Dave Damiani
Like half of the people in Southern California, Dave Damiani came from his home in New Jersey to make a name for himself in Hollywood. Like so many of the people who become overnight sensations, the years of hard work that turns into that “instant” success are often spent on plan B, waiting tables or tending bar while waiting for that big break. For Dave Damiani, bartending and waiting tables were part of the journey that led him to where he is today. Dave spent years as a singing waiter at Hollywood hot spot Micelli’s. He also tended bar at legendary Charley-O’s Jazz Club in Valley Glen, CA. Behind that bar, Damiani heard some of the best Jazz, performed by some of the best in the business.
Damiani went back to school studying music composition and arrangement, a skill he put to good use as he wrote and arranged songs for two albums, “Watch What Happens” and his m
ost recent, “Midlife Crisis.” Damiani is also known in the business as a guy who brings together some of the best talent in town. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frank Sinatra, Damiani and his band put on an all-star salute at L.A.’s prestigious Grove shopping center. The show featured Damiani, Renee Olstead and 2011 America’s Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., with special appearances by Jane Monheit and George Benson. See a performance of Damiani and the band here. The George Benson performance was also a tribute to songwriter, bandleader and arranger Johnny Mandel, who celebrated his 90th birthday just days after the event.
Damiani’s most recent album, “Midlife Crisis” includes “I’ve Been Around,” a never before recorded song that Mandel wrote with Grammy and Oscar winning lyricists Marilyn and Alan Bergman. In addition to that composition, Damiani and the band continue to collaborate with the award winning musician.
His performance in Martini in the Morning’s “Torchbearer” series, “Bending the Standards” will show Dave and the band’s unique way of taking well known Great American Songbook titles and updating the arrangement, even the lyrics. You can hear some bending on Damiani’s albums, as he takes Prince’s “Raspberry Beret” and adds a jazz groove to the R&B classic. He does the same with Squeeze’s 1981 favorite “Tempted.” Going the other way, “Angel Eyes,” takes on a Latin flavor when bent by Dave’s band.
Renee Olstead
The Martini in the Morning journey with Renee Olstead started before her 15th birthday. Her debut self-titled album on Reprise Records was released in 2004. We quickly began playing several cuts from the album on Clear Channel’s “Fabulous 570 KLAC.” Olstead appeared in “Nutcracker Swings” with the Pasadena Jazz Orchestra that same year and after the show, visited with patrons and sponsors. The now 15 year old came by to say hello and, when greeted by our teenage daughter and a friend, transformed from seasoned performer into a typical teenager. Martini/KLAC fans later had the special opportunity to see Olstead perform in a live show broadcast as part of Brad “Martini” Chambers’ morning show, and a private Fabulous 570 show on the pool deck of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas.
“Skylark,” Ostead’s second album with producer David Foster was released in 2009. She also had guest vocalist appearances in Chris Botti’s 2005 “To Love Again: The Duets”, a PBS TV special and a Billie Holiday tribute project in 2009.
Renee Olstead is also well known for roles on both the big and small screen with many movie roles including the films “Space Cowboys”, “13 Going On 30” and most recently in “Unfriended”. Renee was also a regular on CBS sitcom “Still Standing” from 2002 to 2006, and the ABC family series “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” Show producers took advantage of Olstead’s “other” talent with performance scenes like this from “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
Olstead also toured with David Foster as he promoted his book and DVD “Hitman, David Foster and Friends.”
Renee Olstead fans will get to see Renee version 26, as the grown-up, married, singer and actress brings years of experience on stage, movie and TV sets to the Martini in the Morning Torchbearer series.
Join Martini in the Morning as we present Renee Olstead and Dave Damiani with the No Vacancy Orchestra Thursday night, May 12th in The E Spot Lounge at Vitello’s in Studio City, CA. For tickets call Vitello’s at (818) 769-0905 or click here.