Dione Taylor hails from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Being a pastor’s daughter and raised in a family she describes as “really connected to the gift of song. My whole family sings in church and plays instruments and they are all great singers.” it’s no surprise she started playing organ quite early in her life and that music has become an important part of her life. While in high school she discovered the wonderful world of jazz music and with lots of talent and a little bit of luck Dione made a name for herself after relocating to Toronto in the Canadian jazz scene.
In 2004 she eventually released her debut album Open Your Eyes. Since I live in Europe it always takes a little time until we hear of good things from across the pond. Nevertheless Open Your Eyes will appear high in my best of chart for 2005, it’s that good. It’s released on the independent label Matay Records so I guess the release of this album might has escaped your knowledge as well.
Unlike most of her peers Dione’s brave enough not to rely on the tried and tested jazz standards or jazz covers of pop songs alone but she also includes four of her own compositions here. In that she can be compared to the early Carmen Lundy for example. Dione’s objective is to stay planted in her roots and to turn her eyes to the future at the same time. Thus she keeps jazz a living art.
Dione’s own Rollercoaster Man is a great starter for this album. Lingering between jazz and blues this a mature and deeper version for the discerned listener of the same issue Vivian Green sang about on Emotional Rollercoaster (although Dione obviously draw some musical inspiration from the old chestnut Fever). Alone is a very strong emotive ballad with Dione’s voice and Brian Dickinson on piano about feeling lonely amongst a crowd of people while longing for a loved one.
Hey Baby! is a fine swinging uptempo song while the title track Open Your Eyes slows down the pace giving Dione more room to play with her voice.
And then there are Dione’s felicitous versions of standards like Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You (I love Doug Riley’s organ solo on this one), I Fall In Love Too Easily or These Foolish Things.
To round things off Dione also did an inspiring version of the Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This). Her version of Freddie Mercury’s Love Of My Life wouldn’t be out of place on a Cassandra Wilson album.
On the whole Open Your Eyes is a very good showcase of Dione’s talent as singer and songwriter and with a second album already in production there will certainly be another highlight soon.

Tracklisting of Open Your Eyes: 1. Rollercoaster Man/ 2. Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You/ 3. Sweet Dreams/ 4. Alone/ 5. A Beautiful Friendship/ 6. Send One Your Love/ 7. I Fall In Love Too Easily/ 8. Love Of My Love/ 9. Hey Baby!/ 10. I’ve Got The World On A String/ 11. These Foolish Things/ 12. Open Your Eyes/ 13. But Not For Me | released 2004 Soular Productions/ Matay Records

For more infos visit dionetaylor.com and cdbaby.com.

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