Musician - Artist - Composer - Vocalist - Educator
Virtuoso Pianist, Keyboard, Organist and yes, even Accordions! Masterful technique, intricate arrangements and beautiful melodies... soul, style and substance... Providing musical enjoyment to the masses since the 1970's.
Considered a prodigy at an early age, Lorenzo Don has professional credits as artist, writer, musician and entertainer. He began his musical career as a child performer at age four, winning competitions while growing up in New Mexico, where he later continued to perform and work as an organist and high school theater and music teacher. Lorenzo was discovered by Bob Hope in the All American Collegiate “Catch a Rising Star” nationwide talent search. Winning first place in the competition earned him a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records as well as a university scholarship, which was awarded by Bob Hope and Dinah Shore. As a professional, improvisational artist his vast experience has earned him wide acclaim and appreciation from a diverse group of talents and individuals which include university professors, church pastors, producers, and Hollywood musicians and celebrities.
Check out his work history... Breathtaking!
Lorenzo's musical abilities and talent have mesmerized audiences on large and small stages worldwide. He has worked with top headlining artists at locations that include the Boston Garden, The Spectrum, The Forum, Universal Amphitheater, Dodger Stadium and Nassau Coliseum for over 80,000 fans. Lorenzo currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records by playing twelve synthesizer instruments at once to sound like an orchestra.
He has scored comedies and dramas for projects with Mark Medoff who is the 1980 Tony award winning playwright for “Children of a Lesser God”. He is the only piano player to date who has performed at both New York’s Catch a Rising Star and the world famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles AND he is the only piano player to play for two of comedy’s giants, Bob Hope and Andrew Dice Clay. He was the musical director for Andrew Dice Clay and toured with him as his pianist, arranger and composer from 1988-1994.
His musical gift is shared through his mastery of the following:
Arranger, singer, accompanist, accordionist, bi-lingual lyricist & music translator, composer of over 800 songs and scores, film and television scores, jingle writer, music director, educator, musical theatre director, studio musician, piano accompanist, singer-songwriter and poet.
He dazzles as a pianist, percussionist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist. Additionally he is an expert organist on both modern and vintage organs.
His 60 styles of music include: African, African Brazilian, Blues, Cuban, Christian and Gospel. Classical Chamber Music, Disco, Electronic, Fusion, Folk, Hip-Hop, Italian, Irish, Incidental, Jazz (vast variety), Jewish & Yiddish, Latin styles (vast variety), Rhythm & Blues, Rock en Espanõl, Reggae & Reggae Tone, Soul, Swing, Stride, Salsa, Techno, Theme Songs, World Music and many more styles of music too numerous to mention.
As a Musical Director, Lorenzo excels in understanding the vision and scope of a project.
His high standard of excellence assures each project he is involved in will be successful. From collaborating with the director in auditioning the cast to working with the choreographer in rehearsing musical numbers, Lorenzo’s talent traverses vocal coaching, arranging and directing musical numbers, rehearsing artists, conducting small ensembles to large orchestra’s, and piano accompanist. All musical events, large and small, are within his purview of training, experience and expertise.
As a musician, there is none better in the business than Lorenzo Don.
He can “hang” with the best of the best and he brings an uncanny ability and talent to lead… or follow, depending on the needs of the gig. His knowledge of music theory, composition and arrangement coupled with his extraordinary technique in piano, keyboards/synthesizers, percussion and organs plus his heightened musical intuition, make him the “go to” person on stage, in studio or for any number of musical events. He is such a well-versed musician that he can be asked, at a moment’s notice, to take a composition or arrangement from mediocre to great and one that is great to breathtaking.
Performing, composing or interpreting original or selected compositions, Lorenzo brings undefined colors, textures and translations to his musicianship.
This aspect of musicianship is something that cannot be learned but is a gift; his passion and his artistry. He conveys ideas, thoughts and concepts through music that moves the listener to laughter, tears and moments of awe. Lorenzo is very comfortable as an artist; so much so, that his creativity and temperament are always steady, clear and thoughtful, even under the greatest of pressure. As an artist Lorenzo understands the responsibility he has to the audience, studio or musical event and is able to ensure that the message, in each piece of music, is reached to a level of universal understanding and excellence.
