Influences & Repertoire
Since learning to play the piano at age 6 Dapaul's influences are many. The following artists have contributed in shaping his appreciation of music and repertoire: Art Tatum, Horace Silver, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole, George Shearing, Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, George Duke, Bill Evans, Billy Taylor, Monty Alexander, Billy Preston, Richard Smallwood, Thomas Whitefield, Hawkins Family, Winans, Andre Crouch, James Cleveland, Sly and the Family Stone, Commisioned, Larry Graham, Jaco Pastorius, Quincy Jones, Ramsey Lewis, Take Six, Don Blackmon, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis Jnr, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone, James Brown, Frankie Beverly, Chaka Khan, K-Ci & JoJo, Heatwave, El Debarge, Kenny Lattimore, Monica, Lauren Hill, Al Green, Roxy Music, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Barry White, Anita Baker, Eric Clapton, Michael Bolton, Aaron Neville, Van Morrison, Righteous Brothers, Mary J. Blige, The Stylistics, Journey, Sting, Isley Brothers, Kenny Lattimore, Rod Stewart, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, All-4-One, ForeignerBebe & Cece, Taylor Dayne, The Jackson 5, R. Kelly, Bob Marley, The Temptations. DaPaul performs Jazz/Blues/ Motown/Stax/Atlantic classics by artists such as Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone, James Brown, Frankie Beverly and many more old-skool/rare groove songs from the 60's, 70's and 80's. His piano/vocal style is unique and versatile due to his experiences of gospel/jazz/pop music from an early age. Working professionally in the pop music industry since 1990 has given DaPaul vast experience in performing to a variety of audiences internationally.
SONG REQUESTS
Requests are very welcome, I will always do my best to honour a request from you or your guests on the day of the performance. However, if you really, really want to hear a particular song during my performance there's only one way to guarantee hearing it, and that's to request it well in advance. This means I have time to learn it (if not previously known to me) and really do it justice. Most people have songs which really mean a lot to them so please do mention these to me when booking!
These are some of the favourite songs I have had the pleasure of performing over the years.
DaPaul
MOTOWN / STAX / ATLANTIC SOUL
1.Brick House - The Commodores
2.Three Times A Lady – Lionel Richie
3.Treat Her like A Lady – The Temptations
4.PaPa Was A Rolling Stone – The Temptations
5.Sail On – The Commodores
6.You Cant Hurry Love - The Supremes
7.You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
8.I Hear A Symphony - The Isley Brothers
9.For The Love Of You – The Isley Brothers
10.I’m a Road Runner - Jr Walker
11.Dancing In The Street - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
12.Too High – Stevie Wonder
13.Rock Creek Park Blackbyrds
14.Human Nature – Michael Jackson
15.Crusin – Smokey Robinson
16.How Sweet it Is To Be Loved By You – Marvin Gaye
17.Cloud Nine – The Temptations
18.Dancing in the Street – Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
19.I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
20.It Takes Two – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
21.Your Precious Love – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
22.Hard To Handle - Otis Redding
23.Got To Give it Up – Marvin Gaye
24.Treat Her Like A Lady – The Temptations
25.Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
26.Uptight – Stevie Wonder
27.Easy – Lionel Richie
28. Harvest For The World – Isley Brothers
29.You Are Everything - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross
30.Stop Look Listen To Your Heart
31.I Was Made To Love Her – Stevie Wonder
32.Use Me – Bill Withers
33.Lovely Day – Bill Withers
34.What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
35.Joy and Pain – Frankie Beverley
36.Let's Get It On – Marvin Gaye
37.Love Machine - The Miracles
38. Reach Out - The Four Tops
39. Higher and Higher - Jackie Wilson
40. Superstition - Stevie Wonder
41. It's The Same Ole Song - The Four Top
42. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations
43. Sugar Pie Honey Bunch - The Temptations
44. You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins
GOSPEL / INSPIRATIONAL
1.Come By Here – Spiritual
2.Hush – Spiritual
3.Wade in The Water – Spiritual
4.I Don’t Feel No Way’s Tired - Spiritual
5.Lean On Me – Bill Withers
6.People Get Ready – Curtis Mayfield
7.Change – Hawkins
8.Every Man Wants To Be Free - Hawkins
9.His Eye Is On The Sparrow – Charles H. Gabriel and Civilla D. Martin.
