“Donna Greene’s blues are dry martini blues. She sings with a lotta swagger, a dash of sauce and a cool retro vibe. She’d have been right at home on stage at the Sands of the Rat Pack days or Ciro’s on Sunset Boulevard circa 1948. But, it's 60 years later and Donna’s attitude and energy is totally 21st century. She gives ya masterful singing that’s sensual, emotive, and fun. Donna Greene brings just the right feeling to a tune, whether it’s straight ahead blues like “You Can Have My Husband” or a Billie Holiday-era standard like “Comes Love.” “A Girl’s Gotta Have A Little Pleasure” is a winner! It’s a superbly-produced treasure highlighting Donna’s pristine singing with the style and punch of The Roadhouse Daddies!” Nick Gerard, Host of “Nothin’ But the Blues” on KKJZ 88.1 FM Los Angeles and www.JazzAndBlues.org
“With an ensemble that includes fine piano, understated guitar, and classy trumpet and sax, Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies have the basis to do justice to standards ‘Lover Man’ and ‘Baby Get Lost’ and the zip to pull off rocking chestnuts ‘Mess Around’ and ‘You Can Have My Husband.’ Originals ‘Shoe Boy’ and the title track to A Girl’s Gotta Have a Little Pleasure (Dixie Blue Records) swing and jump, respectively. An impressive singer, the sultry Greene more than holds her own in present — and historial — company. The mid-set pair ‘Double Crossing Blues’ and ‘Love Make a Fool of Me’ showcase her blues-and-ballad technique. Wonderful!” Tom Hyslop, Blues Review Magazine, Issue 115, Dec/Jan 2009
“The phones lit up like a Christmas tree when I first aired the CD! I know that it's gonna get ALOT of spins. Awesome songwriting, amazing vocals, tight band; makes for some of the best ear candy to come out of my speakers this year. And Ms. Greene is very easy on the eyes!” Mike Flowers, Producer of “Mystic Mile” on KZUM 89.3 Lincoln, NE
“Now this CD gave me a lot of pleasure and will probably do the same for many readers. Out of California, singer Donna and her guys The Roadhouse Daddies present a very fine set of jump, jive and jazz. Donna’s got a big, flexible voice, and the band excels at that ‘small combo but big band sound’ – I checked several times whilst playing this CD, but yes, it’s only sax and trumpet. There are several jazz standards, some very nice blues (even an impressive cover of Johnny Otis’s ‘Double Crossing Blues’), and a rather salacious ‘Shoe Boy.’ Guitarist (and co-producer) Greg Loeb is a perfect foil for Donna, and the big, crisp production ensures that this set is a definite winner. Donna and band are certainly an act to look out for.” Norman Darwen, Blues & Rhythm Magazine, Issue 235 (UK)
“I listened to your album and I love it. You have an impeccable vocal technique, a natural swing, a delicious voice, it's a great pleasure to hear you. Really, in my opinion, a splendid album.” Serge Warin, Host of "Canal Blues" on Radio Canal Bleu, Objat, France
“Donna Greene brings you into her world of smooth swing blues with a touch of jazzy vibes. A charismatic voice that brings positive energy...you feel great after listening to this sensuous, laid back album.” Aldo Druda, Host of "Emotion Blues" on CFID 103.7 FM, Acton Vale, Quebec, Canada
“Donna Greene’s album A Girl’s Gotta Have a Little Pleasure is as smooth as a good cup of coffee and as potent as a bourbon chaser.”
Leo Schumaker, Host of “Bluesland” on KCSB 91.9 FM Santa Barbara
www.leosbluesland.com
“What a voice, Madame. Some sweetness in a hard world. Thank you.” César Sezer, Host of "Biker Street" on Radio Coteaux, St. Blancard, France
“The weather is sad today but your voice has brought the sun to me.” Michel Filiod, Host of "Boomerang" on Radio Canut, Lyon, France
“Donna Greene's singing voice is so romantic sounding so good, with a little bit of jazz in it. This is a voice that suits the music on “A Girls’ Gotta Have a Little Pleasure” perfectly. The album brings to my mind the feel of those late night concerts in steamy jazz clubs you can see in the movies... The rhythm is tight, horn riffs are punchy and guitar fills are always tasty.” Przemek Draheim, Polish Blues Radio Host, www.blues.pl/draheim
“Wow, what a bluesy, soulful, swingin’ set of jazz-tinged, horn-powered songs. The entire CD just blew me away! If I had three thumbs, I’d give it three thumbs up.” Jimmy C., Blues Musician
“The hearty-voiced and expressively bluesy Donna Greene, “Lady Blue,” and her Roadhouse Daddies are a barrel of fun, much in the same vein as the popular, contemporaneous Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. Greene’s small combo music, as Smith’s, is a throwback to an era (the Great Depression and World War II) when one often looked for joyful diversions from everyday life where one could find them. Music of the time — via radio, records as well as in-person performances — played a large role in serving that purpose. Reflectively so, if you enjoy the vocal styles of Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee and the later-day Etta James, you are bound to find an affinity in that of Greene with her Roadhouse Daddies.” Russell Arthur Roberts, Jazz Journalist
“According to accounts, the US/American Donna Greene broke out of her protected middle class existence and became ‘Lady Blue,’ a woman who decided on a life as a singer and found, with a shot of sexy playfulness in her voice, a musical home in blues and jazz. Now she presents A Girl's Gotta Have A Little Pleasure a debut album, whose song material has clear roots in the forties of the last century. She is accompanied by the Roadhouse Daddies, high-caliber instrumentalists from the California music scene under the direction of guitarist Greg Loeb, with whom together with Greene, is responsible for writing two of the total of twelve tracks of the CD. Musically the songs offer a mix from ballads and swing tunes to the arranged uptempo numbers which come with full horn sections. The fact that Billie Holiday is, among others, one of her models becomes clear, as Greene performs the titles "Comes Love" and "Lover Man." But R&B classics, like the Ray Charles number ‘Mess Around,’ also belong to her repertoire. And at the end there is a live version of the jazz standard ‘Autumn Leaves’ which the Lady performs merely with the accompaniment of Loeb's guitar.”
Michael Seiz, BluesNews Magazine November 2008 (Germany)
