JVA Jail in Rockenburg in the afternoon.
The gig at the jail was fantastic. It was playing to an audience of male convicts aged 14 to 22. The crimes they had committed were mostly to do with violence, theft and drugs. When i was offered the gig, at first i was sceptical about doing it, from a moral standpoint. I questioned whether young adults who chose to committ such crimes deserved to have a concert performed especially for them. However, curiosity got the better of me and i agreed to do the show.
I was really glad I did. The boys at the prison were really sweet to me. None of them were great blues fans, and many of them wern't really music fans. They enjoyed the part of my set where my brother Raps. Most of all they enjoyed seeing 'a woman'. When i got on stage they wolf whistled so much i turned bright red. It was great fun though. I had a wireless microphone and on the last song i walked out into the audience. They loved it. One of the pinched my bum and I gave him the evil eye... but it was all in good jest. I walked up to one of the older kids during 'Mannish Boy' and sang to him "I'm gonna make lurve to you darling, in 5 minutes time". The boys were going crazy for it.
After the show, the boys had to go back to their rooms. I was outside packing up the gear in the van and I could see them all through the barred up windows. We were seperated by he barred windows and a tall fence with barbed wire on top, but i went up to the fence and we all started chatting through the windows. The boy I remember the most was called Benny. He was 20 years old and after singing Christina Aguilara's "You are beautiful in every single way" out the top window to me, he asked if he could keep one of my high heeled shoes. I told him i couldnt go on stage for the rest of the tour with just 1 shoe on. He told me i could and that the audience would like the story. I kept my shoes, but i really liked those boys. Benny was in there for 2 years. I hope he's intelligent enough to turn his life around when he gets out of there. Many of them re-offend and end up back in jail. I cant help but believe that underneath all their stupidity, selfishness and macho-ism, they are kind boys who need some love and someone to believe in them... actually, they kind of reminded me of my drummer Alan, Lol!
By the time we played the evening gig in Franziz my throat was quite sore. I enjoyed the show though and my Dad looked after me bringing me hot mugs of tea with honey. The audience were lovely and as always my band did a fantastic job.
Day 8, Thursday 16th April 2009
Today we played a gig in a beautiful town called Steinkirchen. The houses were all beautiful red-brick with thached roofs and surrounded by rural fields. It was lovely. My throat was so so sore at this point. I really wished i could've had a day off. Most touring bands have days off, but as said, i like to be hardworking. My throat was so sore that i asked my brother Will, and Ben, to play more of their own songs so that i didnt have to sing as much. I was dissapointed that of all the shows we played, this was the one that Mick from ASS, came to see me play. He was very understanding though and he was impressed by the feedback he'd been getting from the other venues. My Dad and I went to the local chemist and stocked up on medicine to get me through the last two days of the tour.
Day 9, Friday 17th April 2009
Today, at long last, I got to have a lay-in at the hotel. I really needed the extra sleep and I felt alot better in the morning. Then, we drove on to Hannover to my most favourite venue on the tour 'The Blues Garage'. I had played at the Blues Garage on the Blues Caravan Tour and it really is an awesome experience. The venue feels like Disney Land, with a huge 'Hard Rock Cafe Style' Guitar on the wall behind the stage and a big plastic retro car on the front of the stage. We stayed at an incredible hotel run by Henry the promotor called Motel California. My room at the hotel was filled with blues memoribilia. I had a huge wooden carving/painting of John Lee Hooker on the wall by my bed, and an old organ in full working order by the sofa. We didnt want to leave that hotel and we took lots of band photographs there. The gig went really, really well. The venue is quite large and so we were really delighted by the size of the audience who turned up to watch. I had alot of fun that night.
Day 10, Saturday 18th April 2009.
Our last gig was at a cute Fair Trade Cafe Venue called Fair Cafe, in Schortens. I had played this venue on the Blues Caravan Tour last year and it was lovely to be back. The promotors here are fantastci cooks and they made great Vegan food for Will too. Will really struggled with his Vegan requirements on this tour and had to stretch to just being vegetarian at some venues. The last show went well all apart from the ending of one song. I played a cover of Etta James's 'Rather Go Blind', we played it really beautifully but as i played the end chord, stacatto, letting each note ring out, my finger slipped and i played this horrible dissonant note. Ben caught the look on my face of horror and slight amusement as i dropped my head so my hair hid my face fron the audience.... Well, mistakes sometimes happen... and considering all the obstacles we have had to face on this tour, the standard of out show each night has been something to be proud of. Part of me didn't want to leave Germany to come home, but i needed a rest. I've still got a bad cough, cold and sore throat.
