Danny Django

Review: Danny Django at CU
UMC SoundBite puts on a show for students
By Taylor Evans on November 4, 2010

The sight of hundreds of open laptops and the smell of fresh grilled burgers from the Alferd Packer Restaurant & Grill permeate the atmosphere of a sea of stressed Buffs.
It was a typical Wednesday in the UMC.
Next to the stage, a sign could be seen that said, “UMC SoundBite Presents: Danny Django.” A calm voice repeated “check” over and over, permeating the low chatter of students. Precisely at noon, a few chords from an acoustic guitar played. The man of the hour had arrived.
From the second that Danny Django sat down to start playing his guitar, he captured most of the audience’s attention. Accompanied by a harmonica, the Colorado Springs native caught the audience’s attention with an acoustic sound that encompassed both folk and alternative styles.
Django describes himself as “Woody Guthrie with digital capabilities” and also compares himself to such artists as Neil Young and Tom Petty in terms of his vocal quality.
Students said they also drew their own comparisons to Django’s style.
Sarah Daigle, a 21-year-old senior management major, said she enjoys this style of music.
“He is something I would listen to on a regular basis,” Daigle said. “He reminds me a lot of Ben Kweller.”
The set started off with “New York City,” a song that had a more folk feel about the Big Apple itself and the desire to go sightseeing.
Django’s next two songs garnered more applause than his other songs played in the set. “What Life’s About” was reminiscent of Bob Dylan, one of the artists that Django said he draws his inspiration from.
The darker “I Blame You” can strike a chord with students, especially those that are dealing with relationship troubles. Especially with such lyrics as “…wish I didn’t know now what you’re about to find out.”
Django performed a faithful cover of Green Day’s “Time of Your Life.”
Colby Schwartz, an 18-year-old freshman marketing major, said she enjoyed the cover.
“That was by far my favorite song,” Schwartz said. “I did also enjoy his original stuff but the cover just made it for me.”
Some students, like Chris Taylor, a 20-year-old sophomore aerospace engineering major, said they thought of Django’s performance as a treat.
“I love live music,” Taylor said. “Anything with acoustic guitar stuff I enjoy.”
A full list of songs as well as a biography of Danny Django can be found on his website.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Taylor Evans at - CU Independent

The Gazette in Colorado Springs said in a recent article that "songs on the "Soul Traces" album such as "New York City", "A Better Way" and "Easy With Our Love" get stuck in your head." They add (the song) "You Saved The World" is a great profile of his grandpa, who stormed Omaha Beach once upon a time." "He (Django) is definitive and gifted guitarist and songwriter". - The Gazette

Colorado storyteller comes to Wyoming

By CARRIE MAY
Star-Tribune staff writer




If a break from the bar scene with a cup of coffee, a story or two and some acoustic guitar sounds appealing, Wyoming has a lot to offer this upcoming week.

Danny Django of Colorado Springs will play at the Global Cafe, 360 Main St., Lander, on Thursday; at the Ledge Coffee House, 514 W. Main St., Riverton, on Friday, August 6; and at the Metro Coffee Company, 241 S. David St., Casper, on Friday, August 7. All shows start at 8 p.m.

Django is a natural storyteller who writes his own music with an "alternative, folk rock kind of sound". Django cites an array of influences, ranging from Bob Dylan to Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, to Dave Matthews and even Green Day. He mainly performs on acoustic guitar and harmonica.

Django tries to keep a beat going through his entire show, especially when he plays bars. For coffee shops, he said he plays a little softer of a show, but that the beat is still there.

"I try to use a little bit more finesse. It's a lot of fun and I try to engage the audience," Django said. "I usually try to tell a story or two, too." Django tells funny stories about himself, and never knows what story he is going to tell beforehand.

"I tell a lot of stories in my songs," Django said. In one song, called "You Saved the World," Django tells the story of his grandfather, who landed among the first wave of soldiers on Normandy on D-Day, 1944, at Omaha Beach during World War II.

"The song is about how it affected him. It is a tribute to him and all the other guys like him, the countless others," Django said. "I like to try and write songs that not only sound good, but have a message."

