An award-winning singer and songwriter, Dan specializes in memorable melodies and witty, singable lyrics, and is always focussed on the needs of his clients. He's written several tunes for Disney's 'Jojo's Circus', as well as many original birthday, wedding, and other ephemera for private affairs. As children's performer Danna Banana he's Grand Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and sang at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio with Wyclef Jean. Named 'Best Party Entertainer' by New York Magazine in their current Best of New York issue (March 05), Mr. Banana has garnered raves everywhere from the NY Post to the LA Times. His (second) album Daddy-O! was a recent 'Pick of the Month' in Parenting Magazine '. See website http//:dannabanana.com for more. Dan is also a trained opera singer (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) and can sing the alphabet backwards. Pretty fast. Need a tune? Dan's the man.

Bio

John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize winner looking for up and coming performers or film projects. As Danna Banana, I’ve written/performed/produced two highly acclaimed children's albums (Bananappeal and Daddy-O!), but I write in all styles. Have placed songs with Nickelodeon, Mariah Carey (didn’t make the record- too bad for her!). Honored at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Attended 2003 2NMC conference in Nashville, GEMS 2004 in NYC. Need a tune? I'm your man.

Tracks so accomplished, you'd swear they were already children's classics — which they certainly deserve to be."
- Moira McCormick, Family Fun Magazine, May 2002

"raucous, clever songs that engage child and parent alike. No monotonous, gooey 'I love you/you love me' drivel."
- Tom Dunphy, Bergen Record (NJ), April 2002


Originally trained as an opera singer, Cohen travelled the country performing as a baritone with leading American companies such as Eugene Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, San Francisco's Pocket Opera and Sacramento Symphony. His diverse repertoire included Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Escamillo in Carmen and Germont in La Traviata. A veteran of musical theater, Cohen won raves for his work in The Mikado and South Pacific before turning his hand to writing.

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Press Info

Dan Cohen
Banana Productions
350 Fifth Ave #1413
New York, NY 10118
212-947-6035

happy to provide samples of work, t-shirts, and fine, wild-crafted Kazoos...

Influences

Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Louis Jordan, Al Green, Bryan Ferry, Tom Lehrer, Leonard Bernstein, Billy Wilder, Ralph Kramden, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin.