Donovan Banzana

Donovan Dowaine Francis accepted his higher power from a youth growing up in Jeffrey Town in the parish of St. Mary, Jamaica. His life force dwells in the spiritual light. His parents faithfully upheld his religious foundation throughout his childhood and gave him an everlasting understanding that God must be in his life. Donovan was raised in the church. His father was a preacher of with extra ordinary eloquence and his mother was a gifted choir leader. He used to go to choir practice with my mother. He remember that huge organ and that music was always playing. The choir was tight and properly orchestrated. His inspiration comes from there. He stayed in the church until I was about fifteen, which was when a friend gave him a Dennis Brown cassette and introduced him to Reggae music. Later he started listening to Sugar Minott, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Ini Kamoze, Black Uhuru and the Heptones, which was another inspiration for him. Then he started writing songs. He was always good at composition. Things elevated from that point. He learned the words and the melodies. Music has always been a natural thing for him.

Donovan Banzana smooth vocals were released for the world to enjoy by some of the best producers. Peter Turner produced Wrong or Right (One World Records/Greensleeves) Banzanas first chartbuster hit single, number one on the European club charts and number 35 on the British Top 200 Charts. To his writing credits he wrote and produced Serious Man featured in the Israeli documentary Israel Serious and New York for the HBO documentary Real Sex 5. He has such esteemed motion picture soundtrack credits as: Crazy Daisy I Love You to Death and Evil Eyes The Lunatic. Extraordinary performances and awe-inspiring stage presence has presented Banzana opportunities to open for the 25 European City Tour (Summer 2004) featuring Ini Kamoze. 36 cities (North America) Universal Message Tour (2003) with Anthony B., Donovan also performed with such musical superstars as: James Brown at the Strasburg Summer Festival and the Lorely Music Festival in Germany, Steel Pulse at the Orange Bowl in San Diego and performed at the Bob Marley Day Festival in Long Beach, California, the Hammersmith Odeon in England, the European Summer Festivals and toured with Sly and Robbie and the Taxi Gang. With the completion of his album, Banzana is very busy. He started his 2005 tour headlining the One Love World Peace Jamaica Independence Day Celebration in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (August 6, 2005). He also participated in the Marcus Garvey Birthday Celebration in front of the United Negro Improvement Association Headquarters in Philadelphia, where he delivered an awe aspiring performance for the attendees on hand. New York City saw Banzana giving a stellar performance at the Irie Jamboree Concert 2005 the largest and most attended concert for 2005 in New York, sharing center stage with Damian Junior Gong Marley, Sizzla Kalonjie, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Sanchez, Richie Spice, and Barrington Levy.



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