Coming this January...

 

  

So I had this whole PR-savy bio up. And then I realized it smacked of un-folky pretension. So here we go, babbling Danny Katz style, first person. Bring it ON, b*tches…

 

I’ve been writing, recording and performing original compositions on guitar, piano and voice since I was just a whee little lad. By the age of four, I had already raided my parents record collection and heard everything from Leonard Cohen to Peter, Paul and Mary. Over the years, my influences continued to grown exponentially, with the most prevalent ones being dance indie pop (Erasure, The Postal Service), piano rock (Billy Joel, Elton John, Coldplay, Keane), folk/acoustic rock (Simon & Garfunkel, R.E.M., Ani Difranco) and Japanese pop/rock (Spitz, Southern All Stars).

 

I’ve lately taken quite a liking to the singing style of enka (Japanese torch songs) (Hikawa Kiyoshi, Misora Hibari) and the instrumentation used in traditional/fusion Japanese music (Yoshida Brothers, Hiromitsu Agatsuma). I’ve incorporated elements of both on my forthcoming “Strangely Beautiful” album, which you can preview in its entirety on my blog. (And speaking of the album, it features plenty of local talent, including many of the folks in my Top 8!)

 

My live performances usually feature me solo with my guitar, but I’ve also been known to get down and dirty with my pre-recorded backing instrumental tracks (kinda like Cher on speed) or with a band (think if Ani Difranco and Billy Joel had a baby together). These live shows offer a fun combination of original material and '80s/Japanese pop/hip-hop covers (yes, that’s right. “The Humpty Dance” never sounded sweeter… And what’s that? You want “Work It?” Here we go…)

 

At least twice a year, I play piano for some rather unconventional cabarets, which cover songs by artists as varied as Prince, Green Day, Blondie and Bell, Biv, Devoe (now *that’s* a throwback!) "Me and the crew used to do her." Say whut?!?!

 

In an attempt to continually expand my songwriting style, “Strangely Beautiful” features my first ever batch of melancholic love songs, as well as my usual smattering of quirky material, with songs ranging from the trials and tribulations of trying to find love online to the challenges of finding true love when I’ve admitted to prospective dates that I live in a former brothel house (hey – don’t hate. My rent is cheap!)

 

In addition to performing in various New York City venues, I’ve performed throughout the East Coast and in cities throughout Japan. I look forward to further performance opportunities around the United States in support of "Strangely Beautiful."

 

I love traveling – so if you want me to come to your town to play your local coffeeshop, lemme know. Your college for a frat show or cultural showcase? I’m down for that! I can whip together a band to do a showcase of J-Pop, 80s covers, cabaret classics, you name it!

 

And if you’re a particular fan of pre-recorded music, you’re in luck. I’m concurrently recording five albums: (1) A Transformers tribute album (“Optimus Prime, I think about you all the time…” (2) Enka originals, (3) 80s covers done folk/cabaret style (think Indigo Girls doing a cover of “Karma Chameleon”), (4) Hip-Hop covers done folk/cabaret style (think Little Kim singing a duet with Ani Difranco) and (5) Jpop covers done folk/cabaret style (think Utada singing in a smokey Lower East Side divey piano lounge).

 

I’m always looking to share the music and the love, so please feel free to pass my music around but… as this is my bread and butter, please do help out and either donate or buy an album. Every penny counts! (Ok, now I’m sounding like Sally Struthers, but you get the idea… Eating ramen noodles every meal is so 1999…)

 

See you on the road, and thanks for the support!

 

Danny Katz