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Biography
BLP sources|date=June 2011Use dmy dates|date=March 2011Infobox musical artist|name = Virgil Donati|image =|caption =|image_size = 200|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist|birth_name =|birth_date = Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|10|22|birth_place = Melbourne , Australia |instrument = Drum kit|Drums , Keyboard instrument|keyboards |genre = Instrumental rock , progressive metal , jazz / jazz fusion|fusion |years_active = 1972–present|associated_acts = Planet X (band)|Planet X , Seven the Hardway , Steve Vai , Southern Sons , Derek Sherinian , Tribal Tech , Michel Polnareff , Soul SirkUS , Scott Henderson , Tony MacAlpine |website = http://www.virgildonati.com/ virgildonati.com Virgil Donati (born 22 October 1958) is an Australian drummer , frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X (band)|Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills. He holds the drum sticks in the Traditional grip|traditional style and is also proficient at the Keyboard instrument|keyboard .
Biography
Virgil Donati was born on 22 October 1958 in Melbourne , Australia of Italian people|Italian descent.cite web|url= http://www.drumlessons.com/drummers/virgil-donati/|title=Virgil Donati Biography, Videos & Pictures|accessdate=29 May 2011|publisher=drumlessons.com He got his first drumset at age 2. http://www.virgildonati.com/about_biography.php Virgildonati.com He started playing soon after with his father's showband, and kept on doing these shows until he was around 6 years old.
He joined his first major rock band and signed with his first major record label at the age of 15. The band was first called Cloud Nine , but was later renamed Taste, with whom he recorded 3 albums.cite web|archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20040809222206/www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp? articleid=710|url= http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp? articleid=710|title=Encyclopedia entry for 'Taste'|publisher=Worldwide Home of Australasian Music and More Online|accessdate=29 May 2011|archivedate=9 August 2004 Soon after at age 16, Donati left school focusing mainly on the drums, but also piano. At age 19 Donati travelled to the U.S. to study with Philly Joe Jones , and at Dick Groves School in Los Angeles . He also took lessons from snare drum specialist Murray Spivack.cite web|url= http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Virgil_Donati.html|publisher=Drummerworld|title=Virgil Donati|accessdate=29 May 2011
Donati returned to Australia at the age of 21 where his career finally took off. Playing jazz with Allan Zavod and Brian Brown, and rock with Peter Cupples' band,cite web|url= http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/southernsons.html|title=Southern Sons|publisher=passagen.se|accessdate=29 May 2011 he was a busy touring and session drummer in Australia. His own pop band, The State turned into Southern Sons , which led to Donati's first taste of international fame, with their self-titled debut selling multi-platinum and producing the international hit single 'Heart In Danger'.
During the 1980s Donati's drumming was a feature of the Melbourne-based jazz-rock fusion band 'Changes' (Virgil Donati Drums, Joe Chindamo Keyboards, Mark Domoney Guitar, Steve Hadley Bass, John Barrett Saxophone), which later became 'Loose Change' (a quartet - same lineup as 'Changes' minus Saxophone).
The big break came in 1995 where Donati's first solo album http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-vdstretch.php Stretch was released. In 1999 Donati released http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-otvsyi.php On The Virg: Serious Young Insects through Melbourne based record company http://www.vorticitymusic.com/www/4/1000902/displayproduct/1001258.html Vorticity Music.
In 2004, Donati was voted the no.1 clinician of the year by the readers of the popular drummer magazine, Modern Drummer .
In 1999, Ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian hired Virgil to play drums, and co-write on his debut solo record Planet X (album)|Planet X . The collaboration morphed into the metal-fusion band Planet X (band)|Planet X . Together they have released three studio albums; Universe (Planet X album)|Universe , MoonBabies , Quantum (album)|Quantum , and one live album, Live from Oz . Donati has also made numerous live appearances worldwide with jazz fusion|fusion leaders Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech .
In 2007, he toured with French superstar Michel Polnareff on his sold out comeback tour of France.
