Donna Lorraine has been enchanting audiences with her unique brand of American jazz for a few decades. Her treatment of each jazz standard brings to life the great tradition of such jazz legends as Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzgerald. Donna Lorraine also draws inspiration from contemporary jazz singers such as Carmen McCrae, Diana Krall, Nancy Wilson and Shirley Horn. While evoking the sultry elegance and pure swing of a bygone jazz era, Donna Lorraine’s smooth, smoky vocals and unique phrasing take the listener deep into the soul of living jazz. Her repertoire includes a few pop tunes and her shows are always about communicating and sharing with the audience.“That’s what it’s all about,” Donna Lorraine says. “exchanging energy.”
“One of the many things I love about jazz is that the possibilities are infinite. Plus, there’s the dynamic between the musicians that makes every performance a new experience. We’re always trying to go a little bit deeper, to take it one step farther.”
Before moving to Paris in 2000, Donna Lorraine built her skill and reputation as a jazz singer in the United States, most notably in the hotels and clubs of Aspen, Colorado, one of the most exclusive ski resorts in the United States. There she performed at several 5 star hotels including the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
In Paris, Donna Lorraine is a frequent performer at many jazz venues, including Sunset-Sunside, Le Petit Journal Montparnasse, The River Café, Cafe Laurent, Cave du 38 Rives, Le Cercle Suedoise, Papa Jazz Club Saint Germain, the Lutetia Hotel and the Grand Intercontinental Hotel. She has also performed at the American Embassy in Paris and for the United States Marine Corps. Outside of France, she has performed in Belgium, Holland and hotels and clubs in Dakar, Senegal.
Among many great mentors and teachers, Donna has studied with Bob Stoloff, Marion Cowings, Jan Garrett, Gary Burton, Michelle Hendricks, Sheila Jordan, Sarah Lazarus, Madeline Eastman, Larry Browne and James Moody. She has been to Jazzschool in Berkeley, and Jamey Aebersold's Jazz Camp.
PRESS and PUBLIC
"..a real lover of the melody" - Johnny O' Neale
“you SWING, you really SWING.” - Marion Cowan
“A wonderful singer.” – Sheila Jordan
“Nice. Really nice.” - Jacky Terrasson
“She has a voice I could listen to all day and never get tired of.” - Ghislaine Mac, Agent/Artist
“When I hear Donna Lorraine sing, I know everything’s gonna be okay” - Oscar Marchioni, Organist
“When Donna Lorraine sings, I see her woman and I see her little girl.” - Florian Bartsch, Improfessionals
“…she takes us from Cheek to Cheek to Hard Days Night with ease” - Patrick Bocquel
PROJECTS
Starting in 2016, Donna Lorraine has had the immense pleasure of working with Alain Jean Marie on piano. They have performed in duo at the intimate Cafe Laurent, in trio with Gilles Naturel and also in a new project: a vocal/guitar and piano trio with Jean-Luc Roumier on guitar to sold out audiences at Paris' Cave du 38 Rives. She has filled the house at Sunside, one of Paris’s top jazz clubs with Alain Jean Marie on piano, Jean-Luc Roumier on guitar, Nicola Sabato on bass in a Tribute to Ella concert for her 100th birthday.
Donna is often seen performing with the amazing Jean-Luc Roumier on guitar in a long standing duo that began in 2000 and released a CD in February 2015 entitled Just the Two of Us-Ten Years After,
Donna Lorraine is also in a Vocal Duo with the talented trumpetist and vocalist Larry Browne. This American Vocal Duo takes the listener on a voyage of swing through the American Songbook with choice standards ranging from George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington adding the Brazilian touch of Antonio Carlos Jobim. These two singers will forcibly bring to mind the great tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
In her jazz career, Donna has had the pleasure of working with many excellent musicians. To name a few: Alain Jean Marie, Gilles Naturel, Bruno Rousselet, Sheila Jordan, Laurent Epstein, Larry Browne, Jean-Luc Roumier, Jean-Pierre Rebillard, Nicola Sabato, Florent Gac, Vincent Fradelizi, Bruno Morange, Laurent Fradelizi, John Betsch, Georges Locatelli, Olivier Ribault, Oscar Marchioni, Damien Argentieri, Ahmet Gulbay, Yves Brouqui, Serge Merlaud, Frederick Loiseau, Sylvan Glevarec, Jo Kaiat, Gilles Rennes, Jeff Hoffman, Francois Homps, Bruno Bellemin, Dave Schappert, Tim Fox, Bob Levy, Chris Goplerud, Walt Smith, Jarno Kukkonen, Francois Camin, Francois Fuchs, Ronald Alphonse, Bobby Rangell, Patrice Solar, Marten Ingle, Daniel Gassin, Chris Cody, Dave Schappert, Hughes Martineau and Jean Jaques Ruhlman.
