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From a neo-classical choral opus to an unabashed rock song, Dylan’s probably written it. Dylan’s been very slowly writing songs for years, but is currently devoting more time to composing. Dylan’s songwriting has earned numerous awards and recognition including the John Lennon International Songwriting Award (Best Jazz Song, 2005 Session 1) and a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (Best Pop/Rock Original, 2006). Dylan’s compositions have been performed by some of Canada’s premiere ensembles, including Cadence, the Victoria Scholars, and the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Dylan has also co-written music for television and film libraries, including CTV and MTV Canada.
Though stylistically diverse, Dylan’s compositions are noted for being lyrically-driven, harmonically rich, and musically sophisticated while remaining listener-friendly. Listen!Click on the titles below to learn more about the pieces. Unless otherwise noted, Dylan played all instruments, sang all parts, and did the recording at his own FreePlay Studios. [if you don't see an "mp3 jukebox" on the right-hand side, click here .] Cutting Room Floor Funk-Rock 2009 A little piece about willful ignorance. It seems that everybody wants to get paid, but no-one really wants to know where it all comes from. Who knows... maybe now that's it's all crashing down around us, people will consider how to rebuild. And if not, well, at least the tune's funky.
Little Things Ballad 2009 This song was written in memory of my Nana and Papa, Irene Bell and William B. Bell. It speaks to the marks that we leave on each other's lives, both now and beyond. The girl in the third verse is my sister Megan: she wore my Nana's dress on her wedding day. Don't Fix What's Broken Rock 2005/2009 Ah, love… it can enable us to learn and grow, or it can send us running for the hills. In the coin-toss of love, I guess this song comes up tails. This one was written in 2005 and first recorded a cappella on the Cadence album "Twenty For One". Here it is again, recorded how I originally heard it in my head -- as a straight-up Rawk Song. Junior Boy/Future Girl R+B 2009 Boy meets Girl... from the future. Girl comes back in time to let him know it all works out fine. Nothing says "happy ending" like a harmonica solo! A little musical trivia... this song shares the chorus lyrics with another song I wrote called "There Always Was You". And, there's a free download for anyone who recognizes the musical quotation at the very end of the harmonica solo! Rocket Science Indie-pop 2009 Like the song says, it's ain't rocket science, baby... just a nice little pop song about people finding each other. Good Little Piggy Humour 2009 Hey, Kids! Wondering what a "credit freeze" is? Why did Jenny have to move out of her big new house? Dylan explains the economic meltdown in a song so simple, even a banker could understand it! Sing along! Write to the SEC! Obama Twa Wakaribisha (We Welcome You) African Benga 2009 After performing in Washington, DC on Inauguration day, I was inspired to write a piece for the new President. I chose to write the piece in the Kenyan musical style benga, with the choruses in Swahili, to reflect President Obama’s Luo heritage. The words are:
Obama! Ndie mwenye matarajio, twa wakaribisha
Obama! Embodiment of Hope, we welcome you
Obama! Ndie alama ya ahadi, twa wakaribisha
Obama! Symbol of Promise, we welcome you
Obama! Ndie aletae muungano , twa wakaribisha
Obama! Healer of Divisions, we welcome you
Obama! Ndio pamoja twaweza, twa wakaribisha
Obama! Yes We Can! We welcome you ( Suba Sankaran, voice; Dylan Bell, voice and all instruments) From Ash You Rise Classical Choral 2008 I'd been wanting to write a piece for women's voices for ages, but it took a trip to Venice to fully inspire me. The melody was sketched out while sitting on the steps of the Basilica Santa Maria Della Salute. The poetry centres around the myth of the Phoenix. Legend has it that the Phoenix would reign the skies for a thousand years, then would build its own funeral pyre, and dance while he burned. After death, the Phoenix would rise from his own ashes to reign again. The setting for three women's voices sets an image of three angels, standing over the grave of the Phoenix, witness to both his death and rebirth. (Suba Sankaran, voices) There Always Was You Acoustic 2008 I've always been blessed with friends and loved ones, but it was pretty late in life when I fully knew what it meant to lean on them for support. I dedicate this song to them. Amber Jazz/World/Vocalese 2007 In January I went on tour to India with my wife's band autorickshaw, subbing in for Rich Brown on electric bass. Before their closing number, Rich plays this amazing bass solo that I totally can't play. So, I came up with a bass-and-vocal improv instead: it eventually coalesced into this composition. "Amber" is the ancient village in India where the full piece was first conceived. Other Side Acoustic Pop 2007 (Suba Sankaran, backing vocals) In February 2007 I decided to go “on sabbatical”, to take time out for myself to just be, play, and write. The first line came to me while I was doing the dishes one morning, and I scrambled upstairs to finish it. I don’t remember if I finished the dishes. I finally got around to buying a nice 6-string acoustic guitar, curious to see how it would change my writing style. This started out in my head as a more politically-charged piece… instead it turned into a gentle call-to-action with a simple but undisputable message. Pass it on! Wings To Fly Piano Ballad 2006 For four years I sang with Canada’s premiere a cappella band “Cadence”. Before leaving at the end of 2006, I wrote this song as a farewell to the guys, and debuted it at my final Cadence concert. It speaks of the bitter sweetness of saying farewell, and the hope/fear of starting a new journey on your own. Divine The Rain Piano Ballad 2006 Dedicated to the memory of Brent Raymond, a dear friend who died tragically in a mountaineering accident in 2004 at the age of 32. Brent, we miss you. Dona Nobis Pacem Neo-Classical Choral 2006 This choral work combines Western fugal polyphony with modern sonorities – all within the Indian raga “charukesi”. This piece has been performed by the Victoria Scholars and the Canadian Chamber Choir, two of Canada’s excellent classical choirs. Gringo Samba A Cappella Samba 2005 This piece was inspired by a Cadence tour of Germany, after we found ourselves on the wrong train! It speaks of the perils of the beleaguered tourist. Blues On Sunday Jazz-Pop 2005 ( Performed by Cadence. From the album "Twenty For One", recorded by Adam Messinger at Messinger Sounds) Ironically, this started out as a song about trying to write a song. Ultimately, it’s about inertia, about letting life pass you by. The story may be blue, at least the song got finished in the end. This song won “Best Jazz Song” in the 2005 John Lennon International Songwriting Competition. Dylan gratefully acknowleges the support of the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council in the compostion of many of these pieces. 
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