Dayna Kurtz began performing her original compositions in public as a teenager, and subsequently spent the better part of a decade touring solo across the back roads of America, selling CDs out of her trunk and mesmerizing club and festival crowds with her riveting live performances. Along the way, she opened shows for the likes of Richie Havens, Rufus Wainwright, Antony & the Johnsons, and Keren Ann. Additionally, Dayna has won over fellow “Living Room” habitué Norah Jones, who sings a duet with Dayna on “I Got It Bad…” (from Beautiful Yesterday).

2012 sees her simultaneously releasing two contrasting yet equally authentic albums. The first, ‘American Standard’, is both covers and original pieces of ‘American roots music’ from the traditions of rock ‘n’ roll and country. Half of the album was recorded with her live band – long-time drummer/co-producer Randy Crafton, Dave Richards on upright bass and Peter Vitalone on piano and organ at analogue studio Kaleidoscope Sound in New Jersey. The remainder was cut with Sun Records rockabilly Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers at Ardent Studios, Memphis, and with The Nightcrawlers in New Orleans.

 The second album, ‘Secret Canon, Vol. 1’ is, in her own words, the outcome of her lifelong love of smoky mid-century chanteuse records from the R&B and jazz bins. The album is predominantly one of interpretations, covering songs originally performed by Nat ‘King’ Cole and Boston vocal group, The Blenders. All but one of the tracks were recorded in New Jersey with Kurtz’s longstanding live band. For ‘Not the Only Fool in Town’ – the original composition on the album – Dayna travelled to New Orleans to record with George Porter Jr., legendary bassist of the seminal funk combo The Meters, and Crescent City piano master David Torkanowsky.