Sure,
we all have problems in our lives, but Deni's philosophy
is - why wallow in misery when music's great ability is to
take us beyond life's trivia? And if you can laugh at your
own problems, well, that gives you the right to laugh at other
people's too!
So,
what do you get with Deni Bonet? Well, you get an artist that
defines the term alterna-pop. As one journalist
suggested, think "Sheryl Crow meets the B 52's"
and you'll be close. She is fun, and has great songs, which
has meant airplay for the 2 EP's on WDST, Woodstock;
WXPN, Philadelphia & WBCR, Brooklyn and many
other stations which cover the range of modern rock, college
and AAA formats. In fact WDST loves the first EP so much
that they continue to play it over 2 years after its initial
release. She is commercial in the best sense of the word.
Deni's
singing is honest, vulnerable and playful; though often compared
to Deborah Harry & Chrissie Hynde, her sound
is distinctly her own. Her approach to the electric violin is
totally unique, a combination of passion and technique which
transcends all the cliché's and which establishes a sound that
is instantly identifiable. Her playing style is quite
unlike any other violinist you may have seen or heard.
One
journalist wrote "...she plays with the frenetic enthusiasm
and facial expressiveness of an air guitar-slinging teen..."
Deni’s
use of violin, accordion & mandolin,
blending the rootsier side of these instruments, with her
other musical influences such as Beck, Crowded
House, Radiohead, Bach and The Carpenters
could be hard to imagine. But once you experience it, especially
live, it all makes immediate sense. From the hauntingly beautiful
Time to Make A Plan, to the power of Alone
and Small Talk (written, incidentally, in England
with 2 members of The Shamen), to the quirkiness of Sunshine
and Bigger Is Always Better, a constant thread
runs through the songs - infectious grooves, stinging, ironic
lyrics, and a pop/alternative sensibility that doesn't have
a problem with melody, so long as the attitude is right. All
this while still managing to keep her tongue planted firmly
in her cheek.
Deni's
credits as a performer are like reading a Who's-Who of popular,
alternative music; she was an original member of the cast of
MOUNTAIN
STAGE - which as you probably know is a weekly, live
performance radio show on around 150 NPR stations across the
country - and has either performed or recorded with (here goes...!)
REM, Sarah McLachlan, Chris Whitley, Gravity
Kills, Daniel Lanois, Indigo Girls, Shawn
Colvin, Richard Thompson, Warren Zevon, Bruce
Cockburn and many others. In fact, last year, Deni was invited
by REM to appear as a special guest (along with Patti
Smith) on their "UP" tour. A complete discography
is available.
Her
band has performed at Lilith Fair, to amazing reviews,
with most reviewers picking her as the standout act on the outside
stages. In 1998, Deni had a hugely successful show at
SXSW at the State Theater in Austin. On a bill that included
John Hammond, Kathy Mattea, and Robyn Hitchcock.
she won over the sold-out audience and earned herself a standing
ovation. This precipitated an immediate invitation to play at
NXNE in Toronto, with a full -page preview in NOW!
Magazine. She has been a regular at Intel & CMJ
festivals in New York and has become an in-demand act, headlining
various festivals along the Eastern seaboard.
Look
out for Deni in the Robyn Hitchcock movie 'Storefront
Hitchcock', directed by long-time Robyn fan, Jonathan
Demme, for Orion Pictures/MGM. Deni was a major musical
contributor to the Robyn Hitchcock album, Moss
Elixir and their tours together, as a duo produced even
more accolades for Deni, including rave reviews from
USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post
and Boston Globe.
She
has toured independently in the US. opening for Patti Smith,
Lisa Loeb, Midnight Oil, The Tubes, Marshall
Crenshaw, Robyn Hitchcock, The Beautiful South,
The Nixons, Luka Bloom, The Bogmen, &
The Continental Drifters. Her 2 visits to Turkey,
have provided some great photo opportunities and, of course
some wonderful musical moments, playing at a major international
festival in Istanbul, and in clubs around the country,
(including "Manhattan" in Ankara!)
Deni
was the first 'alternative' act to be asked to play the series
of lunch-time, summer shows in Herald Square, in New
York City, usually reserved for opera, string quartets and 'safe'
jazz. This show was the most successful of the season by far
and she has been invited back every year .
