Hey, this photo is © Dana Tupinambá

Biography

D ana Tupinambá is a guitarist, singer/songwriter, composer, vihuelist and a music teacher from Košice, Slovakia, currently living in Vienna, Austria. Dana’s music has been described as beautifully ethereal and atmospheric, touching the hearts of many. Critics and fans, fond of her music, describe her style as very inventive, magical, remarkable, haunting, and very delicate. She has two albums with her original songs and compositions out: RAIN OF PEACE (2006) and LEAF (2012).

Dana comes from an artistic family, and she fell in love with music and poetry since her childhood, devoting herself to a variety of musical styles such as Early, Baroque and classical music, Folk, Brazilian and Portuguese music, Celtic and British folk, Slavic choral music, Jazz, Psychedelic Rock and Blues where she finds the inspirations for her music and songwriting.

She began playing guitar, piano and recorder as a child, sang in a choir, studied at the Conservatory of Košice (1991-1997), and then moved on to musical studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts of Vienna (2006, Master of Arts) and Escola Superior de Música of Lisbon (2002, Erasmus Scholarship).

A classically trained musician/guitarist, Dana also plays other musical instruments: vihuela, piano, recorder, percussion, glockenspiel, electric bass, and organ. She composes and arranges her music for a variety of different instruments (violoncello, viola da gamba, string trio, string quartet, oboe, trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophone, flute, recorder, harmonica, bass, glockenspiel, celeste, fender rhodes, harpsichord, organ, vocal choir, etc.) and composes her solo pieces mostly for guitar, piano and organ.

In her poetic lyrics, Dana draws inspiration and explores deep themes such as love, friendship, loss, death, sadness, the joy of life, adventure, elements of nature, and life moments. Many of her songs and compositions draw inspiration from the places and mountains she walked through, by historical events, people, films, or by musicians and artists she deeply admires. Dana, a polyglot, writes her songs mostly in English and Portuguese or in an inventive fantasy language.

Her two released albums: RAIN OF PEACE (2006) and LEAF (2012), gained acclaimed critics from all over the world. Rain of Peace, nominated among the 10 Top albums of 2006 in Austrian Magazine Kulturwoche and Leaf for the best album of 2012 for the Esprit Jazz Award in Slovakia. Dana creates a very atmospheric soundscape with her music, exploring a diverse range of possibilities of her two guitars (steel and nylon string) and of her delicate voice.

Some of Dana’s quotes:

“Music has a special power to transform intense moments of life into a true message of soul. Music, the voice of nature, is a magical way of communication between the hearts of all us.”

“Music and art have always been an important companion on my road since my childhood, where I could experience some very intense moments of spiritual beauty and inner freedom.”

“The moment of creativity is always a great adventure, where intuition drives me to experience mystical moments, achieving the profound states of being.”

Press Reviews:

“Dana Tupinambá is a naturally gifted singer/songwriter with the ability to turn a phrase or lyric if you will on a dime and take you in a totally different direction then one thought possible. Contemporary yet eclectic. Organic yet with well-placed pop sensibilities has the release has major cross over potential. A performing artist seeking that lost chord, a sonic awareness and most importantly, finding that musical spirituality that dells within us all. A magnificent release. (Brent Black)” – Critical Jazz, USA

“Leaf” is the latest release from singer-songwriter, Dana Tupinamba and a remarkable album it is too. Songwriting in your own language is difficult enough, writing in a number of languages well worthy of mention, particularly when you make the album sound complete, not a collection of disparate songs. My personal favourite is the Nick Drake tribute, “Song For Nick”, but this is an album that seems to have something for everyone, it really is an album that encompasses the spirit of world music. (Neil King) – FATEA Magazine, England UK

“A haunting, wordless vocal, guitar and cello open “Leaf” by Dana Tupinambá, whose new album manages to be restful, mysterious and enlightening all at once. She is a guitarist of fluency too, with a lovely voice, and the songs here seem to drift through nature in a very attractive way. Recorded with skill and commitment over two to three years, this album is a must for world music fans, those who veer towards the new age section but dislike the sickly sentimentality of most of that genre, or who just want something of depth and grace. Very good indeed. (Simon Lewis)” – TERRASCOPE, Enland UK

“Recorded in several countries, this album also has something of a few different inspirations. In the first half we have at least two songs, which show Dana’s open vision and intuitive feeling for the right track on love and life energy, improvising a bit, with wonderful guitar and voice. With her band she improvises with her guitar work, there’s a bit of jazz (flugelhorn, piano,..) in the improvisation and a tendency towards more Latin atmospheres. And then we have two English songs, which I think show an original sound of a songwriter. The inspirations given to Nick Drake in “Song For Nick” are like a personal letter to him, a tribute in the guitar work, some strings in the arrangements, this could almost reach him to beyond. The production is wonderful and the arrangements are well done. A fine album worth discovering. (Gerald Van Waes)” – PSYCHEDELIC FOLK, Belgium

Concerts/References: Konzerthaus Wien, Porgy&Bess, ClubFestival Wien, Festival Mujeres, Theater am Spittelberg, Open Air Festival Bratislava, Open Air Festival Poprad, Birdland, Ausser Jazzfrühling, Kulturzentrum Wolkenstein, Kulturschloss Traun, Spis Castle, Festival Moving Cultures, World Music Festival, Altstadtzauber Klagenfurt, Miles Smiles, Kunstgarten Graz, Haus der Musik St. Johann, Renaissance Schloss Breitungen, Café Tasso Berlin, WUK Wien, ORF, Radio Devin, Esprit Jazz Award Slovakia, Radio Educadora Bahia Brazil, Fatea Radio UK, MICA Austria, Akustik Gitarre Deutschland, Inpartmaint Japan etc.