About Me
Donato is a keyboard player and sound designer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Currently, he is a member of “Freddie and The Cannonballs”, band nominated for the 2024 Swiss Blues Awards. The band gained recognition by securing victory in the 2021 Swiss Blues Challenge, leading them to proudly represent Switzerland at the 2022 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where they reached the semi-finals, and at the 2023 European Blues Challenge in Chorzów. In 2025, the band was also featured in the Swiss Blues Awards.
Donato’s musical versatility extends beyond blues, encompassing projects such as “NextOne” (rock), and “Extempura” (experimental). In addition to his band affiliations, Donato actively engages as a featured artist in diverse studio projects, with recent collaborations including “Hus-Band” (classic rock), “My Beautiful Disorders” (pop), and “eXomind” (pop-rock).
Donato kicked off his musical journey at the age of six when he first tinkered with the keyboard. By eleven, he was already performing, setting the stage for a passion that would shape his life. In 2004, he joined the rock band “The Flag,” clocking in over 200 gigs in Switzerland and northeast Italy and recording five albums.
Current music interests
My setup
Hardware: Hammond Skx Pro with Leslie Tornado, Moog One 16, Arturia MatrixBrute, Korg Kronos II, Nord Electro 6D, Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61, Moog Theremini, Moog Theremin Etherware.
Software/DAW: Cubase 9 Artist, Ableton Live 10 Standard, Pure Data
VST/Plugins: Waves Diamond Bundle, Native Instruments Komplete 12 Ultimate Collectors Edition, Arturia V Collection 6, Heavyocity Collection, Soundiron (Ambius Prime, Antidrum Machine, Apocalypse Elements, Apocalypse Percussion Micro, Aztec Death Whistle, Elysium Harp, Emotional Piano, Glitch Hero, Mercury Boys Choir Micro, Mercury Elements, Motor Rhythms, Olympus Choir Micro, Olympus Elements, Requiem Light, Shudder, Sick1, Sick2, Sick3, Sick4, Sick5, Sick6, Theremin+, Voices of Gaia, Voices of Rage)
DISCOGRAPHY
2024 HOLD ON
FREDDIE AND THE CANNONBALLS
2023 INSIDE OUR MINDS
NEXTONE
2023 ENDLESS LOVE
MY BEAUTIFUL DISORDERS
2022 ALIVE
NEXTONE
2018 UNPLUG ME
EXOMIND
2014 PROVE D’ABBANDONO
CURRY DOO
2014 UNCHAINED
THE FLAG
2012 HANDS
THE FLAG
2010 BLOO
THE FLAG
2009 RULED BY APHRODITE
THE FLAG
2006 BLUE NORTHER
THE FLAG
COMPILATIONS AND STUDIO COLLABORATIONS
2011 MAI CHIUSO (1) OCCHIO, THE FLAG
The Worst aWkWords
2009 MX3 – VOL. 3, THE FLAG
Mx3
2009 BLUES TO BOP, THE FLAG
Blues to Bop