D&K
Gig Seeker Pro

D&K

| SELF

| SELF
Band Pop Rock

Calendar

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

Music

Press


"That Feeling Is YOU"

Normally When someone says “high school rock band”,one groans and thinks of youthful talent less kids with a bad and undeveloped sound. Vatara sweeps away all these dreadful stereotypes and makes age irrelevant. All three members of Portland based pop rock sensation Vatara-Ross McLeron ( vocals, Guitar, keys) Danny Delegato (Bass, Guitar,Vocals,drums) And Kelly Mckenzie (Drums,Vocals,guitar,percussion) all who have chops that exceed their age and the common youthful musical ability’s in today’s young pop scene. While all members are still in high school and are 16 and 17 years of age.

More Importantly, their taste and song writing are prodigious as well. Vatara have though much effort and time achieved a highly unique and catchy sound, equal parts The Beatles and early Tommy James and Elliott Smith. Galloping rhythms supported by lush, catchy vocals fueled within the wry lyricism of teen years and vibes. With a quirky yet vibrant assortment of Jazz and ditty hooks.

The songs recorded for the debut album which were produced and recorded by Shay Scott of Klickitat band camp studios are truly brilliant. Klickitat Band Camp is more than a studio run by pianist extra ordinaire Shay Scott of Portland Oregon. It's a candy store with wings and prayers, musical insanity, midnight organs, and cathartic friendships. That Feeling the debut album from vatara ranges from Charging pop (“Moving on to Carolyne”) and waking-from-the-dream pop (“Flying into Space”) to jazz inflected social commentary (“Mr Oshin”) and contemplative folk with a ditty yet happy feel to it. (“Seattle 2"). Despite the seemingly wide range of material, Vatara pulls it off with ease, and nothing sounds overdone or unnatural or even out of place.

While the material is definitely guitar driven with all due respect to the rhythm section Vatara is clever enough to compliment to the rhythms and give a brief nod to them and add in other instruments for fun and variety. Such as organs, keyboards, violin, and shakers. To make it even more appealing and impressive they all play these instruments themselves. Not that the basics of the music aren’t enough they surprisingly anchor the sound well. Each member has their own unique and personality method to playing. There’s Mckenzie’s Bonham-on-Prozac time keeping, Delegato’s smooth park-stroll bass playing, and McLeron’s unpredictable yet elegant charming lead. Vatara already have a fully formed sound, but they’re still soaked in extreme potential and success. Definitely a band to watch for years to come, or maybe even forever. - Sir Shay Scott


"New Teenage phenom!"


D&K is Danny Delegato and Kelly Mckenzie, two of the hardest working indie pop rockers I've ever met. They're students at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon, prolific songwriters, and the essence of cool.

- KBC

- Klickitat Band Camp


"Vatara-That Feeling"

Vatara's record That Feeling was a blast to make. I met the group through a piano student, Brian Oringdulph, who goes to Cleveland High School with some of the members. When Ross McLeron, Danny Delegato, and Kelly Mckenzie first came to KBCrecords, they carried sack lunches, their guitars were way too big for them, and they ran around in their socks stepping all over their guitars with peanut butter sandwiches in their hands and playing way too loud. Within a year, I got a call to record their first "serious" batch of songs, and I was amazed how much better they all were as musicians, and particularly how catchy the songs were. Peter Kramer had joined. All of the songs were quirky and hooky with just the right amount of punch. The recording sessions were exactly how I wish all were - full of zeal, little ego and a lot of laughter, and willingness to try just about anything that made creative sense. In the end, everybody contributed to the production ideas, everybody sang, and we even got Brian in singing and playing piano. Vatara even let little old me play a couple of Mellotron string tracks on Another Night! We're about to start production on their second record. I can't wait!
- NW Sound


Discography

"That Feeling"- VATARA LP. Released June 2005

"D&K" EP- To be released October 27th 2006

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

D&K plays heart-filled garage-pop. We have been together since the 7th grade in middle school.

We live in Portland Oregon inside of a small town called Sellwood.

D&K is the bassist and drummer from the pop band once known as VATARA. Vatara did release a record last year in 2005, it's titled "That Feeling" before disbanding in may of 2006.

More of D&K's songs:

www.myspace.com/dannyandkelly

www.myspace.com/dannydelegato