10.Amazing Grace – John Newton
11.Peace Be Still – Rev Cleveland
12.Soon And Very Soon – Andre Crouch
13.I Love The Lord – Richard Smallwood
14. Jesus Christ Is The Way – Hawkins
15.Hold Me - Thomas Whitefield
16.Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
17. Another Day – Winans
18. Restoration – Winans
19.Psalms and Melodies – Thomas Whitefield
20.Until My Change Come - Comissioned
21.Total Praise – Richard Smallwood
22.Highyway – Tramaine Hawkins
23.When God Is In The Building – The Anointed Pace Sisters
24.The Reason Why I Sing – Kirk Franklin
25.Cheer Up – Tramaine Hawkins
26.Angels Watching Over Me – Richard Smallwood
27.I Try – Tramaine Hawkins
28.Oh I Feel Jesus – Hezekiah Walker
29.Goin’ Up Yonder – Ruben Studdard
FUNK / RARE GROOVES
1.Boogie Nights – Heatwave
2.Groove Line – Heatwave
3.Think Back And Remember – Jeff Lorber
4.Say Love – Jeff Lorber
5.What You Won't Do for Love – Bobby Caldwell
6.Who Do You Love – Lenny White
7.Come Live With Me Angel – Marvin Gaye
8.After the Dance – Marvin Gaye/ El Debarge
9.Friends - Shalamar
10.Hold Me Tighter In The Rain – Billy Griffin
11.Cloud Nine – The Temptations
12.Oustanding – The Gap Band
13.Tell Me Something Good – Chaka Khan
14.Sounds Like a Love Song – Phyllis Hyman
15.A Song For You – Donny Hathaway
16.If You Want Me To Stay – Sly Stone
17.Rock You Eternally - Leon Ware
18.Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway
19.What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
20.I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
21.Send One Your Love – Stevie Wonder
22.Off The Wall – Micheal Jackson
23.Rock With You – Michael Jackson
24.Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
25.Workin' Day and Night - Jackson
26.She's Out Of My Life - Michael Jackson
27.I Can't Help It - Michael Jackson
28.It's the Falling in Love – Michael Jackson
29.Burn This Disco Out - Michael Jackson
30.Stomp – Brothers Johnson
31. Me and Mrs Jones - Billy Paul
32. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
33. I Found Lovin'- Fatback Band
34. Love Train - O'Jays
35. Ladies Night - Kool And The Gang
36. Shake You Body Down - Jacksons
37. Get Down On It - Kool & The Gang
38. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder
POP / ROCK / R&B
1.Never Felt This Way - Brian McKnight
2.One Last Cry – Brian McKnight
3.Crazy Love – Van Morrison/Brian McKnight
4.No One's Gonna Love You - SOS Band
5.Spend My Life With You - Eric Benet & Tamia
6.Need You - Maurice White
7.You Bring Me Joy – Anita Baker
8.Gotta Find A Way – Frank McComb
9.There's Nothing Better Than Love - Gregory Hines & Luther
10.A House Is Not A Home – Luther Vandross
11.For You – Kenny Lattimore
12.Still In Love – Brian McKnight
13. All My Life - K-Ci & JoJo
14. Always And Forever – Heatwave
15. Everything - The Stylistics
16. Faithfully – Journey
17. Fields Of Gold – Sting
18. For The Love Of You - Isley Brothers
19. For You – Kenny Lattimore
20. Have I Told You Lately - Rod Stewart
21. How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You - Marvin Gaye
22. I Just Can't Stop Loving You - Michael Jackson
23. I Swear - All-4-One
24. I Want to Know What Love Is" – Foreigner
25. I.O.U. Me" - Bebe & Cece
26. I'll Always Love You" - Taylor Dayne
27. I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
28. Is This Love" - Bob Marley
29. My Girl" - The Temptations
30. On Bended Knee" - Boyz II Men
31. Ribbon In The Sky" - Stevie Wonder
32. Signed, Sealed, Delivered" - Stevie Wonder
33. Slave To Love" - Brian Ferry
34. Someone To Watch Over Me" – Sting
35. Spend My Life" - Eric Benet
36. Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
37. Suddenly" - Billy Ocean
38. Sweet Love" - Anita Baker
39. Sweet Thing" - Chaka Khan
40. Tell Me Something Good" - Chaka Khan
41. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
42. The Look Of Love" - Dusty Springfield
43. The One" - Lionel Richie
44. The Sweetest Thing" - Lauryn Hill
45. Three Times A Lady" - Commodores
46. Truly" - Lionel Richie
47. When A Man Loves A Woman" - Percy Sledge
48. With You I'm Born Again" - Billy Preston & Syreeta
49. Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
50. You Are My Lady" - Freddie Jackson
51. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" (Stevie Wonder
52. You Send Me" (Sam Cooke
53. You're All I Need To Get By" - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
54. I Belong To You" - Lenny Kravitz
55. If You Asked Me To - Patti Labelle
56. You Can Count On Me – Shalamar
57. We Both Need Each Other - Phyllis Hyman/Michael Henderson
58. Night Fever - Bee Gees
59. Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
JAZZ / BLUES
1.As Time Goes By
2.All the Things You Are
3.April In Paris
4.Autumn Leaves
5.Begin the Beguine
6.Broadway
7.A Child is Born
8.Cherokee
9.Come Rain Or Come Shine
10.Cry Me a River
11.Don't Get Around Much Anymore
12.Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me
13.Everytime We Say Goodbye
14.Fascinating Rhythm
15.Fly Me to the Moon
16.Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You
17.Girl From Ipanema
18.God Bless the Child
19.Green Dolphin Street
20.I Concentrate On You
21.I Get a Kick Out of You
22.I Got It Bad
23.I Got Rhythm
24.I Loves You Porgy
25.I Wish I Knew
26.In A Sentimental Mood
27.I've Got You Under My Skin
28.I'm In the Mood For Love
29.Lady is a Tramp
30.Let The Good Times Roll
31.Lover Man
32.Lush Life
33.Mack the Knife
34.Makin' Whoopee
35.Moody’s Mood For Love
36.Mood Indigo
37.Nature Boy
38.Nearness of You
39.My Favorite Things
40.Nice Work If You Can Get It
41.Night and Day
42.Night In Tunisia
43.Oh Lady Be Good
44.Old Devil Moon
45.September Song
46.Sophisticated Lady
47.Someday My Prince Will Come
48.Someone to Watch Over Me
49.Somewhere Over the Rainbow
50.Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
51.Stompin' At the Savoy
52.Stormy Weather
53.Strange Fruit
54.Sweet Georgia Brown
55.Take the a Train
56.Tenderly
57.Tea For Two
58.There is No Greater Love
59.There Will Never Be Another You
60.They Can't Take That Away From Me
61.This Masquerade
62.Unforgettable
63.Way You Look Tonight
64.Waltz For Debby
65.Very Thought of You
66.When I Fall In Love
67.Witchcraft
68.You Are Too Beautiful
69.You Make Me Feel So Young
DaPaul