On 15 March 2007, his website Virgildonati.com exclusively launched a special 2-disc DVD digipak from his clinic in Stockholm during the Bass n' Drum festival of 2005.
In 2009, Donati returned to Australia for the first time in 4 years, playing on the Drumscene Live Tour along with Thomas Pridgen and Dom Famularo , as well as playing at the ''Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend in his hometown Melbourne .
These days, Donati lives and spends most of his time in the United States playing with a number of different bands. Donati was also one of seven drummers auditioned to replace Mike Portnoy in Dream Theater .
Donati is currently touring with guitarist Allan Holdsworth and bassist Jimmy Haslip , playing at various venues in the United States and Canada.
Famously independent and very strictly self-disciplined, Virgil has not had the time for a life outside music. In an interview with Modern Drummer magazine, the issue which came out in mid-1999, when asked about marriage, Virgil said, 'I think you have to be very strong to stick to your goals in life... So far I've resisted the choice of marriage and the many distractions they can bring.'
Influences
With his father's choice of records, including Louie Bellson and Buddy Rich albums, Donati quickly became a fan of those great jazz drummers, trying to emulate their solos. The first rock drummer to make a big impact on him was Ian Paice of Deep Purple . Donati was “blown away by his clarity and power”.
In an interview with Modern Drummer magazine, the issue of which came out in 1999, Donati prefers playing with traditional grip. He says, 'I decided that it's just how I wanted to play... There are times when, believe it or not, traditional grip feels better on my left hand than on my right... Traditional grip doesn't limit me in any way. That said, I would not necessarily recommend traditional grip. It is a far more difficult grip to get used to and to develop power with. Any student serious about learning this instrument would be better off focusing on matched. Still, because it's not used very much today, traditional grip seems to be more hip.'
In the same article, he speaks about his approach to playing double beats per foot on the kick drum, saying that playing single strokes on the double bass 'has gotten a bit tired,' and so as of 1999, has managed to 'squeeze through' 200 beats per minute playing double beats on each foot. He has gone a long way since then.
Equipment
He Plays Pearl Drums , Sabian Cymbals, Remo Heads and Vater sticks
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-roforacle.php Ring Of Fire: The Oracle
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-roflive.php Ring Of Fire: Burning Live In Tokyo
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-rofdream.php Ring Of Fire: Dreamtower
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-roflor.php Ring Of Fire: Lapse Of Reality
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-soulsirkus.php Soul SirkUS: World Play
As session player
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jcsuperstar.php Jesus Christ Superstar: The Album
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jstevensays.php Jon Stevens: Are U Satisfied
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jstevenscirc.php Jon Stevens: Circle
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-ghgravity.php Garsed/Helmerich: Under The Lash Of Gravity
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-mtldrumfest.php Montreal Drumfest: Live
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-dsplanetx.php Derek Sherinian: Planet X
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-swglossolalia.php Steve Walsh: Glossolalia
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jhundefined.php Joel Hoekstra: Undefined
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-mbrof.php Mark Boals: Ring Of Fire
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jhmoon.php Joel Hoekstra: The Moon Is Falling
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-bblazoo.php Bunny Brunel: LA Zoo Revisited
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-enmm.php Erik Norlander: Music Machine
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-alfie.php Alfie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
http://www.virgildonati.com/discography/disc-jwvertigo.php Joseph Williams/Vertigo: 2
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cabband4 CAB: Live At The Baked Potato
http://www.sirmillardmulch.com Sir Millard Mulch: How to Sell the Whole Fucking Universe to Everybody... Once and for All
Videography
http://www.virgildonati.com/merch/dvd_stockholm.php Virgil Donati: Live in Stockholm
http://www.virgildonati.com/merch/ Visit Virgil's Online Store
References
reflist Planet XDerek Sherinian Persondata | NAME =Donati, Virgil | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =22 October 1958 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Melbourne , Australia | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Donati, Virgil Category:Australian people of Italian descent Category:Australian drummers Category:Living people Category:Soul SirkUS members Category:1958 births
