MICHAEL DANSO - A BIOGRAPHY mike@michaeldanso.com - email Scottish-born and Toronto-based, MICHAEL DANSO comes from a Show Business family. His mother, PINKIE MACKENZIE, sang with all the top Big Bands when they toured Great Britain, and Michael first sang onstage with her at the age of 5, with The BERTIE KING BAND. By age 9, Michael was touring with his own group of girls, under the name WEE MAXIE AND HIS LASSIES. At 10, he was spotted by ELLA FITZGERALD, who was performing across the street and wanted to know which local group was drawing large line-ups. Fitzgerald was impressed and offered to take Michael to the U.S. his grandmother vetoed the idea.( "He's too wee tae goe" ) Michael finally reached North America. He was 19 and performing in the Venus Company production of HAIR when he became known to the American public. He became a Broadway Gypsy and along the way has appeared in productions of "PIPPIN" ) and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, ANNA LUCASTA (RUDOLPH) in Los Angeles, California with Rae Tascos' company. He fell in love with Los Angeles spending 3 years making a living singing jingles with his own highly successful company, "LIPS". Then spent 3 years touring the Far East and set up an Agency booking U.S artists into Japan, Korea, and Thailand & Guam. His continuing Nightclub career which he manages to maintain between Concerts, is extensive covering all countries from the Far East to Italy ( where his give Me That Jazz CD album reached #4 on the Anima - Jazz Charts ) Germany, England, Canada and the U.S.A. Upon settling in Canada, Michael immediately became a favorite of audiences and media alike, a status he continues to enjoy. He's performed regularly in all the top Festivals and Nightclubs acted and performed in such musicals as THE THREEPENNY OPERA (MACHEATH), THE BOYFRIEND (BOBBY VAN HEUSEN), and made his Dramatic debut starring in THE AFRICAN ROSCIUS, (ALDREDGE) a Play based on the life of 19th Century Black Shakespearean actor IRA ALDREDGE to Critical acclaim. It is said that Michael is the first Black Man in Canada to Host and Perform on his own Regular Series Television Show (JUST JAZZ-CHCH T.V.). His most recent incarnation on the Broadway and World Stage has been with RIVERDANCE- THE MUSICAL (FREEDOM SINGER, etc,) Michael always has time for charitable events, particularly for VARIETY CLUB INTERNATIONAL. He has Hosted Telethons world-wide and Co-hosted on Television in Toronto with Monty Hall. Buffalo, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Des Moines, Iowa and St. Louis have all benefited from Michaels talents as a performer and Host, and he has personally helped to raise over 50 million dollars for those he calls "Tomorrow's Generation." In October ( '04 ) Michael was brought to London, England to perform for The Ratling Society's Ball. Michael, the only one on the Bill with the West End Cast of Chicago, performed and entertained a multi-faceted Star-filled audience of London's West End and British Television and Show-business to benefit many Charitable Organizations across the Sceptered Isle. Rave reviews ensued. H.R.H Princess Anne the Princess Royal is Companion Ratling and Patron. Michael has performed and appeared with many people of the same world-wide reputation. A random listing includes: Marty Allen, Denice Williams, Diahnne Carroll, Jack Jones, Maureen Forrester, Martin Short, Anne Murray , Rich Little, Al Waxman, Meatloaf, Lola Falana, Emma Samms, Sammy Davis, Maureen Arthur, Carmen MacRae, Stan Shaw, Mark Murphy, Eartha Kitt, Don Harron, Don Shirley, Nick Nolte, Wayne Fleming, Blake Emmons, June Lockhart, Dan Blocker, Leonard Nimoy, Allan Thicke, Dakota Staton, Nichelle Nichols( Lt.Uhura-"Star Trek" ), Mesach Taylor, Goldie Hawn, Ella Fitzgerald, Soupy Sales, Amada Ambrose, Jackie Vernon, Cynthia Dale, Mimi Kuzyk, Ben Vereen, Marilyn May, Juliette, LesterWilliams as well as some of the best Jazz musicians in the world, including, at random, Grady Tate, Joe Sealey, Don Shirley, Bernie Piltch, Jaymz Bee,Russ Little, Guido Basso, Hank Haney, Ed Bickert, David Pommeranz ( Under the Bridge ), Peter Appleyard, Norman Amadio, Mo Koffman, Don Shirley, Reggie Moore, Harold Ousley, Phil Dwyer, Leslie Hutchinson, Don Abney, Charles Cozens, Carol Britto, Archie Alleyne, Daniel Barnes Dave Young, Randy Kohrs, Tony Hatch and many others. Michael Danso's Symphonic Jazz Concerts have been presented in top Concert Halls across Canada, Europe, and The United States of America, and Conducted by some of the world's finest: John Barnum, Dwight Bennett, Boris Brott, Howard Cable, Charles Cozens, Robert Hansen, Brian Jackson, Norman Leyden, Peter McCoppin, and Walter Noona, to name a few. A MICHAEL DANSO concert is a fast-paced evening of music featuring lithe, smooth-moving footwork and a voice that is highly dynamic and fully - controlled over an astonishing 4½ octave range. The latest evolvement of Michael's Symphonic Jazz presentations is much in demand on the Symphonic Circuit. He has single-handedly created his own category in music called Symphonic Jazz. The first Symphonic Jazz series called "White Tie and Tails," Orchestrated by the team of Victor Davies and Arthur Phillips consists of two segments made up of the music of George and Ira Gershwin and Mr. Duke Ellington, respectively. The second in the series is called "From Harlem to Hollywood" and was Orchestrated and Arranged by Mr. Charles T. Cozens. The two segments here are made up of the music of Harold Arlen and Cole Porter, respectively. Michael performed HARLEM TO HOLLYWOOD with THE CANADA POPS ORCHESTRA on February 21st, 2004 at THE NORTH YORK'S FORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS in GEORGE WESTON HALL, and on APRIL 2nd, 2004 with THE HAMILTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA at THE GREAT HALL in HAMILTON PLACE with Mr. CHARLES T COZENS, Musical Director and Conductor to glowing Reviews in the local media. His recent recording of LOVE FOR SALE, excerpted from the "Harlem to Hollywood," Symphonic Jazz show was recorded in Moscow with The Moscow Strings Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow, Russia with Mr. Charles T. Cozens, Michaels' Musical Director, conducting. FOR MORE (AND C0MPLETE) INFORMATION, VISIT MICHAELS' WEBSITE AT: www.michaeldanso.com mike@michaeldanso.com - email address