Danny Draher, New York Blues & Jazz Society's Best Band Winner 2004 - is a guitarist, singer, musical director, consultant and producer. Born in Indianapolis, he heard the fascinating sounds of Wes Montgomery, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Elvis. He started playing piano and bass at a young age, then switched to the guitar and soon moved to Chicago. By age fourteen, Danny was performing at parties with local bands and began his professional life as a guitarist with Otis Rush and Buddy Guy at the Checkerboard Lounge. He recorded his first album with the Bob Reidy Band on Flying Fish Records at the legendary Chess Studios. He left Chicago and toured nationally with many popular,'top 40', rock, rhythm and blues bands.
He moved to New York City and soon became the guitarist, singer and bandleader of choice. Through his reputation, he and his band have been hired by the who's who of the music industry. He has recorded and toured nationally and internationally with artists such as Dr. John, Etta James, Paul Butterfield and Allen Toussaint. He was the musical director for the 1992 Rhythm and Blues Foundation Awards with some of the award recipients being Aretha Franklin, Bobby Bland, Sam Moore, The Staples Singers, Rufus and Carla Thomas. The Danny Draher Band performed for the Radio America documentary, The Blues Story, An American Art Form, featuring B.B. King, Ruth Brown and Buddy Guy at the Whitney Museum. He and his band were also in the 1994 first annual VH-1 Awards with BonnieRaitt.
He performed with Buster Poindexter, Bo Diddley and the Uptown Horns at the Palladium for the Democratic Convention party in New York City with President Clinton on sax. Danny played many jazz and blues festivals including "The Montreaux Jazz Festival" and "The North Sea Jazz Festival".
He was the producer for Cephas & Wiggin's CD, Blues Men, on Chesky Records. He also worked with producer John Snyder as a session guitarist for Polygram and Verve Records and has appeared in several recent releases, including Lucky Peterson's last two gold CD's.
This journeyman of multi-faceted talent and passion has mesmerized audiences internationally including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Madison Square Garden.Danny also appeared on Delmark Records Fifty Year Anniversary Jazz and Blues Collection CD. He has a great reputation within the industry and he is known for his style and finesse. He's due for a Grammy of his own. Enjoy this CD! Thank you.
Whether it is jazz or blues, Danny can do it. He can play.
Bob Porter, WBGO and Producer
Danny Draher has spent three decades building up a resume of musical associations in Chicago and New York City that reads like an encyclopedia of the best in contemporary music. His credits as a sideman reflect a widespread reputation as an artist of talent, taste and versatility.
To his prodigious list of accomplishments, Danny can now add a sparkling new CD, BIG FUN TONITE! showcases him on a program of shuffling, jazzy, funky and slow blues vocals and instrumentals. Not surprisingly, he's in distinguished company including Dr. John, drummers Bernard Purdie, Mike Clark and Greg Rockingham, bassist Wilbur Bascomb and a trinity of "A" List organists from around the country: Chris Foreman, Reuben Wilson and Everette DeVan.
Equally distinguished are Danny's own inventive and expressive songwriting, playing, singing, and producing which show that this showcase is as overdue as it is welcome. With generous playing time and heart-pumping, soul-soothing and foot-tapping musical excellence from start to finish, this CD means the listener doesn't even have to go out in order to have BIG FUN TONITE! ---- Dick Shurman, Producer/Blues Historian
"HE'S A F-I-N-E, F-I-N-E. GUITAR PLAYER! AND
HE USED TO PLAY WITH ME FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS."
...DR. JOHN
WHETHER IT'S JAZZ OR BLUES, DANNY CAN DO IT. HE CAN PLAY.
BOB PORTER, PRODUCER .
"DANNY DRAHER IS A WONDERFUL GUITARIST AND SINGER."
...CHARLES BROWN
" HE PLAYED WITH ME AT THE CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE.
HE PLAYS BETTER THAN MIKEBLOOMFIELD."
...BUDDY GUY
"I USE HIM AND HIS BAND
WHEN I COME TO THE
EAST COAST."
...ETTA JAMES
"IF I KNEW YOU WERE IN THE AUDIENCE,
I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU UP TO PLAY"
...B. B. KING
"HE'S A GOOD MUSICIAN, PLAYS WITH A LOT OF FEELING."
...ALLEN TOUSSAINT
bigfuntonite@dannydraher.com P.O. Box 607901, Chicago, IL 60660 www.dannydraher.com
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