DJ Dyana Jean: Invitation to Bring Sexy to Peace

Growing up in a family of music jazz and R&B legends, Dyana Jean embraced her musical roots. With a masters in interfaith theology she was a young student and professor on the history of world religions. Today Dyana shares her experience of peace connecting us with her background in social work, being a DJ and video producer to share her experience of peace laid on multi tracks of her Album “Namaste” and mult-fasets of her service in the community.

Dyana Jean’s Philadelphia-style R&B is infused with Eastern spirituality for an innovative sound on her debut album, Namaste. A Philly native, with some serious jazz, rock and dance roots, Dyana Jean’s music reveals incredibly personal, yet universal stories that’ll take you on a Tantric trip through all phases of life and love. Dyana is a self-taught music/video producer and DJ, with radio host experience. She has a master’s degree from Columbia University: Union Theological Seminary, NYC.

Dyana’s spiritual studies are the perfect credential for her latest projects. Her recent songs are characteristically deep, spiritual and personal, weaving introspective, self-reflective lyrics throughout the tracks.  While the new music is thematically Eastern, the sound reflects Dyana’s jazz and dance roots as well as her skill as a “musical mixologist”. Dyana’s theological background as both student and teacher are prevalent throughout the new group of songs.  She reaches a wide audience with her down-to-earth vulnerability and smooth, pleasurable beats. New tracks include Om, Peace of Mind, Tranzendental, Butterfly, Nirvana, Yin, East of the Sun and BuddaLove, featuring her younger brother Andrew as co-composer and guitarist.  DJ Dyana Jean also currently lends her sensibility and skills as MC and producer to Boston’s emerging transcendental hip hop group Govinda Sky.

Besides making music, “DJ” has given back to her community ever since her days at Masterman HS.  As a social worker and supervisor at Philadelphia’s Juvenile Justice Center (JJC), she’s offered support and new life to countless young people and their families.

Dyana Jean’s “Papa Sam” was none other than West Philly’s Sam Cocchia, lead guitarist for the Mike Pedicin Band, a Rock n Roll band before the term was coined!  The Band, signed to RCA Victor a year before Elvis, backed-up Frank Sinatra when he was in town and Ol’ Blue Eyes called Sam the best guitarist he ever worked with. In 1958, the band recorded a single for Cameo Records, which returned them to the charts (aided by an appearance on American Bandstand), this time for two weeks, peaking at # 71. It was Shake A Hand (Cameo 125), the old Faye Adams hit.

Sam’s eldest daughter and Dyana’s mother, Donna Jean (the second-eldest of nine), got the music genes, but her talent evinced through jazz.  Named Best Female Jazz Vocalist for Best of Philly 1978, Donna Jean belted jazz standards at spots such as the Borgia Café and PT’s and, in 1983, she performed at the Academy of Music with the Bob Cohen Trio. She taught Jazz Voice Performance at the Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple U for 17 years.

If that isn’t enough, Dyana Jean’s dad, Joe Glasgow, is an accomplished latin dance instructor, so add that to the mix for some truly hot rhythms in her .

Tracks on Namaste include:

Namaste— Inspired by Fire (1996), the controversial film by Deepa Mehta, about two Indian women who fall in love. Eastern instruments and lyrics, inspired by Hindu spirituality, are set to a funky beat.

Alright—A pick-me-up song and cure for the blues…An homage to grandparents,“Papa Sam” and his wife, “Mama Jean”.

I Dig the Bliss of U—A dance track drives the blissful feeling of a new love.

Sunrise Groove Om Remix— An instrumental piece that’s a perfect accompaniment to  chanting OM. Om is the most sacred word in Sanskrit. It means oneness with everything.  

MSX—A tongue and cheek tale about a sophisticated, sexually-charged woman. The groove is mechanical, but sultry, nevertheless.

Gypsy Moon—A  romantic piece about the artist finding her soul mate. Co-written by and featuring Marissa Salazaar (of DaRezarekt) on guitar.

Perfect Disgrace—A biting commentary on a relationship gone bad. A jazz/hip hop fusion nails the coffin shut.

Only in My Dreams—A jazzy track based on a yearning for a recent flame, superimposed with the remembrance of long lost love.

Rainbow—Equality anthem. Inspired by a few consecutive days of seeing double rainbows in Florida in ’07. The video is equally inspirational.

Visit www.reverbnation.com/dyanajean for samples of Dyana’s music.

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