I'm big on sensitivity, so right off the bat vocalist Diana Panton had me with the first notes of her new album—Soft Winds and Roses (SRG). Her last recording, Blue (2022), was a mood work reflecting hard emotional times. On this one, the songs chosen have a gentle, talcum-soft feel that exposes her cheery side. Back with Diana is her equally sensitive duo: Reg Schwager on guitar and Don Thompson on piano, vibes and bass.
What I also love about Diana's voice is how moved she is about music and that she clearly passes into a zone when singing. I know because I wind up there myself when I'm writing. I don't hear anything or see anything, and hours can pass as if the time elapsed had just been minutes. When Diana sings, she's swept up by her focus and artistic expression, and nothing else matters. [Photo above of Diana Panton]
Best of all, there's a tenderness about her phrasing, a child-like innocence and wonderment about the world around her. It's her delight with simplicity and little things that enrich her approach. You're pulled in because her bewilderment feels so familiar. [Photo above of Don Thompson]
I must say, I took a minute when I saw her song list on the jacket. I wasn't quite following the connection between the 14 tracks or why You and I was sharing space with How Deep Is Your Love. Only when I listened to the album did I understand what Diana was striving to accomplish: All are tender, precious songs about love that could easily have been sung whispered. [Photo above of Reg Schwager]
The tracks:
- Your Song (Elton John/Bernie Taupin)
- (They Long to Be) Close to You (Burt Bacharach/Hal David)
- Secret Heart (Ronald Eldon Sexsmith)
- Sweet Happy Life (Luiz Bonfa/Norman Gimbel/Antonio Maria)
- A Wish (Valentine) (Fred Hersch/Norma Winstone)
- How Deep Is Your Love (Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb)
- Pussywillows, Cat-Tails (Gordon Lightfoot)
- Here, There and Everywhere (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
- You and I (Norman Gimbel/Vinicius de Moraes/Carlos Lyra)
- And I Love You So (Don McLean)
- Until It's Time for You to Go (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
- Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (Leonard Cohen)
- Snow (Randy Newman)
- Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell)
It's refreshing to hear these songs through Diana's perspective. Bernie Taupin's Your Song lyrics in Elton John's hands have a deliberate cockiness but with Diana, it's as if she's singing to a child. The same is true of all these songs, and the approach gives them a new personality and meaning. Gorgeous accompaniment by Don and Reg.
On Soft Winds and Roses, Diana, a two-time Juno winner in Canada, returns to a romantic style that captivates and intoxicates. With her voice, love is hopeful if you wish it so.
JazzWax tracks: Diana Panton's Soft Winds and Roses (SRG) can be heard on major streaming platforms or purchased here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Your Song...
Here's How Deep Is Your Love...
Here's Secret Heart...
And here's You and I (Vocé e Eu)...
