Dionne

Some days, this world makes no sense.

Two months ago, I wrote of Dionne Jeroue, “Dionne is young and gaining experience in commanding a stage. Her voice is exceptional, smooth yet bold with a punch at the right spots…. And there’s charisma on that stage, a sexiness without trying to be sexy, a playfulness exuding joy…. Between her vocal talent and presence, Kansas City, this is a singer watch.”

Friday and Saturday, word ricocheted through the jazz community that Dionne had passed away on Thursday night.

Dionne was a beautiful person, in every sense that description can be taken. When you became her friend, you became her best friend. Between her vivacious personality and extraordinary voice, everyone who heard this sprite knew (really, there was no doubt) that here was a key to carrying jazz forward to an amazingly bright future in Kansas City.

Then Saturday morning, I heard Dionne was gone.

My eyes were moist most of the day.

Saturday, this world made no sense.

*****

Others maintain that anything put on the internet will be there forever. I’ve always said that I’m counting on it, that I want people 100 years from now to see the extraordinary jazz talent dominating Kansas City today. So future, take a look at the photos below, taken February 19th at The Broadway Jazz Club. This beautiful woman with commanding talent is someone who all of us who knew her will never forget.

(With Dionne this night was Chris Hazelton on keyboards, Matt Hopper on guitar, Danny Rojas on drums and Ian Corbett on alto sax. As always, clicking on a photo should open a larger version of it.)