DENI BONET'S BRAND NEW CD "LAST GIRL ON EARTH"!

Deni's NEW CD is Here!

Unplugged and a BLAST!

On the Map to Rave Reviews!

Deni Bonet, Singer/Songwriter/Violinist came to be my friend in the most magical set of circumstances that has me convinced after 5 years that the planets must have been aligned perfectly for my good fortune. Here's what happened: Deni was on a worldwide tour with Cyndi Lauper. Following a lay off from ABC News Networks in the Southwest, my oldest brother suggested that I return to Cincinnati to "retrench", and while I was at it, rebuild and landscape my Mother's home. Some 36 months after we lost my Dad, Mom's house needed some "TLC". My Dad had so much pride, it was difficult to do house repairs that he so enjoyed and well, you know how that goes. Houses need constant upkeep. It was a particularly stressful time for me personally and professionally as we all can relate! Well, one freezing cold February night--truly on the spur of the moment--I drove to The Taft Auditorium and bought a ticket to the Lauper concert. In a rare show of genius, Deni was included in the road band and during a high energy moment, she stepped forward with her blue Barcus Berry Electric Violin to solo. Simply stated, I had never seen anyone redefine a musical instrument for Rock and Roll with such astonishing virtuosity and intensity as Deni! I remember thinking to myself, "This pretty girl with Red hair and a smile that begets such a mischievous sense of humor has the chops to go head to head with any band". So, I Googled "Deni Bonet" later and discovered she has either toured or recorded with Sarah McLachlin, REM, Robyn Hitchcock, Gravity Kills and has her own band. Deni is not only a fascinating Classically-Trained Violinist who rocked out on Tchaikovsky by day and then literally "Rocked" on West Virginia weekends with bands and artists in college--including but certainly not limited to--Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of The Band, Allen Toussaint, she even co-founded "Mountain Stage" a musical program of artists who caught the attention of PBS Television (Public Broadcasting System). Her approach to music is--and I'll paraphrase here--'Why wallow in misery when music has the ability to lift us from our worries?' She is a fun, delightful and sensitive person; she is also an intelligent writer and master arranger as I later found out on her Blog that features "Duets with Deni"--a New York television show! And yes, I was right about my observation from the 11th row of The Taft Theater among 3,000 people. Deni has an incredible sense of humor. :D)

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Facing a major shoulder reconstruction (and possibly the partial loss of my right arm) a dear friend of my family worked for 24 hours to network me to The Cincinnati Reds Baseball team surgeon, Dr. Timothy Kremchek, M.D. Tim is a highly regarded Orthopedic Surgeon who repaired Britney Spears' knee and has a roster of patients from The Rolling Stones to the late opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Professionally and personally I needed a break from my own projects. To my great surprise, I learned that Deni was leaving the Lauper tour after playing The Great Wall in China and sets in Australia for a West Virginia gig with her full band in support of an extraordinary CD called "Bigger is Always Better" (okay, get those nasty thoughts out of your minds! :D). I thought this was a very gutsy move, and so I phoned the concert venue and secured a ticket to "The Stretched String Festival". I had exchanged a few emails with Deni and her Manager and decided that the 4 hour road trip away from my own worries was "just what the doctor ordered"! Fresh off a 22-hour flight replete with Jet Lag, Deni and the band kicked off the set with her song, "Alone"--and without exaggeration-- I've yet to see any artist smile, wink at the audience and then launch into a riveting high impact/high energy performance! A couple of Gin & Tonics relaxed me, and I began to notice a rare phenomenon. Deni's songs are original, infused with humor and emotion, but moreover, she manages to create what can only be described as "a groove"--these unforgettable melodic riffs that stick with you! That, my friends is magic. Casually joking toward the end of the show, she told us that she had mastered the art of Margarita glasses, wherein one could easily throw the contents over one's shoulder. Seizing the moment, I pulled out some "convincing cash" and wrote this note on a paper napkin to a nearby bartender: "GET DENI A MARGARITA. HURRY!" The Bartender smiled and to my horror, dressed in a tuxedo shirt and tie, he mixed the drink and walked right up to the stage and placed it at Deni's feet. I almost died of embarrassment! I'm sure Deni's Manager wondered, "Who is the moron who ordered this?" Deni laughed it off, and after the show was over, I praised her performance to her Manager. Then quite unexpectedly, he located me in the outer hallway where I was buying copies of the CD for my business partner and another friend. He asked if I would like to meet Deni? I said "Oh, my! Only if she is up to it". (I'm SO not into bothering well known Celebrities ever--and Deni had just played three encores). Remember the pretty girl with that unmistakable Red hair who tickled me at The Taft Theater? Well, she walked out and yelled to me pointing (which still makes me crack up): "Are you the guy who sent me that Margarita?" 35 minutes of relaxing conversation later, I knew instinctively that I had made one of the most treasured friendships in my life. This girl is the "Real Deal"! Fast forward to today:

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Deni is back with a fresh, new CD that is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves to Rock and feel inspired. And let's face it my friends, with a war still going on and in such an uncertain world, we need some good news! Now comes the warmth of beautiful vocals and highly original songs that The Beatles would be proud of! Deni has herself been compared by major international magazine articles to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders to The B-52's! She has opened shows for The Fifth Dimension, The Temptations, Kansas (and I could go on forever). Her music is identifiable and infectious. My dear friend, Singer/ Songwriter Bud Buckley has recorded with Deni and just last week, he told me over the telephone that when Deni walks into the recording studio, the positive energy she brings to those who are gathered is "just magic". Bud was sad to watch her walk off to catch the subway home and I told Bud, "Yeah, I relate". I thoroughly hope each of you will go to Deni's website and order her new CD (and even her previous two releases). They are priced sensibly and realistically and I give you this BLOG as my Toast to Life for a Wednesday and Thursday! Deni Bonet can be found at "Deni at Last Girl On Earth" on my Blogroll. Here's her Web address: http://www.http://www.denibonet.com/buyit.htm.
Her Blogsite Page is: http://www.denibonet.com/blog.

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CHEERS!