Diana Panton I Believe in Little Things

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As winner of the 2015 JUNO Award for Best Vocal Jazz Recording for her album, RED, along with a multitude of other accolades, Diana Panton is accustomed to the praise that comes with being recognized as one of Canada’s leading jazz vocalists.  With her first album for children and families, I Believe in Little Things,Diana Panton is ready to bring her special brand of sweet and sincere swinging elegance straight to the hearts of the young and old alike.

I Believe in Little Things is at once a carefully curated anthology of under-appreciated gems and a collection of classic children’s masterpieces from DIsney, Sesame Street, Willy Wonka, and more.

While the string that perfectly ties the album together is the authentic jazz sound and style of Diana Panton’s exquisite voice, the players all have stellar credentials of their own, starting with Order of Canada recipient Don Thompson’s splendid command of the piano, his tasteful mastery of the vibraphone, and his big, beautiful acoustic bass lines, not to mention the outstanding contribution of his musical arrangements.

In addition, the listener is treated to delightful cello artistry from internationally recognized Coenraad Bloemendal and superb playing from award-winning jazz guitarist Reg Schwager. This altogether extraordinary album should be part of every contemporary child’s experience.  Its polished delivery of wisely chosen lyrics and opulent creativity offer a respite of calm in an often-turbulent world.  The artistry of the performers is truly world class.

I Believe in Little Things establishes its tone with the beautiful, warm sound of “In a World of My Own” from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, as sung by Diana Panton in both English and French.  Coenraad Bloemendal’s lovely cello solo introduces the song “Alice in Wonderland,” also sung in English and French by Diana Panton, with wonderfully inventive jazz improvisation by pianist Don Thompson, who also contributes some solid bass playing to support guitarist Reg Schwager and cellist Coenraad Bloemendal.  Thompson and Schwager were members of The George Shearing Quartet, and Thompson’s arrangement of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka is straight out of the George Shearing playbook.

Since her debut release in 2005, Diana Panton’s career has predictably gathered incredible momentum. With seven critically acclaimed albums, Diana’s impressive catalog has garnered numerous honors, including the JUNO win for RED, two Silver Disc Awards in Japan, three prior JUNO nominations, eight Hamilton Music Awards, and a host of National Jazz Awards and Canadian and US Indie nominations.  She was a first place jury selection to perform at theJazz à Juan Révélations in France, where she was voted Premiere Dauphine by the Juan public.  Her albums have had Top 10 jazz chart success in Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.  Recently she was named one of Canada’s Top 5 Jazz Vocalists by CBC radio host Tim Tamashiro.

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I received a copy of this CD and the words that come to mind…are just simply beautiful music that young children will enjoy. Don’t miss this one!

I Believe in Little Things will be available in the U.S. from Amazon.com, Eastwind Imports, and iTunes.  In Canada, the album is available from Amazon.ca, iTunes.ca, and at retail locations such as HMV, Atelier Grigorian, and Archambault in Quebec.

Self Disclosure: I received a free CD to facilitate this post.

 

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