Stella Panacci is an award winning songwriter who first burst on to the Toronto music scene with her indie band Kat Rocket in the 1990's. Kat Rocket members included: Justin Peroff (Broken Social Scene), John Calabrese (Danko Jones), Paul Pfisterer, Darren Donaghey.
"Songwriting/ visionary core of Stella and Darren dismissed more pretentious and excessive ideas before coffee this morning than most art-rock pretenders will have in a year. But this team isn't interested in tightening up their sound, nor in making sure that their sound is consistent over the course of ten songs. Captured comes across as the ambitious thesis project of star students; the one designed to piss off the establishment. It does nothing that even the indie-rock cognoscenti will respect - it's scattered, erratically recorded, and hauntingly beautiful."
Kat rocket - Captured By the Dream Co. Review ~ James Keast, Exclaim.
Over the years Stella has worked with and supported many artists including: Dallas Good (The Sadies), Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker The Star), Chris Brown and Kate Fenner (Burbon Tabernacle Choir), Tony Scherr (Bill Frizzel, Norah Jones), Stuart Cameron (Shaye), Graham Powell (Jann Arden), Jim Nielsen (Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman), Sascha Tukatsch (Platinum Blonde), Derek Downham (Trophy).
Stella's vocals are featured on recorded projects including: Loomer - Love is Dull Instrument, Driveway- self-titled, Chris Brown - Burden of Belief, Made - Bedazzler, The Burt Neilson Band - By the Door
In 2002 Stella Panacci and Alison Maclean partnered to develop songs working with producer Jordon Zadorozny. In 2003 their song "Tennessee" won Standard Radio's National Songwriting Competition, as well as taking second place in the International Songwriting Competition in the AAA/Roots/Americana category.
Insert from ISC awards summary.
Taking Second Place honors are Toronto, Canada songwriters/musicians Alison MacLean and Stella Panacci for their song "Tennessee". Alison is the former member of the Canadian band MAdE and Stella is a Toronto-based singer, formerly of the band Kat Rocket. This is not the first time the song "Tennessee" has won a songwriting competition; in fact, it won two Canadian songwriting competitions in the past year, garnering a lot of attention from Canadian press and radio.
Alison's new band Calling Wendy is currently promoting the song Tennessee and are gearing up to release their debut album.
In 2004 Stella partnered with Summerside, PEI's James Quinn. James is a respected veteran guitar player who has lent his talent to numerous projects over the years inspiring many young guitar players like Alec O’Hanley (Two Hours Traffic). In 2006 Stella and James completed Stella's first solo CD, aptly titled "Release Me".
The album was recorded at Studio French Kiss in Pembroke, Ontario by Producer Jordon Zadorozny (Sam Roberts, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Blinker The Star), and features guitarist and songwriting partner James Quinn and drummer Sascha Tukatsch. The album also features the song "Up With The Tempo" co-written with Aubrey Winfield and Daryn Barry (Orange Records).
In 2007 Stella and James received a Billboard songwriting prize for their song "Take You Away", from the album "Release Me".
Stella and James spent the summer of 2007 on the East Coast playing shows and recording their new album set for release spring 2008.
Over the years Stella's music has been featured in numerous film and televison productions, including: USA Network's "La Femme Nikita", CBC's Straight UP, Our Hero, CTV's "The Best Years", Degrassi The Next generation.
Recent live appearances include: City TV's Breakfast Television, The Telelatino Network,as well as airplay and interviews on CBC Radio One, Mix 99.9fm, 102.1 The Edge, college and internet radio stations across North America, special thanks to the very supportive CIUT 89.5 FM.
Check out calendar dates for upcoming shows in a town near you.
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We are pleased to announce that we have a new recording facility called Rocket Sound Studios located in the east end of Toronto. For more information, please message me at this site until our new website is up and running!
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Purchase Stella Panacci's CD "Release Me" @ Indie Pool
