With a career spanning nearly two decades, multi award-winning vocalist Diana Panton has firmly established herself as one of the brightest lights in the international jazz scene. Known for her ethereal vocals, exceptional song selection, and emotive nuance, Panton’s latest album soft winds and roses, recorded with her longtime collaborators Don Thompson and Reg Schwager, represents both a fresh direction and a natural evolution in her musical journey.
For fans and critics alike, Panton’s ability to blend emotional depth with minimalist arrangements makes her a mainstay in contemporary jazz. And where Panton’s previous albums focused primarily on jazz standards from the 1930s to 1950s, soft winds and roses presents a distinctive take on modern classics composed from the 1960s onward. In it, Panton turns her attention to songs by renowned artists like The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, and Burt Bacharach.
The idea for this shift grew organically. “Through the years, I have recorded several compilations for the Asian market, and I was often asked to include a bonus track that was a bit more contemporary and well-known in that market,” Panton explains. As it turns out, “our trio had fun interpreting these modern songs through a jazz lens, so that was what planted the seed to do a whole album of songs composed from the 1960s onward.”
But while soft winds and roses features well-loved songs, it is more than a simple collection of covers. The song selections have been carefully curated to follow the emotional trajectory of a relationship—beginning with the delicate vulnerability of falling in love and concluding with reflection and heartache. Panton crafted this arc with intention: “I do tend to prefer an overarching theme to the listening experience. Since I knew Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’ would be final track, I liked the idea of starting with the infatuation of “rows and flows of angel hair”, proceeding through love and loss, and then closing with Joni’s song: reflecting that, even through all those ups and downs, ‘I really don’t know love at all’. So the last track basically summarizes the whole album narrative.” Though aware that listeners may not even notice the subtle emotional arc, Panton assures that these layers have been woven right into the music, for those who wish to experience the full journey.
The minimalist instrumentation on soft winds and roses – also deliberate – further highlights the emotional depth of the songs. Thompson, an Officer of the Order of Canada, plays piano, vibraphone, and bass; while Schwager, a Member of the Order of Canada, provides guitar. The trio’s approach has been finely tuned over the years, allowing the music to enhance Panton’s emotive vocals without overshadowing them. “This has almost become a signature sound for me,” Panton says. “We rarely discuss how we will record a tune in the studio – rather, Don listens to how I sing it, and then tailors the arrangement around the vocal.” The group’s intuitive interaction brings a distinct energy to the album: “We didn’t rehearse the songs as a trio before going into the studio – so what you hear on the recording is us playing these songs together for the first time. I think this brings a certain creative energy and vulnerability to the record.”
Among the album’s many highlights, Panton found particular resonance with Gordon Lightfoot’s “Pussywillows, Cat-Tails”. In fact, she titled the album after a lyric in the song. “It has really strong imagery, which I pictured as I was singing,” she explains. “This song is also a little less well-known, but has a very atmospheric mood.” Meanwhile, Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”, which stretched Panton vocally, “pulled something different out of my voice, which surprised me”.
Born and raised in Canada, Panton has been a fixture in the jazz world for decades, and so has gained a devoted local and international following. Her career took off with her 2005 debut album yesterday perhaps, which garnered immediate attention from jazz critics and audiences alike. Since then, she has earned two JUNO Awards – for RED in 2015 and I Believe in Little Things in 2017 – and has received multiple award nominations in Canada and abroad. Panton’s music has found an especially warm reception in Asia, where she has released several compilation albums. Yet despite this global reach, Panton remains grounded and often surprised by the ways her music connects with listeners. “My most popular songs on Spotify are almost always a surprise to me,” she laughs, noting that “most recently” it was “‘When You Wish Upon a Star’—I just didn’t realize that this song would resonate so strongly with so many people!” Also surprising Panton is how “A You’re Adorable” became an “internet sensation”, with the song accompanying countless home videos about people’s pets. “That was definitely not something I was expecting!” she smiles.
As she continues to evolve as an artist, Panton remains committed to bringing new life to songs that she loves – whether they hail from the golden era of jazz or more contemporary sources. Panton is partial to both types of song because she finds little difference in their emotional weight. “Great songs have universal themes which stand the test of time and reflect our humanity,” she notes. “Although we consider the songs of the ’30s to the ’50s the traditional stomping ground of jazz interpretations, those songs were also once the popular music of their day.’ In other words, the era is secondary. ”The most important thing (and greatest challenge) is to infuse yourself into a song – so I try to pick songs that I can believe in.”
And what if she were given the chance to duet with one of the original artists featured on her album? Panton is initially egalitarian, noting that she would be thrilled (and nervous) to work with any of them. If forced to pick just one, however, her selection is Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. “It would be very cool to sing with Ron. I have had the opportunity to watch him perform several times, and I really like the gentle honesty in his renditions,” she explains.
With soft winds and roses, Panton proves once again the validity of her abiding belief in the timelessness of great music. Her interpretations breathe new life into these classics, inviting listeners to experience – in new ways – all of the emotional nuances of each track. And as she continues to enchant her global audience by so effortlessly merging the past with the present, her voice — like that music she so loves – remains exquisitely, captivatingly ageless.
Order soft winds and roses here.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine, 2024
