Dione Taylor & The Backsliderz
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
It’s been too long between albums for this Regina-born, Toronto-based singer. Her first disc Open Your Eyes was nominated for a Juno in 2004. Since then she’s been nominated for a Gemini Award for her performance of Oscar Peterson’s “Hymn To Freedom” with Oliver Jones at the Canadian Songwriter’s Gala (it’s on YouTube) and toured with David Clayton Thomas, and of course her appearance with the Women’s Blues Revue. For this new one, as the press release states, she’s tackling some serious issues and decided on a rootsier sound, with Sean Pinchin featured prominently on slide guitar. For the opener we get “Love Is (beyond you and me)”, it’s her response to injustice everywhere including those done in the name of religion. With two guitars & handclaps, it’s a stirring choice. A marvellous blues follows, about the end of love, “Leave Me Alone”. A foot tapper on fighting temptation is another keeper: “Resist” has a catchy chorus over its martial drumbeat. Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands” helps her deal with the death of her grandmother, a beautiful performance. Her own “Born Free” stresses her independence not just from another person but also to believe as she chooses. “Higher Ground” is the Stevie Wonder song, its message of achieving potential getting a pleading workout. A song of acceptance closes an all-too-short program: “Beer and A Bible” embraces the secular and the sacred in her life, the life of a preacher’s daughter in the modern world. If you go to www.dionetaylor.com, you’ll see links to her YouTube premiere of the disc on JazzFM and to the streaming sites Soundcloud & iTunes. - John Valentyn
Discography
"Open Your Eyes"
"I Love Being Here With You"
"Born Free"
Photos
Bio
The prairie sky, expansive and wide, covers a great deal of North American real estate. And of all the emotions contained therein, it’s the prairie blues, a rural feeling that sings louder than all others on Dione Taylor’s new EP Born Free.
Music has always been an important and integral part of Dione Taylor’s life. A pastor’s daughter from Regina, Saskatchewan, she was born and raised in a family she describes as “really connected to the gift of song. My whole family sings and plays instruments in church,” praises Ms. Taylor, who began playing the organ at age four and by ten was the music director and organist at The Shiloh Assembly Church (Apostolic) in Regina.
Born Free is a powerful, soulful and spiritual album, taking an honest look at some difficult, but necessary conversations. It’s an album that “is dedicated to Pastor’s Kids (PK’s) who deal with the very high standards and expectations that are placed on their shoulders by their families and community to live perfectly within an imperfect world.” explains Taylor.
In trying times, personal faith and beliefs are constantly being challenged. The injustice we are confronted with in the world on a daily basis (“Love Is”); temptation (”Resist”); death (“Grandma’s Hands”); love (“Leave Me Alone”); freedom (“Born Free”); potential of man (“Higher Ground”) and acceptance (“Beer and A Bible”). This is a narrative of trial and faith told through a passionate blend of fiery gospel vocals with sounds from the delta blues.
“The word gospel means ‘truth.’” And this is a very personal and truthful record, one that does not attempt to preach or impose anyone’s concept of truth upon listeners but rather acknowledges that everyone has their own truth to be told and song to be sung. Born Free is Dione Taylor’s truth and it is getting a welcome reception on Canadian radio stations across the country.
Having first burst onto the music scene with her Juno nominated debut album "Open Your Eyes", Taylor’s career trajectory has been truly remarkable. With performances at festivals and concert theatres across the United States, Canada and Asia for audiences that have included the President of the United States and the Queen Elizabeth II, Taylor has made a worthy name for herself as one of this country’s most talented musicians and songstresses. Taylor was nominated for a Gemini Award for her rendition of Oscar Peterson’s “Hymn to Freedom,” which she performed alongside Oliver Jones at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala. Taylor is also the recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award Mentorship Program. Dione has opened for Al Green, Dr. Maya Angelou, Johnny Reid, Patti LaBelle, Deborah Cox and The Neville Brothers, just to name a few.
Coming full circle, Taylor finds herself reconnecting with her childhood. “The sounds and music of my youth are all present on Born Free. From the gospel music and blues at church to even the southern country gospel at home on the record player. It’s all in there!”
Finally, “Spirituality isn’t about being perfect,” states Taylor, “It’s knowing that The Creator is omnipresent in the midst of our fragmented lives.”
Band Members
Links