I want to say a big thank-you to my band, to ASS, to the promotors, to my Dad, and to the audiences for making this tour such a sucess.
Also, thank you so much to those of you who dontated money to my charity. I will make sure all of the money you dontated is put to very good use to help improve the standard of living and education on the children attending County Primary School in Embu, Kenya.
All my Love and Thanks, Dani Wilde
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Monday, March 23, 2009
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Current mood:  grateful
Hi to you all! I am delighted to announce that with your help, we have been able to raise £929.74 for Embu since October last year! This money really will go such a long way to improving education at County Primary School in the slums of Embu, Kenya! I really appreciate your on-going support. Being able to use my music to raise awareness and help these children means so much to me. Together we can make such a huge difference to their lives! THANK YOU xxxxx Dani
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DONATIONS RAISED FROM DANI WILDE GIGS OCT 08 - DATE |
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DATE |
VENUE |
AMOUNT |
RUNNING TOTAL |
16.10.08 |
CRAWDADDY BLUES CLUB, BILLERICAY, ESSEX |
£48.06 |
£48.06 |
18.10.08 |
FOREST ARTS CENTRE, NEW MILTON |
£59.44 |
£107.50 |
09.11.08 |
THE STABLES MILTON KEYNES |
£4.75 |
£112.25 |
18.11.08 |
KOMEDIA, BRIGHTON |
£2.81 |
£115.06 |
13.12.08 |
LEWES ARTS CENTRE, EAST SUSSEX |
£2.87 |
£117.93 |
19,20,21.12.08 |
RIFFS BAR, HOOK, SWINDON WILTS - 3 DAY FESTIVAL |
£432.10 |
£550.03 |
07.2.09 |
(SHADES OF BLUE)MALTINGS ARTS CENTRE, ST ALBANS |
£66.01 |
£616.04 |
13.2.09 |
BLUES CAFÉ, ROTHERHAM |
£7.13 |
£623.17 |
20.02.09 |
THE CELLAR, HOVE, EAT SUSSEX |
£150.07 |
£773.24 |
27.02.09 |
KEIGHLEY BLUES CLUB, YORKSHIRE |
£123.14 |
£896.38 |
10.03.09 |
THE HAWTH THEATRE, CRAWLEY |
£33.36 |
£929.74 | ..
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Friday, December 12, 2008
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Since when have you been playing ?..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Since I was about 4 years old, and I heard my first Michael Jackson record. As a child, I loved The Jackson 5 and spent every second I could singing along and dreaming of being a star!
Who brought you to making music?
My dad brought me up listening to a wide range of music. He isn't a musician himself but he loves listening to music. I was brought up on all the Chigago Blues Artists, Bob Dylan, Motown, and Stax.
What was your first musical love?
As a child, I loved Motown; The Jackson 5, Steevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson,
If you had to describe your music with only one word, what word would you use?
Passionate
How would you characterize and describe your music?
Blues and Soul played with feeling
What are your musical roots and references?
John Lee Hooker, Michael Jackson, Buddy Guy, Shirley Brown, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Muddy Waters,
What's the song that moves you the most?
Sam Cooke's 'A Change is a gonna come'
and why?
If you have heard it you will know why. It makes me cry every time I hear it!
About your concerts: What's your best memory?
The first time I got to share a stage with Deborah Coleman and Sue Foley in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />America in Summer 2007. Ruf signed me off the back of that performance. I couldn't believe I was on stage with my hero's. It was a childhood dream. I still can't believe I've been so lucky!
And the worst memory?
When the Blues Caravan tour came to an end I felt really sad. After a year of touring on the road with wonderful musicians/friends from all over the world it was a sad moment when we played the last show of the year and said our goodbyes.
What do you feel when you get on stage?
It makes me feel whole. Liberated!
What song do you whistle in the shower?
