Mia Dyson, was sitting on a bar stool atop the stage at the Silver Dollar Room on Friday June 25th holding her electric guitar. She is young and dressed in plain gray jacket, white t-shirt, denim bellbottoms, B&W two-tone shoes topped off with a baby blue hat. Although not listed in any programme for the Jazz Festival, Mia was opening for one of the headliners of the festival. 

After thanking everyone for coming to the Dollar this night, I detected an accent and later found out Mia is from Melbourne Australia. We didn't know what to expect but after one stroke of the guitar we were captured by her vision, playing, lyrics and vocals. Plain and simple, her overall presents and talent, took us over like we were held in the palms of her hands.

Mia's guitar style at most times is raunchy and voice suited the sounds from her six strings. During the set she made a standard Blues tune come across like it belonged to her. A few times she picked up the lap steel guitar and stung us with a taste of bar slidin'. At the end of her allotted time, Mia was given a very appreciative applause by those in attendance. 

Speaking with Mia afterwards, she said she doesn't normally play alone but with a band and really doesn't consider herself a Blues artist but did state that her music is definitely Blues influenced. Mia gave a copy of her latest CD, titled "cold water", to have a listen to. 

"cold water' is definitely a fine piece of contempary music. Mia plays many stringed instruments throughout the recording, electric guitar, baritone guitar, lap steel and acoustic guitar all hand made by her father Jim Dyson.

Her band that includes Hammond organ, piano, guitar, electric and double bass, drums and backing vocals know how to support Mia's playing and singing. Mia also composed ten of the eleven tracks on the album. "Lonely" and "Return" are love tunes. The tempo picks up on "Roll On (with what you got)" and I like the line where she says, "made jelly of me". On the slow song, "Through This Town", her strong lyrics and vocals come through and Mia's smooth lap steel holds it all together. More great songs like "Precious Thing", "The Judgement Song" and "Sweet Struggle" hit my sensitive ears. A solo lap steel instrument called "Tali Karng" follows. Mia really lets loose on her vocals and stringed instruments on the intense "Deilaphelia". On "St Kilda Lament" Mia goes solo and feelin' "so down and blue" playing her acoustic guitar. The CD ends with another beautiful song with the band, "Make A Stand".

Still in her early twenties, Mia still has a whole world of music to play and write about. For those that were fortunate enough to see Mia's talented performances while she was here in Toronto, I'm quite sure we'll all agree and hope that very soon she'll return to the land of 'up over' and not leave us to long in "cold water"   Eddy B

Mia Dyson's website: www.miadyson.com