Donna has been a prolific and respected UK jazz and session singer for many years. Originally from Aberdeen, Scotland she moved to London in the mid 80’s after becoming a member of the National Youth Theatre. She began to work in London before going on to study Jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
By the early 1990’s she had joined the touring band “Glenn Miller Orchestra UK†and stayed on the road for the next 5 years as guest soloist and vocal group member.
After a successful tour of Japan with the Ray McVay Big Band and the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, Donna left the band to concentrate on song-writing and setting up her own groups. In ’97, following a period of recording and working as a freelance session singer Donna once again hit the road, this time as Special Guest with the acclaimed Big Band front-man and vocalist Andy Prior in his touring show 'Magic of Sinatra'.In July ‘99, Donna was asked to re-create the voice of Rosemary Clooney and feature on singles Mucho Mambo “Sway†and ‘Mambo Italiano’ for pop/dance act ‘Shaft’. Both songs hit the UK pop charts and immediately went straight in at no.2 and no.12 respectively. Mucho Mambo “Sway†then went on to become a worldwide hit.In 2002 Donna recorded her debut CD ‘Thinking of You’ which was then released on the ‘33 Jazz’ label .The album was well received by audiences and critics alike, receiving the ‘4 headphones’ mark by Jazzwise magazine, and other favourable reviews in the ‘Sunday Observer’ and Musician magazine.In addition to the work already outlined, Donna has worked alongside Jazz greats such as Saxophonist Jean Toussaint, Vibes player Anthony Kerr, Vocalists Norma Winstone, Patti Andrews (Andrews Sisters), Lee Gibson, Pianists Michael Garrick, Neil Angilley. has appeared with Sir George Martin, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the RAF Concert Band.
Donna is also a member of the sophisticated and highly acclaimed eight piece vocal group ‘VOXTET’ led by musical director Clive Dunstall.She has performed at some of the best venues in the UK - London’s Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican Centre, The Birmingham Symphony Hall, Dublin’s National Concert Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, The infamous ‘100 Club’ plus most other Provincial theatres and concert venues. This musical career has enabled Donna to travel to Japan, Russia, UAE, Jordan, Europe and Ireland as well as round most of the UK.
Her TV and recording credits include Granada TV’s Big Band Special show with Andy Prior, RTE and French TV with the Glenn Miller Orchestra UK., The Gathering Storm (HBO), Nice Guy Eddie(BBC) Fran Landesman songs with Simon Wallace. Shaft No. 2 Chart Hit 'Mucho Mambo' (Sway) (Wonderboy), Shaft No 11 Chart Hit 'Mambo Italiano' (Wonderboy), Clive Dunstall's Voxtet, Jon Barker and the Mixed Grill Orchestra, Roger Askew 'Joe's Garage Sessions', James Langton meets Skin Deep - the Abbey Road sessions (Revelations), The Magic of Sinatra album with Andy Prior (Perfectly Frank Ltd),She is currently a staff member of the Guildhall School of Music Summer School and continues to teach rock and jazz singing there every summer as well as running her own Jazz Course in Harpenden, Herts. She is married with two children, identical twins Sara and Lucy age 4.
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