Diana Panton_...yesterday perhaps

Mitsutaka Nagira, Jazz JAPAN, Jan. 2012

Awards

・Silver Disc Award, Japan's Jazz Critique
　Magazine
・Top 10 Releases of the Year: Montreal Mirror, 　Toronto's NOW Magazine, !earshot,
　VIEW Magazine, Hamilton Spectator
・Winner Best Jazz Album and People's Choice
　Award, Hamilton Music Scene Awards

Songs

1. that old feeling
2. dindi
3. plus je t’embrasse ♪
4. i’m a fool to want you ♪
5. isn’t this a lovely day?
6. summer me, winter me
7. i didn’t know what time it was
8. les feuilles mortes

9. this is always
10. you hit the spot ♪
11. i get along without you
12. for all we know
13. stars fell on alabama
14. you’d better go now
15. in the wee small hours

Personnel

Diana Panton - vocal
Reg Schwager - guitar
Don Thompson - bass, piano, vibes

Acclaim

2005 was a great year for “…yesterday perhaps”! The album was named one of the TOP 10 releases of the year by Len Dobbin (Montreal Mirror), Tim Perlich (Toronto’s NOW Magazine) and Dan Sich (!earshot). It was a highlight in year-end reviews by Ric Taylor (VIEW Magazine) and Leonard Turnevicius (Hamilton Spectator). Diana was nominated for four Hamilton Music Scene Awards and won for “Best Jazz Recording” and the People’s Choice Award for “Best Live Performance” (thanks to all who voted). In 2011, ...yesterday perhaps was awarded a Silver Disc Award by Jazz Critique Magazine upon its release in Japan.

Canadian jazz vocalist Diana Panton has already released three albums in Japan. She is not an overdramatic singer. The charm of her singing style can be found in its unique soft expressiveness. Her music can soothe you even when listening in a casual way. This comforting quality found in her singing is one of the causes of her popularity. I'm happy that her previously unavailable debut album has finally been released in Japan, and above all, I am very satisfied with the quality of the album. Reg Schwager's guitar is very beautiful and Diana has a great chemistry with Don Thompson's piano too. The album gives warmth to a cold winter's night.

Hijiri Kanno, Jazz Life

Diana Panton has acquired a lot of new fans in Japan in the past two years. In response to their requests, Diana's debut album was released in Japan this year. She is singing standards and bossa nova in a relaxed manner with the backing of Don Thompson's piano and Reg Schwager's guitar. Listening to this album, I rediscovered the loveliness of Diana's singing. She has often been compared to Blossom Dearie and on this album she is singing "Plus je t'embrasse", which Blossom also sang, in lovely French.

Shoji Ichikawa, Stereo (Japan)

A beautifully understated, exquisitely paced standards set from Canada’s next great jazz singer.

Tim Perlich’s Top 10 Discs of 2005, NOW Magazine

… this is one of the finest debut CDs I’ve heard in years […] the choice of the 15 songs […] is impeccable and there’s the added joy of hearing Diana do the little known verses to many of them ... one of the year’s best.

Len Dobbin’s Top 10 Discs of 2005, Montreal Mirror

This Hamilton jazz vocalist’s stunning debut disc will knock your socks off […] As airy and precious as a bubble on the breeze, Panton’s voice floats enchantingly over subtle but impressive instrumentation by Don Thompson and Reg Schwager

Chris Watson, VIEW Magazine

Diana has chosen wonderful material, and delivers the songs with clarity, sincerity and a voice that is unique and yet familiar. This album is one that you will go to often … it’s that good.

Larry Green, Afternoon Drive host, JAZZ FM 91.1

Diana is an amazing young Canadian talent!

Dan Sich, !earshot year-end picks of 2005

I was surprised to listen to this first outing and realize that her style and singing was already well-established at this stage in her career and that the quality is as high as her subsequent CD releases. We can hear one bossa nova song on this album, and it already reveals a good chemistry between her and bossa nova. Naturally, it occurred to me that I would like to hear her sing more bossa nova. [...] This debut album assures me that the latest album "to Brazil with Love" was an inevitable result.

Mitsutaka Nagira, Jazz JAPAN

Panton’s voice has a magical power to soothe a dark mood and bring it into the light.

 Hong Kong’s Audio Technique

[...] the 15 standards [59:20] are delivered as lovely and finished material, even a decade later. [...] This is a lovely date [September 2004], and equal to her finest work.

 Papatamus, Cadence Magazine, Jan 2020

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