Diana Panton_to Brazil with Love

Each delightful track is an exquisitely manicured musical facet, set firmly in the Brazilian idiom and seamlessly sung in French and English by Panton. Her diaphanous vocal never insists and her high speed vibrato is like the beat of a hummingbird's heart - natural, untainted and pure.

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, Wholenote Magazine

Accolades

・2024 Vocal Album of the Year (Native DSD) for
　Excellence in DSD sound quality
・JUNO Best Vocal Jazz Nominee
・Canadian INDIES Award Nominee
・American Independent Music Awards Nominee
・Top Albums of the Year: Japan's Jazz Critique
　Magazine, Perlich Post, JAZZ.FM
・#1 for 8 weeks on Jazz Chart, China and
　Singapore
・Top 10 Jazz Chart for 12 weeks, Taiwan and
　Hong Kong
・Best Sellers in Brazilian Jazz, Amazon
　Canada and USA
・Most Wished for Albums, Amazon Japan
・Bestsellers Chart, in High-Res Audio,
　HDtracks, USA
・Top Hi-Res Female Vocalists Chart, HDtracks,
　USA
・2024 Album of the Year Nomination,
　Native DSD

Songs

1. samba saravah
2. this happy madness
3. the telephone song
4. manha de carnaval
5. so nice ♪
6. is it really you?
7. the night has a thousand eyes

8. dans mon île
9. felicidade
10. tu sais je vais t'aimer
11. dreamer ♪
12. and I love him ♪
13. fais comme l'oiseau
14. que reste-t-il de nos amours?

Personnel

Diana Panton - vocal
Maninho Costa - vocals, drums and percussion
Bill McBirnie - flute
Kiki Misumi - cello
Reg Schwager - guitar
Silas Silva - drums and percussion
Don Thompson - bass, piano and vibraphone

Acclaim

Diana's release, to Brazil with love (2011), is a tribute to the samba and bossa nova traditions of Brazil. The album features the most adventurous instrumentation to date. Maninho Costa and Silas Silva add Brazilian rhythms on drums and percussion, while Kiki Misumi on cello and Bill McBirnie on flute add colour and texture. Don and Reg are still the mainstay of the trio and provide delightful accompaniment and soloing throughout. The album appeared on a number of Best of 2011 lists, including those of Japan's Jazz Critique Magazine, Tim Perlich, JAZZ.FM's hosts Jaymz Bee and John Devenish. The album also ranked #1 for eight weeks on the jazz sales chart in Greater China and Singapore. All three of Diana's most recent albums appeared simultaneously on the Top Ten jazz sales chart for 12 weeks in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The album was nominated for a JUNO, a Canadian Independent Music Award and an American Independent Music Award.

If the expression "the art of interpretation" has ever applied, then it does here. Expressiveness, paired with a voice that is nuanced with top notch jazz inflections, gives us a vocalist that ranks among the greatest young chanteuses of our time.

Volker Doberstein, tonart magazine, Germany

The mood is consistently light, refined and even dreamy. Tracks are coloured by discrete percussion, the shimmer of Don Thompson’s vibes and on occasion, Bill McBirnie’s fleet flute or Kiki Misumi’s cello. Some might discount music as easy on the ears as this as insubstantial, but the depth of Panton’s craft and authentic delivery, as well as the unerring and very much substantial playing by Schwager and Thompson (who does triple duty as only he can, playing bass, piano and vibes) argue against that.

Peter Hum, Killing me softly (CD review), Ottawa Citizen
[Read the full review]

Panton does, indeed, have a delightfully sweet (though never cloying) sound, a tonal purity that is arrestingly beautiful.

Christopher Loudin, JazzTimes Magazine
[Read the full review]

There are very few Canadian artists who fall under the category “Deserving Of Wider Recognition” more than vocalist/composer Diana Panton. Her three previous releases have all been wonderfully musical delights and To Brazil With Love is no exception.

