Denielle Bassels celebrated her brand-new CD the other night at Drom Taberna. Considering we got a foot of snow dumped on us, people came out because music is that important in the city, and to have new music by a classy artist warrant trudging through the snow for.

Branko Scekic

Warming up the show for Denielle was her good friend Branko Scekic. This dude is a breath of fresh air. What I mean by that is he suggested the crowd start the program by doing breathing exercises. By the end we were all yelling out our stress so we could be prepared for what we had in store with a fresh and relaxed perspective.

This guy was so chilled he asked the audience to yell out suggestions for song ideas. Well, since we were all relaxed, recommendations were being thrown out. We had words like, Snow, Summer, Tuba and Pickle.  So, Branko went into a gentle rap about a pickle eating snowman who liked to play the tuba in the summertime. He even snuck in little shout outs to Denielle’s new music.

Another song contained Yaks and Cats with various vegetables. More fun craziness with a shout out to Eric St Laurent who gave us a smooth guitar solo. This guy reminds me of a modern-day Frank Zappa with how he communicated and how spontaneously he could rap out a crazy song. Whose line is this anyway?

The Man in the Coat:

Denielle Bassells

Well after that joyous and carefree experience, the excited Denielle Bassells got on stage and let us know this is a collection of stories. She proceeded to explain her inspiration with very poetic words that gave us the scope of where we were about to go.

She opened with, “Lighthouse”, and I have to admit, that probably was my favourite song because of its quirky references and the fact that it went into a French Cabaret dance number. Clapping from the audience ensued. That is what I call an opening number!

She may have changed gears on the next song, but the power of, “Woman like me” was such a great boastful song about being loud and proud and unapologetic. I believe this is going to be her signature song for a very long time.

As we delved deeper in her set of music, the songs became more personal. “Strange Love” is about being with the worst person imaginably and if you do not become embittered by it, you become better. I think we all have had that chapter in our life.

Well, when you think things couldn’t get strange after “Strange Love”, Denielle pulled out a French song called, “Emmelee”, and it was one of the happiest songs of the evening. It was French theatre that made you smile the entire time. It was a song about two forms of depression. I think this artist is onto something special.

Denielle took us to Hell and even forced us to sing about it. The audience was happy to participate, because the song was about being in a relationship for four long years and it ended with a marriage proposal. Can you imagine spending the rest of your life with someone who is going to make your life Hell.  What would your answer be?

Well, these are just a few of the fun moments with what I would describe as a Jazz cabaret singer with amazing lounge sensibility. She will make the moment you are crying in your beer so worth it.

Denielle created a night of class and amusing anecdotes that let you forget that there was snow outside. She gives you those moments where you can laugh at your own past mistakes and small misadventures. She is the woman who helps you forget your troubles for a while.

It was great seeing people lining up to pick up her new CD after the show. If you would like to listen to her new music, you can because her new music is on Bandcamp.

It Goes Like This | Denielle Bassels

Denielle in the spotlight: