Diana Krall - Live in Paris
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.04 You Save: $11.94 (63%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.75 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Live in Paris
Free Music Review: the only bad thing is that it's too short
Hit: 5 Stars
Diana Krall has been hailed my many as one of the great jazz musicians of the modern era. After hearing her last album, the wildly successful The Look of Love, I couldn't understand why. Sure, it was recorded well, but to these ears, it was little more than a cure for insomnia. It seemed like her management was more interested with marketing her based on her looks, rather than her musical abilities. But now, on her newest release, Live in Paris, I can hear what all the fuss has been about. Accompanied by her core band--Anthony Wilson on guitar, John Clayton on bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums--Krall wows the crowd time and time again. Then again, it's hard to go wrong when most of the material is coming from the Great American Songbooks of Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, George and Ira Gershwin.
Recorded live over four nights at the historic Olympia Theatre, Live in Paris gives you a firsthand account of the ambience and excitement of a musical evening with her. The only thing missing is the stage banter you'd hear at a `real' show. Krall is actually very talkative during her shows and (as anyone who's had the pleasure of seeing here perform will tell you) the fact that the interaction with her audience is missing is a disappointment.
The majority of the songs are performed by her core band. They're joined by the Orchestre Symphonique Europeen on "Let's Fall in Love" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." In addition, percussionist Paulinho Da Costa joins them on 4 tracks, and John Pisano contributes acoustic guitar on 3 tracks. However, make no mistakes. As great as her accompanying musicians may be, this is Krall's show. Swinging like there's no tomorrow, tracks like "I Love Being Here With You," "'Deed I Do" and "Devil May Care" are the disc's biggest highlights.
She doesn't slack off on the ballads either, though. Her distinctive phrasing and cool, sultry vocals turn the songs into true works of art. Her stunning cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" is a perfect example. The only drawback, if you can call it one, is the extra studio track here--a cover of the wedding reception staple, Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." It's not that it's bad (it's a straight rendition of the song); it's more a case of just being unnecessary.
All told, Live in Paris is an excellent place to start for those who may not be familiar with the Grammy Award-winning musician, and longtime fans are sure to enjoy it as well. The only bad thing about this CD is that it's too short.
Free Music Review: 5 stars, but not for her singing
Hit: 5 Stars
Since Canadian jazz singer/pianist Diana Krall burst on the popular music scene around two decades ago, I've always been amazed that much of the "buzz" about her has centered on her singing. What I will say about her singing is that she makes the best of a limited range and less than stellar vocal clarity. In voice, she is bested by her fellow Canadian pianist/vocalist Carol Welsman or 16-year old (in 2011) Canadian singer Nikki Yanofsky--both have more pleasant voices, better vocal clarity, and both can swing a tune vocally on par with Ms Krall. Certainly, Ms. Krall's singing is passable and better than about 90% of the pop slop out there and that may account for some of her vocal popularity. Some of Ms. Krall's albums have pandered too much to those popular audiences to suit this jazz purist, as well. Fortunately, this album does not do that and this, in my opinion, is her best album to date.
If Ms. Krall's singing is less than stellar, the same can not be said for her piano playing. In fact, she is without doubt one of the best, hardest swinging jazz pianists alive today. If she never sang another note, she would still be a top jazz lion. (A jazz musician friend is more direct about it--he says that Ms. Krall shouldn't sing at all because it distracts the listener from her superb jazz chops on the piano. He adds that if Diana the singer and Diana the pianist were two people, Diana the singer would be angry at Diana the piano player for stealing the show.) The song choices on this album are also excellent--mostly jazz standards that suit Ms. Krall's playing perfectly. Another huge highlight of this album is her band--an all-star group of swinging musicians. Unlike some vocalists/pianists, Ms. Krall is not afraid to feature them prominently during the course of this album. The audio qulaity of this albume is excellent, too--exceptionally good for a live recording. All in all, this album is best characterized as a first-rate jazz pianist and supporting group making a passable singer look pretty darned good.