John Sharpe, (CD Reviews: Hot Indies), Scene Magazine
[Read the full review]

This has been a banner year for Hamilton-based jazz vocalist Diana Panton. The Juno-nominated songbird, though still currently holding onto her day job as a French teacher, has received offers to perform in places as far afield as Japan as she continues to attract a steadily growing coterie of fans and ongoing respect from the Canadian jazz music establishment.

Rod Nicholson, Scene Magazine
[Read the full review]

Rising Stars to Watch [...] the gloriously gifted Diana Panton has quietly developed into one of Canada's premiere jazz vocalists. Her latest release, the breezy To Brazil With Love (eOne) is a sweetly seductive swing through samba and bossa nova with a French twist that well shows Panton's impeccable sense of taste and control.

Tim Perlich, CBC Radio 3 webpage

Diana Panton's subtle near-whisper voice is a perfect fit for bossa-nova. Her music draws you naturally into the bossa-nova world. The simple and pure quality of her music, blended together with a sweet and wistful voice are a very enticing combination. Many pure and honest Brazilian bossa-nova singers come to mind, such as Nara Leao. Diana's voice has a purity in common with them. Her bossa-nova incites the carefree aura of youth and freedom.

Nobunari Takai, Jazz JAPAN

Have you ever thought to deem someone a great singer, simply because he/she appears to have the innate ability to sing bossa-nova tastefully? Music lovers with a special corner in their music library for such favorite albums, will definitely count Diana Panton's fourth release among them. Her music, sung in both English and French, has an elegant jazz touch that is noteworthy. Also, her sweet voice has that particular charm essential for bossa-nova jazz.

Kazutomi Aoki, Japan's CD Journal

Diana's interpretation of Jobim's "Tu sais je vais t'aimer" gives me the pleasant illusion that a new melody has been created on the original melody and it makes me want to listen to the song over and over - forever. Diana Panton's Bossa Nova songs are a delightful discovery for me.

Goro Ito, Japan
[Read the full review]

Pure and more infectious than ever, Diana Panton’s vocal performance on the new album is relaxing, enchanting and outstanding!

Ma Kei Fat, Hong Kong's Ming Pao Weekly

Diana Panton knows how to highlight the best qualities of her voice in order to make the most of her sweet, refreshing, yet penetrating sound. Nowhere is this more evident then when she sings her own original composition, Is It Really You.

Stanley Wai, Hong Kong's AV BI-Weekly

A versatile bossa nova album, Diana Panton’s very natural, spontaneous interpretations and soft voice make the listener feel content and warm. This audiophile recording is highly recommended.

Vitus, Hong Kong's Audio Technique Magazine

“To Brazil With Love” from vocalist/composer Diana Panton is a perfect jewel of a CD. Each delightful track is an exquisitely manicured musical facet, set firmly in the Brazilian idiom and seamlessly sung in French and English by Panton. Her diaphanous vocal sound never insists and her high speed vibrato is like the beat of a hummingbird’s heart – natural, untainted and pure.

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, WholeNote Magazine
[Read the full review]

What a genuine recording this is. Without any reverb or artificial components, this album truly presents Diana Panton’s beautiful voice and her music.

Hi- Fi Review, Hong Kong

Diana Panton is reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto, providing a breezy and relaxing interpretation of “Dreamer” which seems carefree and honest. Yet, this apparent simplicity is the result of Panton’s attention to pursuing perfection in every detail.

Xinmin News, Shanghai China

The lyrics are often sung in French, but I was so taken in by the vocals encased by the instruments that to me it made little difference, the lyrics were just notes. [...] A beautiful listen.

Robert Rusch, Papatamus, CADENCE Magazine

Canadian singer Diana Panton highlights the music of Brazil including Samba and Bossa Nova on the album To Brazil With Love. But she doesn’t stop there. The album also features Pop, French Chansons and Jazz songs sung in English and French. Nominated for an Independent Music Award, it highlights Panton’s vocals and some wonderful music.

2024 Album of the Year Nomination, Native DSD

This is a perfect jewel of an album.

Matej Isak, Mono & Stereo