Melody Diachun

Melody Diachun
Diachun performing at "Music in the Park" concert in Trail, British Columbia, 2016
Background information
Born (1968-12-30) December 30, 1968
Montreal, Québec, Canada
GenresJazz, alternative jazz, contemporary jazz, R&B, pop
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1992–present
LabelsThird Beach Records, Cellar Live, independent
Websitemelodydiachun.com

Melody Diachun (born December 30, 1968) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and recording artist. She won the Jazz Artist of the Year award at the 2023 Western Canadian Music Awards.[1]

Biography

Diachun was born in Montréal, Québec and raised in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.[2] Singing from an early age accompanied by her father Bill Diachun, a part-time singer and piano player, she began piano lessons at age 6[2] and played French horn and electric bass through junior and senior high school. At age 15 she took her first professional singing gig.[2] At age 17 Diachun moved back to Montréal to attend McGill University where she was the first vocalist admitted to the school's Jazz Performance Program.[2][3] Diachun earned her Bachelor of Music degree "with distinction" in Jazz Voice in 1994.[2] After university, Diachun moved to New York City to study briefly with jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan[2][4] under a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.[5]

In 1997, Diachun moved to Western Canada and began a long-term engagement at the Banff Springs Hotel where she met her future husband, guitarist, bassist, and mixing engineer Doug Stephenson.[4] From 2000 to 2012 Diachun worked as a freelance vocalist in Vancouver, British Columbia.[2] In 2012, Diachun began teaching at the Contemporary Music & Technology Program at Selkirk College in Nelson, British Columbia. She took on the role of School Chair of the School of the Arts[6] at Selkirk College in August 2022.

Awards and honours

Year Nominated work Category Award Result Notes Ref.
2023 Melody Diachun Jazz Artist of The Year Western Canadian Music Awards Won [1]
2019 Melody Diachun Artist of the Year Kootenay Music Awards Nominated [7]
2019 "Get Back to the Groove" Best R&B Song Kootenay Music Awards Nominated Songwriters: Melody Diachun, Doug Stephenson [8]
"High Definition Love" Best Pop Song Kootenay Music Awards Nominated Songwriters: Melody Diachun/Doug Stephenson [9]
2018 Melody Diachun Artist of the Year Kootenay Music Awards Nominated [10]
2018 "That's What Delete Is For" Best Blues Song Kootenay Music Awards Nominated Songwriter: Melody Diachun [11]
2009 Melody Diachun Female Vocalist of the Year Canadian National Jazz Awards Nominated [12]
2008 Metaphora, Altered Laws Outstanding Jazz Recording of The Year Western Canadian Music Awards Won feat. Melody Diachun [13]
2008 Metaphora, Altered Laws Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year JUNO Awards Nominated feat. Melody Diachun [14]

Discography

As leader

  • Lullaby of the Leaves (self-release, 2002)
  • Dreams & Places (self-released, 2006)
  • EQ (Cellar Live, 2008)
  • Get Back to the Groove (Third Beach, 2018)
  • Sumner's Tales: The Music of Sting[15] (Third Beach, 2022)

As guest

  • Kris feat. Melody Diachun, Johanna Sillanpa, and Roger Mooking a.k.a. Roger Audio Truth Be Told (2006)
  • Altered Laws featuring the Babayaga String Quartet and Melody Diachun Metaphora[16] (Artist Jazz Records, 2007)
  • Gabriel Mark Hasselbach with Jeff Lorber, Victor Bailey, Warren Hill (musician), Melody Diachun, Alan "Lupe" Smithee and Rock Hendricks Cool Down (Wind Tunnel, 2008)
  • Dave Ronald So Alive (self-released, 2017)
  • Tom Keenlyside Quartet A Night at the Espresso (Cellar Live, 2022)

References

  1. ^ a b "2023 Artistic and Specialty Award Winners". breakoutwest.ca. October 12, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Nation, Brian. "MELODY DIACHUN: Vancouver Jazz Who's Who & Discography". vancouverjazz.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  3. ^ The Edmonton Journal
  4. ^ a b Wilton, Lisa. "YYC Jazz showcases the 'sisters' with panel, shows fronted by women artists". calgaryherald.com. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  5. ^ Vancouver Lifestyles Magazine
  6. ^ "Melody Diachun at Selkirk College". selkirk.ca. November 15, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Kootenay Music Awards Artist of the Year 2019". kootenaymusicawards.ca.
  8. ^ "2019 Kootenay Music Awards Nominees". kootenaymusicawards.ca.
  9. ^ "2019 Kootenay Music Awards Nominees". kootenaymusicawards.ca.
  10. ^ "Kootenay Music Awards Artist of the Year 2018". soundcloud.com/kootenaymusicawards.
  11. ^ "2018 Kootenay Music Awards Nominees". kootenaymusicawards.ca.
  12. ^ McLeod, Cindy. "Nominees Announced for National Jazz Awards Jazz Elements". jazzelements.com. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  13. ^ "2008 WCMA Winners". mail.breakoutwest.ca.
  14. ^ JunoAwards.ca Category: Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year, "Metaphora" by Altered Laws (featuring the Babayaga String Quartet & Melody Diachun)
  15. ^ "Singing "Russians" by Sting like it's a brand-new song". Rhythm Changes. October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  16. ^ "Tom Keenlyside". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
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