DANA LEONG | Music Without Borders

Composer, cellist and trombonist Dana Leong fuses jazz, classical and pop to create a signature boundless sound. Dana’s pioneering collages of musical styles has garnered critical acclaim and wowed audiences around the world.

Dana Leong Trio: New Album Cover Unveiled

Warning! This is not your grandfather’s jazz trio! Enter the world of Dana Leong Trio, where an electric cello (which, incidentally, Leong helped to design with Yamaha at their headquarters in Japan), trombone, laptop, turntables and electric guitar come together to create a passionate, lyrical blend of classical, jazz and pop.  And by pop, we mean, melodies you will remember long after you leave the concert hall (or your iPod or iPad).

Dream State is the trio’s brand new album.  This is Leong’s first instrumental work in 5 years, after three successful releases under the rubric of MILK & JADE by Dana Leong, his jazz/hip-hop quartet, which continues to tour major festivals in Europe.

The music was originally commissioned by the Orange County Performing Arts Center for the premiere of Bound(less), a 40-min aerial dance piece by Project Bandaloop.  The album also features a track that was commissioned by Richard Branson & Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceport.

The album was unofficially launched at the trio’s recent headlining performance at Sleepless Night Miami Festival, co-presented by Miami Light Project.  The trio graced the cover of Miami Herald.  The official release of the album will be in early 2012.  Stay tuned!

For those of you who are attending the Arts Presenters Conference in January – the trio will make an exclusive appearance for the conference attendees at the Hilton Hotel NYC, on Saturday, January 7th, at 10pm!

So let us introduce the trio to you.

Dana Leong (center)
Read here.

John Shannon (left) is a New York based modern folk guitarist, vocalist, and composer. He has played with artists like Haale, Pyeng Threadgill, Sonya Kitchell, Ruslan Sirota, Hiromi and has also recorded three albums as the leader of the instrumental jazz fusion trio Waking Vision. He recently released his sophomore album Songs of the Desert River. http://johnshannonmusic.com

DJ Icewater (right) hails from Los Angeles and Oakland, CA where he started DJing in 1995 after being inspired by the radio DJs of LA and the local mobile scene. DJ Icewater has been active in the studio producing over 40 mixtapes and doing cuts for over 100 tracks over the past 15 years. In 2003, he along with DJ Cobra was awarded “Mixtape of the Year” for their “Mixtape Gods” series. He has also done cuts for numerous groups including Hieroglyphics, the Living Legends, Blackalicious, Lunar Heights, Mikah 9 and Lyrics Born. Since 2010, DJ Icewater has resided in Brooklyn, NY where he continues work as an audio engineer and DJ. http://www.djicewater.com/

 

Dana Leong Trio photos above by Anna Kim http://www.annaeli.com/

 

Cello: lost, damaged and found in Miami

 

NOV 5: Dana Leong Trio – 2 shows at Sleepless Night Miami Festival!

Tomorrow night, co-presented by Miami Light Project and Sleepless Night Miami Festival, and after an exciting week-long residency jam-packed with workshops, VIP events, and plenty of phone calls to American Airlines regarding a lost cello (which finallly arrived on Day 4 of his residency, damaged…alas!) Dana Leong Trio presents 2 free outdoor performances!

Saturday, Nov 5, 2011
at 10:00pm – Dana Leong Trio
at 11:00pm – Dana Leong Trio with Project Bandaloop

The New World Center
ExoStage at SoundScape, 500 17 Street
(In front of the New World Symphony Building!)
Tickets: FREE!
Map it

Dana Leong Trio is…
Dana Leong (cello, trombone, laptop)
DJ Icewater (turntables)
John Shannon (guitar)

Dana Leong Trio wears ONASSIS CLOTHING.

NOV 15 – Dana Leong performs with Lila Downs at Carnegie Hall

Dana Leong appears as a guest artist with Mexico’s national pride and award-winning singer/songwriter Lila Downs.

Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011
at 8:00pm
Carnegie Hall – Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
West 57th Street and 7th Avenue
Tickets: Buy here

NOV 18 & 20 – Dana Leong performs with violinists Orie Furuta, Mark O’Connor and pianist Yuki Kanesaka

Dana Leong performs for a benefit concert supporting the earthquake victims of Japan

Friday, Nov 18, 2011
at 8:00pm
Longy School of Music
Cambridge, MA

Sunday, Nov 20, 2011
at 8:00pm
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill, MA

Dana Leong writes music for Virgin Galactic

Dana Leong was commissioned by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic to create a track for the opening of its new Spaceport in New Mexico.  The music will accompany the gravity-free dancers of Project Bandaloop as they help to celebrate the world’s first commerical spaceport.  Virgin Galactic, which aims to become the world’s first commercial spaceline, is planning to launch its first flight from the New Mexico base within the coming year. For anyone interested in catching one of the space flights, tickets cost $200,000.

Take a quick listen!

Dana Leong – Galactic ft Richard Branson 90 SNIP 2

Dana Leong with Rahzel

Dana Leong & Rahzel performed for the 2011 Darryl L. McKinney Scholarship. The Darryl L. McKinney Scholarship was established to honor and celebrate the life and memory of Darryl “Pop” McKinney, who died in the World Trade Center attacks of September 11th, 2001.