A Chicago-born beauty, saxophonist, pianist and gifted songwriter who leads her own dynamic band.
As the youngest of seven, D-Erania grew up listening to her siblings play music by artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and George Clinton. Yet, her earliest influence is her mother, who is a traditional gospel vocalist and musician. “I have very fond memories of my Mother playing the piano or organ, and singing gospel songs to me as a child”, she says. “I’ve been singing and playing piano by ear since the age of three.”
Later, her brother’s abandoned alto-saxophone became her next musical interest. “I remember hearing Wayne Shorter for the first time. I was seventeen and it was at that moment I decided that I wanted to also play saxophone. After a few years of ‘tinkering around’ on the sax, I started going out to jazz clubs, to sit-in with bands doing open mics.”
In the late 90’s, D-Erania began gigging and traveling with various Jazz and R&B bands. She’s performed in Asia, Australia, Europe, Canada and Mexico. When she wasn’t traveling, she could be found in church playing the organ.
Still, D-Erania longed to have her own band and to put her songwriting skills to work. “After touring I just wanted to come back to Chicago to focus on creating and performing my own original music.” In Spring of 2000, D-Erania put together her own band performing live in and around Chicago, quickly becoming one of Chicago’s premier Independent Artists. In 2005 she recorded her first CD, titled “D-Erania’s Offerings of Love”, which has received outstanding reviews and includes guest appearances from notable Chicago heavyweights, trumpeter, Orbert Davis and guitarist, Fareed Haque.
“Smooth, sensual saxophone soaring over a bed of warm keyboards and honey-dipped strings, deep-pocketed percussion, and a funky groove”, says Bob Davis, CEO of Soul-Patrol.com, to describe D-Erania’s style. Since 2012, D-Erania has been the featured artist & musical host for Chicago-land’s premier Soul-Food Restaurant, Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles located in Oak Park Il; and most recently for their newest Evanston location. Her popular Jazz Set, “D-Erania & Friends” features D-Erania with a different band every weekend. Musicians are hand-selected by her and consist of the most talented, world-class and established musicians from Chicago. You will also find D-Erania currently working on her most recent musical project entitled, “Native Beauty”, which is an engaging tour-de-force of Jazz, Brazilian and soulful rhythms and free flowing melodies.
Fans call D-Erania the “goddess of sound” because she not only plays saxophone, piano and sings, but her music captivates audiences to the point of being nearly hypnotized. She can grab your attention and then take you someplace with her unique, soulful jazz. Heartfelt and imaginative, D-Erania’s music celebrates the richness of Black music; firmly rooted in the R&B tradition of the 70’s, her music is romantic and timeless, reflecting the spontaneity of jazz and the distinct vibe of today.
“I have been exclusively playing on my Sax Dakota Straight Alto, and I’m literally in love with it’s warm, honest & organic sound. I feel that it has truly become my signature sound.”
For more information about D-Erania, visit www.d-erania.com or the D-Erania FaceBook Fan Page. Her CD can be purchased on amazon.com & cdbaby.com.
D-Erania has been recognized as an affluent multi-instrumentalist, performer & song-writer, and has been endorsed by Sax Dakota USA as their first “Chicago Lady of Dakota”.
Contact D-Erania at: [email protected]