Lorenzo loves to teach.
He understands that among all his gifts, being an educator is the highest of honors. From little ones who only can bang a drum, to tweens and teens who want to learn rock n roll, to seasoned adults who need guidance in the fine arts, and all the levels in between, Lorenzo is a master teacher. Privately, in groups or master classes, because he has been taught by the best, he teaches in a fun yet serious manner that lifts the student and encourages greatness.
A veritable list of who's who in music and comedic history... incredible!
Shared Stage with as an Artist/Musician.
Worked directly under Mitzi Shore at the Comedy Store as host, piano player, singer-songwriter and accompanist /1988-2002. Below is a list of some of the comedians and entertainers he's worked with.
Lorenzo Believes in Giving Back...
Giving back to the community is close to Lorenzo’s heart. He humbly and graciously accepts requests from selected non-profits to oversee and personally entertain at fundraisers, and to share his talents to benefit those less fortunate and/or those that have made and continue to make great sacrifices serving our nation. It has been, and continues to be, an honor for him to have performed for Bob Hope’s USO Tour, The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, and The Comedy Store’s MDA Benefit honoring Jerry Lewis to mention a few. He aspires to continually add to this list of great causes.
USO
United Service Organizations
Since 1982, Lorenzo has traveled the world: from Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, to various islands in the Pacific and throughout the United States. He has ensured that our service personnel feel appreciated and cared for by his volunteerism with the USO. Bob Hope asked him personally to participate and Lorenzo never looked back. He has performed in over 100 shows, frequently for audiences of over 100,000! He continues to honor our country by entertaining our troops with his warm and engaging talent and personality.
The Mohammed Ali
Parkinson Center
After working with Mohammed Ali’s daughter, Maryum “May May” Ali at The Comedy Store, Lorenzo was asked by her to perform on two of her rap albums. She was so impressed with his talent and passion she felt he would be the perfect entertainer for her father’s Parkinson Center. Lorenzo has graced the stage on many occasions to raise awareness and funds to support Parkinson’s disease research.
MDA Benefit honoring
Jerry Lewis
While performing on a USO show, Lorenzo was asked if he would participate, and then became the musical director for The Comedy Store’s benefit honoring Jerry Lewis. Having worked with many comedians throughout his career, and having a deep respect for the work of Lewis as both a comedian and philanthropist, Lorenzo immediately volunteered his time and talent to ensure that Jerry would be honored properly and MDA would benefit from his efforts.
Mujeres In Action
Women In Action
Non Profit organization for the emotional support and personal development of women.
Piano, Vocals, Keyboards/Synthesizers, Organ, or Accordion. Studio sessions or live recordings, performances, private events. You can always rely on Lorenzo Don to deliver the most professional performances… every time, every place.
Having had a multitude of years and experience as a musical director, you can be assured Lorenzo Don will meet all of the challenges of professional, college and high school requirements that are needed for top quality productions and all aspects of stage, television and film production for music, in an organized, efficient professional manner.
Lorenzo Don continually has music in his head…he is truly a master musician. Through this gift he can compose and arrange for a variety of single instruments, duos, ensembles to full orchestra. Whatever your instrumentation or composition arrangements may be, he can work alone or with you in creating the sound that you need to accomplish your goals.
From television shows, theatre productions, jingles, classical music to pop, Lorenzo can create the music and words, the music or words alone needed to convey the mood, message and meaning for your project. He has over 800 original songs and composition in his library and has worked with artists over all the world.
Having taught music and drama at elementary, high schools and colleges, Lorenzo has a high success rate with students of all ages. His private lessons are focused with personalized lesson plans that adapt to the individual student’s needs. Always fun and entertaining, he creates a value-filled environment for students and adults alike.
Lorenzo has an extensive resume of artists he has opened for, played with and accompanied. He has shared the stage with entertainers, musicians, actors and comedians. His extensive resume of songwriting credits, over 800 original pieces in varied music genres, allows his genius to write and play songs, which he has done, for television shows, theatre productions, commercial jingles and more.
"Music speaks directly to the human spirit and elevates the human condition as it's vibrations reverbverate across the Universe" - Unknown.
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