Jazz Vocalist DONNA DEUSSEN is a California native, but spent much of her childhood in New England. She attended and graduated magna cum laude in 1989 from Berklee College of Music in Boston, with a degree in songwriting.
After college, she moved to Los Angeles, and began performing, writing, and recording all styles of contemporary music, including pop, R&B, country, rock, folk, and, of course, jazz. Donna has performed at a wide variety of venues in the Southern California area, including: Spazio Restaurant, Millenium Biltmore Hotel, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Auditorium, The Palace, The Cinegrill, Lunaria’s, The Jazz Bakery, Cal Tech Summer Jazz Series, Monteleone’s, Sportsman’s Lodge, The Other Side, L.A. Cabaret, The Money Tree, The Gardenia Room, Portofino on Pine, Luna Park, Fox & Hound, and many more.
In Arizona, she has performed at numerous venues, including: the Phoenician Hotel, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel, the Royal Palms Hotel, the Orange Tree Golf Country Club, the Windemere Hotel, Eddie V's, Village Tavern, and Johnny’s Uptown Supper Club.
Donna sings every Christmas season with the renowned a capella group The Caroling Company, who have been seen in several motion pictures, including “The Addams Family.” She also recorded a Glendale Federal Bank radio commercial, and has worked as a session singer at several recording studios in the L.A. area.
In addition, Donna is a much-sought after vocal coach. She was on the faculty at the prestigious Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys, CA, for several years, and has an effective and practical approach to vocal technique and problem solving.
In April 2003, Donna’s long-awaited debut jazz CD, “High Wire” was released. It reflects her command of a vast range of styles, from samba to the blues. It showcases some of LA's best musicians: MARK MASSEY on keyboards, ALDO BENTIVEGNA on drums, ANDERS SWANSON on bass, and features the renowned saxaphonist ERIC MARIENTHAL (of the Chick Corea Elektric Band). “High Wire” showcases all-original arrangements by Donna and Mark Massey, including a “Weather Report” inspired version of “Nature Boy” and a jazz rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “River.”
The CD has been garnering favorable reviews, and is getting airplay on many jazz radio stations, including KKJZ Long Beach, KCLU Thousand Oaks, KBEM Minneapolis, WAER Syracuse, WICN Worchester MA, SkyJazz Internet Radio, CFRC Radio Ontario Canada, WTJU Charlottesville VA, WPKN Bridgeport CT, and Radio LaGuagua Argentina!
“High Wire” is available online at www.cdbaby.com/deussen.
