Review: Jazz diva brings world-class act to Cowichan
While many Cowichanians digested turkey or packed away decorations, jazz angel Melody Diachun presented her musical gift to Cowichan.
She and string-sideman Doug Stephenson played some 20 tunes in various jazz styles Dec. 28 at the Duncan Garage Showroom they'd heard so much about.
Their hypnotic act earned a standing ovation.
The Nelson-based couple shifted smoothly from Duke Ellington's popular Just A Lucky So and So, Cyndi Lauper's loyal Time After Time, and originals By Your Side, and When Beauty Reigns, to Bonnie Raitt's lament I Can't Make You Love Me, Joni Mitchell's pensive Clouds, John Hiatt's suggestive Little Head, Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over, and Antonio Carlos Jobim's sultry One-Note Samba.
Their Beatles' medley was terrific too.
Stephenson used a beautiful Ibanez hollow-body guitar to back Diachun's chrystalline pipes that scaled several octaves.
Think Diana Krall meets Holly Cole. Diachun was that good.
Her largely unsung talent treated diehard jazzoids to a needed break from the holiday hustle.
Juno-nominee Diachun sure deserves a win this year.
Jazz show rating: 10 chords out of 10.
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