DAN MANJOVI
Gig Seeker Pro

DAN MANJOVI

New York City, New York, United States | INDIE

New York City, New York, United States | INDIE
Band Jazz Singer/Songwriter

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"DAN MANJOVI: A Renaissance Man In Concert"

Dan Manjovi: A Renaissance Man In Concert
After paying for and abandoning one cab for the #6 train downtown only to jump into another cab to walk
in on the middle of the first song, I had finally arrived at the Sidewalk Café in New York City’s famous and
tres artsy lower East side on June 7th, 2007 for an 8pm performance by Dan Manjovi. Every effort I had
made to get there was rewarded in a night of music by an artist who is as comfortable playing solo as with
his band and flips easily from playing guitar to piano.
Dan started his packed house show at the Sidewalk Café with his first song Everybody’s Got An Agenda.
This was a strong opening as he demonstrated his accomplished ability on guitar as well as his powerful,
vocal production. His next song, Forgotten How To Dream was a sad lamentation of a person who has
temporarily lost his way and ability to create a sense of hope in his dreams of better days ahead. By the end
of this song, I had a sense that Dan may have been a bit inspired by the Eagles while growing up as he
specifically had a Don Henley style to his guitar and vocal work. Let’s face it. Don Henley is not a bad
master to be inspired by.
Heading into the third song of the 11 song set, Dan changed instruments and showed his rather fluid,
second natured ability on the 88’s. I have to say right off, I was impressed with Dan’s piano ability
because it surpassed just standard piano accompaniment by digging deep into the roots of jazz, blues, and
rock arrangements and chord structures. The first out of the gate on piano was his jazz infused song Stay,
which had a very uplifting, positive, feel about it in its love-based lyric. This song brought to mind another
master and likely childhood influence, the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Dan’s next song, Sunday, was a
true romantics song about all the things lovers do on a lazy NYC Sunday morning like staying in bed late,
snuggling and such sans any pj’s, the leisure stroll through Central Park and taking in a bit of shopping at
Saks. This rollicking, playful and somewhat teasing tune offered the audience an opportunity to play out
on the movie screen of their minds who they would spend their Sunday with. For a songwriter to
accomplish such a journey the entire length of a song is quite a feat. Is Anybody Watching was a polite
song about the obvious and often careless obsession we in America seem to have with pop culture coupled
with acquiring the latest, the greatest, and the biggest gadgets. I say polite because it could have easily and
justifiably been a song slamming a message of WAKE UP ALREADY down the throats of the many
hounds of excess in the U.S. There was a very well written and equally well played piano interlude that
smacked of a showdown combining the ability of Billy Joel and Elton John. It was like blending the piano
prowess of Only The Good Die Young by Joel with Crocodile Rock by John. But again, this was only one
Dan Manjovi delivering the goods of the Piano and Rocket Man combined. Tonight, Manjovi captivated
his enthusiastic and supportive audience song after song.
Best of Intentions again demonstrated Billy Joel’s influence as well as demonstrating Dan’s passionate
piano playing. Make no mistake about who Dan’s influences are as Manjovi never rests on the coattails of
those legends but instead carves out a style and sound that clearly identifies him as an individual artist. In
his song Celebrity, Dan tackles the modern day era celebrity that people seem to so easily gain for doing
sometimes nothing worth celebrating. Does the word Celebutante ring any bells? Next on the set-list came
Daddy Long Legs and East of the Sun. My personal fav of these 2 was the youthful, playful and fun
Daddy Long Legs more so because of the blistering piano work played by Manjovi. Dan ended his set with
I Fall Down and Things’ll Get Better.
Dan Manjovi is an accomplished guitarist, piano man, singer, songwriter, and voice teacher who has
appeared with the likes of John Mayer, Nellie McKay, Donna Summer and Grace Hightower DeNiro.
Manjovi has performed at famed NYC hotspots like Bitter End, The Cutting Room, The Triad Theatre and
the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival ASCAP Music Lounge. Check out Dan’s website at www.danmanjovi.com
to catch this Renaissance man in the act!
Written by: Terry Christopher
Photo by: - Helium.com


Discography

DAN MANJOVI (2005)
WOKE UP THIS MORNING (2008)
UNITED FOR THE RIDE COMPILATION (2009)
SOUNDTRACK: PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE (UNIVERSAL MUSIC/GEFFEN RECORDS) (2009)

Photos

Bio

DAN MANJOVI’S song “Somethin’s Comin’ My Way” is featured on the soundtrack and film for the acclaimed 2009 Lionsgate release Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire . Manjovi wrote, arranged and produced the track at the request of the film’s director, Lee Daniels.

David Byrne of The Windy City Times cheers, “Coming across as a hybrid of Elton John, Dave Matthews and Kenny Loggins Manjovi has a knack for penning pop pleasures.” Joe Siegel from Edge Publications states that Manjovi’s music is “designed to sooth the spirit and make you think more closely about the world we live in. Manjovi has scored a major success on both counts.”

Described by Next Magazine as a “celeb of New York” and “one of New York’s most visible singer, songwriter/musicians”, Manjovi’s fan base also extends throughout the United States and Canada. Manjovi’s second CD, Woke Up This Morning, released last year, saw more and more fans tuning in to Dan’s tasty pop/rock hooks, his special blend of rock, blues and jazz piano-based arrangements, and powerfully flexible vocals. His song “Things’ll Get Better” was included in the 2009 United For The Ride Vol. I CD compilation, and the video for “Things’ll Get Better” has been nominated for Video Of The Year by listeners to the Unashamed Faith Café radio program. Manjovi is also a recipient of a 2010 PRIDE IN THE ARTS AWARD for Fan Song of The Year.

Manjovi and his top-flight band regularly appear nationally and to packed houses at New York’s major music rooms such as Canal Room, and The Bitter End. Dan was a featured ASCAP artist 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival/ASCAP Music Lounge, where he appeared along with John Mayer, Nellie McKay, and Elvis Costello. Manjovi is an annual fixture in Bryant Park's annual PIANO IN THE PARK Concert Series in which some of New York's finest pianists are featured.

Dani is currently finishing the score for a new musical comedy I Am, I Will, I Do for which he has written the book, music and lyrics.