Dani Siciliano
Encyclopedia
Dani Siciliano is an American singer. She has worked with Matthew Herbert
on several of his projects including the albums Around the House
, Bodily Functions
and Scale
. She has also released two solo albums, Likes...
and Slappers.
and moved to San Francisco when her father, a civil servant
in the Department of Defense
, was transferred there. She sang in church as a child and at the age of seven she began playing the clarinet
. While attending the University of Richmond
she was a member of a jazz combo
, playing gigs at local cafés.
After college, in the mid-1990s, Siciliano began DJing
in San Francisco. She played 1970s disco
, funk
, and soul
records that she was able to buy inexpensively at thrift stores
. While living in San Francisco she also worked as a nanny
which led to a chance meeting with Matt Herbert
. He visited the family that she worked for in 1995 and the two met. This led to her visiting London
, working with him on his album Around the House
, and eventually moving there and marrying him.
and 2006's Scale
. On Bodily Functions she contributed vocals on the single "Audience" and her singing on Scale has been called "sumptuous".
She also provided vocals on "Sumer of Love" from Indoor Fireworks the 2000 release by Doctor Rockit, a Matt Herbert led project. She is featured on the track "Simple Mind", which has been called "the coolest track" from the 2001 Matthew Herbert Big Band release Goodbye Swingtime
. She has also toured with Herbert's big band.
in 2004 and was recorded and produced by Siciliano in her home-studio with additional production from her husband Matt Herbert
. It contains a cover of the Nirvana
song "Come as You Are". It debuted at number 28 on CMJs airplay chart
.
single "Why Can't I Make You High?" with backing vocals from Kitty Daisy & Lewis
. The track includes a sample
of the sound of "some of her girlfriends...slapping their own asses".
, Siouxsie Sioux
and Ella Fitzgerald
.
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
on several of his projects including the albums Around the House
Around the House
Around the House is a 1998 album by electronica musician Herbert. It was named the 96th greatest album of the 1990s by Pitchfork Media.-Track listing:...
, Bodily Functions
Bodily Functions
Bodily Functions is a 2001 album released by electronic musician Herbert. It was released by !K7 Records in 2001 to positive critical reception.- Reception :...
and Scale
Scale (album)
Scale is an album by Matthew Herbert, released May 29, 2006. According to the liner notes 613 objects were used to create the album. These include traditional instruments such as violins and guitars and other objects such as breakfast cereal, gas pumps and coffins.On MSNBC's website Year In Review,...
. She has also released two solo albums, Likes...
Likes...
Likes... is the first solo album by Dani Siciliano. The album was released by !K7 records in 2004 and was recorded and produced by Siciliano in her home-studio with additional production from her husband Matt Herbert. It contains a cover of the Nirvana song "Come as You Are"...
and Slappers.
Early life
Siciliano grew up in ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and moved to San Francisco when her father, a civil servant
United States civil service
In the United States, the civil service was established in 1872. The Federal Civil Service is defined as "all appointive positions in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the Government of the United States, except positions in the uniformed services." . In the early 19th century,...
in the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, was transferred there. She sang in church as a child and at the age of seven she began playing the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. While attending the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
she was a member of a jazz combo
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
, playing gigs at local cafés.
After college, in the mid-1990s, Siciliano began DJing
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in San Francisco. She played 1970s disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
records that she was able to buy inexpensively at thrift stores
Charity shop
A charity shop, thrift shop, thrift store, hospice shop , resale shop or op shop is a retail establishment run by a charitable organization to raise money.Charity shops are a type of social enterprise...
. While living in San Francisco she also worked as a nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
which led to a chance meeting with Matt Herbert
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
. He visited the family that she worked for in 1995 and the two met. This led to her visiting London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, working with him on his album Around the House
Around the House
Around the House is a 1998 album by electronica musician Herbert. It was named the 96th greatest album of the 1990s by Pitchfork Media.-Track listing:...
, and eventually moving there and marrying him.
With Matt Herbert
Siciliano has worked with Herbert on several of his projects including Herbert, the Matthew Herbert Big Band, and Doctor Rockit. The pairing began with 1998's Around the House with Siciliano providing "sultry vocal work". Other Herbert releases that she has contributed to are 2001's Bodily FunctionsBodily Functions
Bodily Functions is a 2001 album released by electronic musician Herbert. It was released by !K7 Records in 2001 to positive critical reception.- Reception :...
and 2006's Scale
Scale (album)
Scale is an album by Matthew Herbert, released May 29, 2006. According to the liner notes 613 objects were used to create the album. These include traditional instruments such as violins and guitars and other objects such as breakfast cereal, gas pumps and coffins.On MSNBC's website Year In Review,...
. On Bodily Functions she contributed vocals on the single "Audience" and her singing on Scale has been called "sumptuous".
She also provided vocals on "Sumer of Love" from Indoor Fireworks the 2000 release by Doctor Rockit, a Matt Herbert led project. She is featured on the track "Simple Mind", which has been called "the coolest track" from the 2001 Matthew Herbert Big Band release Goodbye Swingtime
Goodbye Swingtime
Goodbye Swingtime is the first album by The Matthew Herbert Big Band, released in May 2003. The whole album deals with the media in general. The albums consinsts of three instrumental tracks which introduce into the album, divides the album into to parts and end the album...
. She has also toured with Herbert's big band.
Other collaborations
Siciliano is also featured on two tracks, "You, Me and Us" and "Wandering", from the 2002 release by Andy Brooks, You, Me and Us.Likes...
Likes... is Siciliano's first solo album . It was released by !K7 recordsStudio !K7
Studio !K7 is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7 . !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City, Hamburg, London, and Tokyo.It has four independent...
in 2004 and was recorded and produced by Siciliano in her home-studio with additional production from her husband Matt Herbert
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
. It contains a cover of the Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
song "Come as You Are". It debuted at number 28 on CMJs airplay chart
CMJ New Music Monthly
CMJ New Music Monthly was a monthly music magazine with interviews, reviews, and special features. Each issue included a compact disc with 15 to 24 songs by well established bands, unsigned bands, and everything in between...
.
Slappers
Sicilano's second album, Slappers was released in September 2006. It was also mainly self-produced and released by !K7. It was made in the same year that she worked on Herbert's album Scale. The album includes the country bluesCountry blues
Country blues is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz...
single "Why Can't I Make You High?" with backing vocals from Kitty Daisy & Lewis
Kitty Daisy & Lewis
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis is a three-piece band comprising the siblings of the Durham family. Their music is influenced heavily by R&B, swing, jump blues, country and Western, blues, Hawaiian and rock 'n' roll...
. The track includes a sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of the sound of "some of her girlfriends...slapping their own asses".
Vocal style
Siciliano has never been classically trained as a vocalist but has worked with a vocal coach. Her voice has been compared to Anita O'DayAnita O'Day
Anita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
, Siouxsie Sioux
Siouxsie Sioux
Siouxsie Sioux is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer of the critically acclaimed rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees and of its splinter group The Creatures . The Banshees produced eleven studio albums and a string of hit singles including "Hong Kong Garden",...
and Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
.