Grâce à son style unique, Donna Lorraine fascine depuis des années le public amateur de jazz américain. Chaque chanson ressuscite la grande tradition de légendes du jazz comme Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday et Ella Fitzgerald. Donna Lorraine puise aussi l’inspiration dans des chanteuses contemporaines comme Stacey Kent, Nancy Wilson et Shirley Horn. Mais Donna Lorraine ne se contente pas de reprendre ses grands ainees. Evoquant l’élégance sensuelle d’un club de jazz du passé, son chant inimitable, à la fois veloute et profond, comme son phrasé unique – plonge l’auditeur dans l’âme du jazz.
« Une des choses que j’aime dans le jazz est que l’on peut improviser », dit-elle. « Tu ne fais jamais la même chose deux fois. Les possibilités sont infinies. Bien plus, c’est la dynamique entre les musiciens qui fait de chaque interprétation une nouvelle expérience. Nous essayons d’avancer toujours un peu plus avec la musique, de l’emmener un pas plus loin.
Avant de s’installer à Paris en 2000, Donna Lorraine a affine et gagnesa technique et sa réputation de chanteuse de jazz aux Etats-Unis, notamment à Aspen, au Colorado, l’une des stations de sport d’hiver, les plus select du monde . Là bas, elle a eu le privilège de chanter au Ritz Carlton Hôtel, et entre autres, devant des célébrités d’Hollywood, l’actrice Jane Seymour (de Dr Quinn Femme médecin) et Barbie Benton (première femme d’Hugh Hefner et ancienne star de la télé).
A Paris Donna Lorraine est fréquemment invitée à participer à des concerts de jazz, au Bilboquet, au Lutetia et au Grand Hôtel Intercontinental, Le Gramophone, Le Petit Journal Montparnasse, Papa Jazz Club en Saint Germain de Pres, Le Loft. Elle a aussi chanté à l’ambassade des Etats-Unis a Paris et pour les Marines. Elle etait un performer en Dakar, Senegal, Holland, Belgium
LES PROJETS
Larry Browne/Donna Lorraine Du-OH
Ce duo vocale américain vous emporterai dans un voyage de swing sur les Standards americaines, tels de Gershwin et Fats Waller jusqu'au Duke Ellington, en passant par Tom Jobim pour le gout bresilien.
Ces deux chanteurs vous feront forcement rappeler des grandes interprets tels que Ella Ftzgerald, Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong ou Chet Baker. (Ce chanteur se mettre egalment a la trompette aussi!)
Accompagnee par le guitarist de reve "Orchestra Complet"Jean Luc Roumier, ils promettent une soiree inoubliable de joie, humeur energie et surprises.
PRESS
Critic JAZZ HOT mars 2014 Jean Szlamowitz
Larry Browne (voc,tp) et Donna Lorraine (voc) s'y produisaient accompagnes par le beau trio de Nicola Sabato.(b), c'est a dire l'excellent Florent Gac (p), et le tres sur Sylvain Glevarec (dms). Le duo vocal a fonctionne avec beaucoup d'entrain, d'humour et de swing, privilegiant les standards historiquement associes aux duos ("Cheek to Cheek", "Tea for Two", "Let's Fall In Love", "Baby, It's Cold Outside") et se permettant d'audacieux arrangements comme d'interpreter deux morceaux a la fois ("In Walked Bud" et "Blue Skies", par exemple). L'aisance de Larry Browne et de Donna Lorraine aboutit a un group original dont la fraicheur etait mise en valeur par des musciens talenteux.