To Django, music is about being concerned for the world and having a voice. Django said his music is open to interpretation, and said he looks forward to touring Wyoming.

"I love Wyoming. The people seem to be really open to new ideas and new people," Django said.

For more information on Django's upcoming shows, call the Global Cafe at (307) 332-7900, the Ledge Coffee House at (307) 856-1294 or the Metro Coffee Company at (307) 472-5042, or visit Django's Web site at www.dannydjango.com. - Casper Star-Tribune

Danny,

We have been playing the dickens out of
The Coporation Song. I personally LOVE IT !
Everytime I play it I end up giving a lecture.
The whole cd is great.
Please tell me about the reasons for writing
The Coporation Song. I want to talk more about it
on the air.

Dave Kaspersin

Dynamic Independent Radio WDYN.net 100.1 FM

Independent Music 24 / 7 - Dynamic Independent Radio

Graeme says that the new CD release "Cosmic Wheel" is " a rollicking record. Great Vocals and brilliant guitar licks. A truely enjoyable record. - Music Ghost/ United Kingdom

Much of this CD is so damn happy, like a Dead song at an outdoor festival where the sun is bright and the hippie girls are twirling around like butterflies. With a title like this, you might think that’s all there is, but nope, there’s also a somber side fueled with anger. He calls himself a Woody Guthrie with digital possibilities, but his lyrics aren’t that meaty. He’s more like a new generation flower child who sounds like Tom Petty but with the versatility of Neil Young – there’s folky songs like “St. Ellen’s Lament,” but also the frenetic “My Isolation,” with stabs of guitar over a bed of distortion. Throw in a little jam band a la Dave Matthews, and you’ve got Django.

There’s never anything obtuse about his lyrics. In “Together” he’s joyful, singing “Everything is so cool.” “So Beautiful” is a sweet love song. I assume it’s to his wife/soulmate/genius/artist/photographer Claudia. (That’s his description and doncha love it? Women like to be told they’re beautiful, just as the song says, but it ain’t bad to be called a genius.) The title cut is a happy-go-lucky modern psychedelic track where he explains how all things come around again. “Freedom” is definitely a danceable anthem. “Freedom, is it important to you?” It’s like a good Marley tune where you wanna rock back on your heels, close your eyes and use it like a mantra. Yeah brother, peace and love, say it again.

Right from the beginning it’s clear that “The Corporation Song” is much more sober: “At this corporation you don’t get a vacation … we don’t give a damn about you.” There’s an evil rumbling guitar a la Lenny Kravitz in “You Say You Know” but a twangy guitar in the joyful country-rock instrumental “The Chase.” It’s aptly titled, sounding like the soundtrack for a good movie chase scene. “Fly High” is a fun party song.

There are no musician credits, so I don’t know the band line-up. Maybe this is one of those releases where the musician does everything himself. It has that kind of slightly sloppy sound that discs like that sometimes have. It’s unpolished in a cool way and perfect for your next outdoor festival or just in your living room. Open the - www.indie-music.com

About 80 percent of Danny Django's latest album is packed with the type of rock music that will have you smiling and tapping your steering wheel right through an I-25 traffic jam. The other 20 percent falls flat.
Django does better when he sticks to hammering beats, dirty guitars, ambient noise and laid back yet catchy choruses that make you want to shout along. "Freedom", and "My Isolation" are a couple of gems. "The Corporation Song", an ongoing dis to the insensitive companies most of us work for, is enough to make any slave to The Man crack a smile. A classically trained guitarist, Django can pull off a tickling guitar solo.
Django is good at working fast paced, '60's influenced rock. He does especially well with songs that address his value system rather than his love life.
But on slower tunes, Django has the tendency to sound like he's trying too hard. His melodies lose their luster and, on love songs, his lyrics go sacharrine. Worse, Django will sometimes ape his idols. Just listen to the obviously Beatles inspired "Jennifer", or the (Bob) Dylan-esque "St. Ellen's Lament". They're fine songs with imaginative lyrics but they sound like imitations. - The Gazette - Colorado Springs Newspaper