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Press
I can't tell you much about singer-songwriter Bruce Donnola except that he writes pretty damn good songs. His album, Vaudeville, was produced by Jono Manson and also features instrumental support from members of 5 Chinese Brothers, Ian Wallace (Dylan, Stills etc.), Joe Flood, and a couple of Manson's band members as well as Manson himself. The 14 cuts are a little meatier than what you would expect from your average guitar-toting singer/songwriter. The opening accordion-led "Towards Alberta" has an endearing roots feel, while "Definition" is reminiscent of The Band. Better still are the country-rock tones of "Gratitude" and the eloquent, folky "Fedora," which has a country-bluegrass sound mixed with a slight Celtic twist.
- Mick Skidmore, Relix Magazine
"It is hard to stay modest" Peter Blanken used to sing, and he was right. Bruce Donnola luckily is the exception to the rule. This singer/songwriter from NY is so modest he seems to be avoiding publicity, he doesn't even have his own website {alas, no longer true - ed.}. His last album "Vaudeville" dates back to 1998 and was recently promoted again by CD-baby. A just decision because the man recently went back into the studio with his producer, Jono Manson, who also produced this album, and he is so kind as to send us an advanced copy soon.
Until then there is "Vaudeville" and secretly we hope Donnola continues in the direction he took with the fourteen songs that are on this album, which is a collectors item by now. Responsible for this succes are songs like "Towards Alberta", on which Bruce gets help from Andy Resnick (mandolin) and Neil Thomas (accordion); and the Radio-One hit single "Cafe Vertigo" that gets him very close to singing like James Taylor. More comparisons can be made i.e. the Band might feel the urge to consider a comeback with Bruce's "Definition", the Cajun/Zydeco rootsrocker " Pop 13" looks at "the Midnight Special" and "Fedora" gives us a taste of very good Celtic influences.
The man really had his ears and eyes wide open and that results in some real gems. "Joe Sawyer", "Tomorrow We Live", "No Strings", the very professional and lovely country rockers "Longitude" and "Gratitude" with David Hamburger on dobro and the master himself on bottleneck guitar.
His own material that can effortlessly compete with the best work of his heroes Dylan, Young, Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor. With the help of Jono Manson, some members of the 5 Chinese Brothers, Ian Wallace (Dylan, Stills) ,Joe Flood, this is an album to cherish. But still we are eagerly looking forward to new material.
- Swa Braeken - Rootstime
The Peaches Of August" is in fact a stunning album. Tthe songs are very fine... [with] echoes of some of the British songwriters, such as Allan Taylor, Nick Drake, Ralph McTell. - Massimo Ferro - highway 61
Four & a half stars! - Swa Braeken - Rootstime.be
Discography
A Rumor of Peace - 1986
A Child’s Garden of Verses - 1988
Eidolons - 1991
The Nor’easters EP - 1992
Perhaps Other Lives - 1993
Vaudeville - 1998
The Peaches of August - 2006 (Italy release 2007)
A Humble Offering (due for US release in 2007)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Songwriter Bruce Donnola has been performing and recording for nearly three decades, since first appearing in small clubs in the New York area, leading to gigs at the legendary Folk City, the Speakeasy and beyond. After taking a break to raise a family, Donnola has resumed live performing, relocating from his longtime Brooklyn base to New Jersey.
Bruce’s newest CD is titled "The Peaches of August", released in the US in November, 2006. The album will be released in Italy in spring 2007 on Club de Musique Records. The album has received advance praise in Europe, landing at number 13 on the Top 25 Albums of 2006 list of Rootstime critic Swa Braeken.
With a storyteller's eye for detail, crafting rich, layered lyrics, Donnola’s songs mix classic American musical styles, comfortably blending traditional and modern folk, rock, country, blues, tin pan alley and pop. David Hamburger has written, “His thoroughly-crafted songs are chock-full of characters who stay with you long after the music's over, and he consistently succeeds in synthesizing his encyclopedic knowledge of American popular music into something compellingly original.”
Donnola has worked extensively with long-time friend and collaborator Jono Manson, who has recorded more than a dozen of Bruce’s songs. Manson’s cover of Bruce’s “Black Blue Jeans” appeared prominently in the 2001 film On the Borderline. Other artists who have recorded or performed his work have included Ken Valdez, the Grassy Knoll Boys, New York City blues legend Jerry Dugger and, in her pre-SONY Records days, Shawn Colvin.
Donnola is currently planning a tour of Italy in Autumn 2007. He is about to record a new album, "A Humble Offering".
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