I don't whistle in the shower… I sing at the top of my voice. Usually 'Oh Happy Day' or Aretha's 'Chain of Fools'. Or sometimes Disney songs, like 'Part of That World' from The Little Mermaid (Sung by Olivia Newton John).
When and where in your artist life have you felt the deepest happiness ever?
It's strange; the happiest experience for me was also the saddest experience. When I was doing my music degree, I set up a fundraising project to provide an underprivileged Primary school in Embu, Kenya with musical education.
In September 2008, I visited the school for the first time. I had so much fun performing to the children and teaching them about Art and Music. It was great to see them so enthusiastic and happy. It was an honor to spend time with them. However, the reality is that the conditions they have to go home to, in Embu's slums, are appalling. It is a tragedy that they have to live in such poverty. It is so upsetting and frustrating that I don't even know where to begin to solve the problem. All we can do is try!
If there was a Lord for music, what would you like to say to him?
Your music is the one thing that may save my soul! Thank you!
And what would you like him to say to you?
Maybe he'd want to sit and chat over a cup of coffee about all the great blues and soul artists up in heaven! I'd like to hear how they're getting on and what they're up to up there!
What does your family think about your career choice?
They are really supportive and proud of me. I couldn't wish for better parents. My younger Brother 'Will 'Harmonica' Wilde is also a musician. We live together in Brighton and we live and breathe music.
Beside music, what do like to do?
I like to read, spend time with my friends, travel, Sea kayaking in summertime, Roller-skating along the sea-front, going to the gym, and I'm really looking forward to going back to Africa.
Who else would you have liked to be?
An International Aid-worker. I'm a Socialist. I'm a real believer in Equality. I believe the world is my country and we should share the wealth and do all we can to end poverty.
What do you love the most?
Singing, writing, travelling and performing, and being with my family and friends.
What do you hate the most?
Having to politely pretend to eat food that I'd really rather not eat… Like when you have to pick all the bones out of fish and you're scared you might miss one and have it stuck in your throat!
The natural gift you'd like to have?
I'd like to be more intelligent so I could solve the world's problems. I also wish I could dance like Fred Astaire and I wish I was good at learning languages. I really want to master Swahili!
And your biggest regret?
The times I have made naïve and selfish decisions that have upset my friends and family. I am so grateful for their forgiveness.
What's your life's greatest achievement?
Hmm, I will have to let you know when I have eventually achieved it!
What characterizes the most your personality?
I'm creative and focused.
Who are your favorite authors?
I love biographies. My favorites being Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Malcolm X, Bob Geldofs, Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali.
Craig Werner's 'A Change is Gonna Come' is also a wonderful book. It's a history of popular music and culture beginning with Mahalia Jackson and the Civil rights movement.
What heroes(Real life or fiction)did you use to dream about as a kid?
As a kid, I used to dream I was discovered by Michael Jackson and that I got to go to Neverland and perform on stage with him. Obviously the dream seems a little silly now, but he is still one of my musical hero's.
What historical character impressed you the most?
Without a doubt, Martin Luther King.
What historical fact do you despise the most?
There's so many; from the slave trade, to the holocaust, to the Rwandan Genocide. Why cant people just respect each other and treat each other with dignity? Sometimes, I feel I just despise Mankind.
For what mistake would you be most indulgent?
Letting men, and boyfriends interfere with my career. I need to put my career first but every now and then I seem to get a little distracted.
How would you like to die?
I wouldn't like to die. If I have to die, I would like to die in the arms of the man I love, whilst listening to Ray Charles on the Record Player.
What's your life's proverb?
Work hard to achieve your dreams and never take what you have for granted.
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Wednesday, December 03, 2008
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Current mood: triumphant
BOOKING DANI WILDE
Dani Wilde is represented by ASS Concert Promotions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. If you are interested in Booking Dani Wilde in these territories, please use the contact details below:
Email: mick@ass-concerts.de www: www.ass-concerts.de
A.S.S. Concert + Promotion
Rahlstedter Str. 92,
22149 Hamburg Tel: 0049/(0)40/675 699 - 0
To book Dani Wilde in any other part of the world, please email danipersonal@fsmail.net (Please note, this email address is just for bookings and any fan-mail sent to this address will not be replied to!)
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