Also known as Donni One Name Donni 1 Website Official Myspace page | Years active 1985 – present Origin Melbourne, Australia Role DJ | |
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Born 1 July 1969 (age 54) ( 1969-07-01 ) Occupation(s) DJ, Producer, Artistic Director Genres House music, Tech house, Progressive house, Lounge music, Downtempo, Jazz, Electronica | ||
OLD GOLD March edition DJ Donni 1
Donni 1 (born 1 July 1969) is an Australian club and radio DJ, record producer, and entertainment director. He is known as one of the co-founders of Melbourne's famed Freakazoid dance parties and for being the resident DJ and entertainment director at Bali's world-renowned KU DE TA.
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Early days
Donni 1 started from humble beginnings working as a mobile DJ in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston. While attending a party at The Grand Hotel, he was asked by then resident DJ/Promoter, Paul Cameron, to fill in on the decks for a couple of minutes. Cameron never returned that night and at age 17, Donni's life as a club DJ officially began.
After a five-year residency at The Grand, also known then as Leggies Night Club, Donni 1 teamed up with fellow DJ Arlen De Silva as the co-resident DJs for Razor Promotions. The pair promoted themselves and associated events under the name 'The Disco Monsters' and occasionally as 'A Bong & An Esky Promotions'. The group quickly became known for their raw and edgy parties that catered mostly to gay crowds and hardcore dwellers of the music underworld.
The Razor parties such as Tasty, Savage, Bump, and separately the Sunday Hellfire sessions, have become events of legend in the Melbourne music scene.
In 1996, thanks in part to a police raid and an influx of mainstream punters taking away the authentic vibe of the scene, Donni decided to head to the Gold Coast for a two-year stint as a resident at Fever night club.
Freakazoid
The type of vocal, genuine House music that Donni 1 and De Silva preferred to play was relegated to the back-rooms of larger clubs. De Silva wanted to bring to Melbourne the authentic main room House experience that was then the cornerstone of clubs like The Tunnel and The Sound Factory in New York. The management and owners of the Chevron night club in Melbourne fully supported the idea and welcomed Freakazoid as their main attraction.
Special theme nights such as Studio Filthy Whore, Star Whores, An Evening at the Playboy Mansion, and Fire Island were to take the club to another level. Not since the heady days of Razor Promotions had Melbourne seen some of the wildest theme nights that Freakazoid delivered to a packed room. The rotating line-up of local Melbourne DJ's was known as The Freakazoid Allstars and included DJ's Guy Upia, Peter MacNamarra and Nathan G. After three and a half years, the pioneering pair of Donni 1 and Arlen De Silva had firmly established the Chevron as one of Australia’s premier representatives for soulful House music on a global scale.
Freakazoid showcased a respectable list of international DJs and producers including; Grammy Award winners Frankie Knuckles & David Morales, Masters at Work’s own Kenny Dope, Bob Sinclar, E-Smoove, Miguel Migs, Steve Silk Hurley, Lenny Fontana and many more, plus live performances from famed divas, Martha Wash and Barbara Tucker.
Radio DJ
Donni 1 began his radio DJ career in 2000, as the host of "The Vinyl Selection Show," on Melbourne's KISS FM. In 2004 he moved the show to JOY 94.9 FM, where it aired for one year. In 2007, whilst in Bali, Donni launched KDT radio, the flagship station for Ku De Ta. The show was simulcast in Bali as well as on KISS FM in Melbourne. In 2009 KDT Radio switched from mainstream broadcast to digital broadcast in Australia where it is now hosted on the KOFFEE digital radio network. In Bali the show can be heard on 98.5 Beat Radio Plus.
Record producer
Donni utilized his friendship with Chicago-based DJ/producer, E-Smoove to help get his first track off the ground. He asked the Grammy-nominated producer to guide him through the makings of Latin Love Affair, a song that featured the stunning vocals of Latanza Waters.
In 2000 Donni 1 teamed up with Melbourne music producer, Ricky Male - a.k.a. Rickstarr - to form Escuba productions.
Donni and Male would go on to produce another two tracks under the epithet Escuba, including the single, Take Now Than Never which was the production duo’s first release on the Melbourne House music label, Lemongroove.
In February 2002, Donni 1’s studio forays saw him team up with another Melbourne producer, Simon Grey to write three soulful, dance singles. Their first single, Brand New Day has been championed by the likes of Florida’s Jazz N Groove, L.A.s Deepswing, and Denver, Colorado power duo The Pound Boys. The Breeze, their second track, was released in 2003 by New York label boss Tommy Musto on his internationally respected House label, 4th Floor recordings. Most recently, their partnership spawned a collaboration with famed Australian Rock n Roll veteran vocalist Doug Parkinson, for a blazing dance floor rendition of The Spinners 1970 Motown chartbuster, Ill Be Around]
KU DE TA
Donni 1 has been largely credited for helping KU DE TA rise to prominence on the world stage.
He has played a vital part in organising and spinning at some of the largest summer parties the region has seen. From the venue’s funky daytime soirees; to the White Parties, and the Russian Chic Blesk Krasota, which featured the likes of Cirque Du Soleil, Erykah Badu and Jocelyn Brown.
Today Donni continues his work at the Bali hotspot as a DJ, artistic director and as a producer; recently completing the fourth volume of the popular KU DE TA compilation C.D.s “Sunset Soundtracks,” which feature tracks by a host world-famous acts, DJs and producers, some of whom have found their way on the decks of the beachside venue.