Don-E

In 2005 one of the UK’s most gifted urban talents DON-E returned after a long absence from recording as a featured artist with a self-produced album entitled ‘Try This’. Showcasing Don-e’s versatility in creating many flavours with delicious slow jams like ‘I Do’ and ‘Rising’, the rock-tinged ‘How I Feel’, and the smooth street soul of ‘Bus Stop’, Also features his good friend Omar as guest vocalist on the explosive ‘No Reason; and UK rapper Grimm has a cameo on ‘All We Need’.

And now in 2008 Don-e is back again with a seriously headnodding collection of tracks aptly named ‘Natural’ due for release on the 25th August 2008. ‘Addictive Luv’ already being played hard & currently on Choice B ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ a duet with Keisha from sugababes ‘Like I Like It’ featuring Kele Le Roc, ‘The Time Is Now’ with Mutya Buena & the superb 'So Cold' with D’Angelo. Don-e’s own interpretation of the great Bob Marley ‘Waiting In Vain’, ‘Stay A While’ and ‘Natural’...This album is definitely one to check out.

Don-e is a perfect product of his environment rooted in the heart of Brixton, the busy multicultural London suburb where he has built his own studio and has absorbed the diversity and wealth of musical influences of the street.

Prior to 2005 Don-e was been focusing primarily on writing and producing for other artists, among them Shaun Escoffery, Mica Paris, Beverley Knight, Lynden David Hall, Omar, Grace Jones, Avani and Rahsaan Patterson.

Don-e has recently returned from a US tour guesting with Omar, and has also played a number of live dates with Grace Jones. As a headliner he has enjoyed getting in front of club audiences again, notably at London’s Jazz Café, and he and his band will be out on the road performing material from the album.

Following his father’s gift of a home made guitar on his fifth birthday, Don-e became hooked at an early age. Several years - and instruments -later he stepped out of school straight into the UK music scene. He was influenced by his parents’ collection of gospel and classic soul legends Aretha, Marvin, Stevie, Sly, Curtis and Donny Hathaway. He also listened to Parliament, Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire but he soon found there were other influences available in the music of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott. All around him were the sounds of Reggae, Dub, Lover’s Rock, Jazz, Funk, Pop and then later Ragga, Jungle and Garage. He embraced all this and more, combining melodies, sounds and rhythms to create a style that would be identified as his own.

He signed to Island Records and released a remarkable debut album ‘Unbreakable’. Not only was he responsible for every song and arrangement, but virtually every instrument on the album was played by him. The album also featured the Top 20 hit ‘Love Makes The World Go Round’ and the now classic underground club and sound system smash ‘Unbreakable’.

Having travelled and performed extensively internationally his unique “Ragga Funk” sound has caught the ear of not only emerging UK artists such as Shaun Escoffrey but also artists like D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Mos Def.

So here we are, back with a brand new album that is long overdue. For Don-e he is just “finishing the journey he has started”.

The wait has definitely been worthwhile. Don-e absorbs many influences that are refreshingly reflected in his maturity as a singer/songwriter on this new project.

DON-E ‘NATURAL’
Release: AUGUST 25TH 2008

Further information:

DOME RECORDS
SANTOSH ROBINSON 020 8748 4499
Santosh@domerecords.co.uk

BLUNT MUSIC MANAGEMENT
LUCIA FIORE 07956 423 627
lucia@bluntmusic.com