One final note--having reviewed Canadian singer Nikki Yanofsky's two albums recently, I have to pose this question: How is it that a country with a population smaller than that of California consistently produces a disproportionately large share of fine jazz musicians and popular singers compared to what we in the United States seem to be able to muster these days? For me, that is an open question . . .
Free Music Review: D. Krall Overcomes Occupational Hazard and Still Shines
Hit: 5 Stars
Despite the presence of an overbearing and over playing guitarist, namely A. Wilson, probably bent on making a name for himself (like his father, the great Gerald Wilson) at Diana's expenses on the recording, Diana never the less continues to shine! As an established artist myself, I realize the difficulty Ms. Krall faced in the production of this concert on both the performance and recording the audio and the subsequent DVD production memorializing the concert.The caliber of musicianship is good and the guest artists on the recording(DeCosta and Pisano) obviously had the artistic maturity to complement Diana's unique skill sets, possibly due to the good fortune (and artistic maturity) they both had in working with the late great Joe Pass (guitar) who knew how to compliment great singers, most notably Ella Fitzgerald. Mr. Pass knew what the concept of artistic restraint meant when highlighting a unique talent!
Despite these difficulties, Diana does very well and has grown into the role she deserves. Having never actually heard Diana Krall, some friends said she borrowed her vocal phrasing too heavily from an early Lou Rawls, but I must accept her talents as delivered on this recording as formidable.
The tune "Cry Me A River was edited out of the CD and included as an alternate take on the DVD, but might have been included as one of the best pieces on the date were it not for the "musical meandering" of Mr. Wilson throughout most of the piece. I guess there are limits to digital editing on these live things!
Of special beauty on the CD is the solo piano rendition of the a Joni Michell tune which Diana should be proud to own as testament to her talents.
Among the thousands of CD's I have owned, borrowed (or made myself as a musician) this one would make the late Mr. Maher, original publisher of Downbeat Magazine go to a "six star rating system."
We should come to expect more good recordings from Diana in the future. Perhaps "the Georgia Peach" will return as the season's change and Diana can enjoy herself on these live recordings a bit more! She is indeed a "triple threat" and plays piano like Art Tatum with a "left hand from God", and a right hand from Bill Evans.
Well, people should buy the CD and enjoy it...I did and in deed I do!
Free Music Review: Let's Fall In Love (with this CD)
Hit: 5 Stars
I saw Diana Krall on the same European tour at London's Royal Albert Hall, so was looking forward to listening to this. I purchased this CD a few weeks ago and yesterday put it away on the CD rack for the first time. However, unlike a lot of other recent purchases, I know this CD will be coming off the shelve many many times in the future.
Put simply, Diana Krall is a highly effective song interpreter, both in her singing and her playing. I was a little concerned when looking at the song list and the number of pop songs on it - five of the 12 songs here. I needn't have been. It takes guts to take really well known pop songs and give them jazz arrangements. It takes musical brilliance to do so this successfully. Her interpretation of Bacharach's "The Look Of Love" is stunning. When she sings "I can hardly wait to hold you..." the longing in her voice is passionate without a hint of melodrama. I have never heard this song performed this beautifully. Joni Mitchell's original version of "A Case Of You" was brilliant, one of the best songs on Blue, an acknowledged classic. Yet fellow Canadian Krall reinterprets the song with great success offering a moving tribute to her native land. I'm not a big fan of Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are", possibly because it's just been overplayed, but Krall's version (the only studio track) is upbeat and magnificent.
The CD gets off to a great start with the jumping "I Love Being Here With You" which showcases Diana and her band in top form and obviously loving every minute of what they're doing. There is that feeling of a band just being "on" that's rarely captured in studio recordings. Most of the songs have extended instrumental breaks and Ms. Krall really gets the opportunity to show off her chops, as does guitarist John Pisano whose playing is excellent throughout.
Let's be real, if you're preferred style of jazz is avant garde or free jazz, this isn't for you. However vocal jazz is a legitimate genre and there are few albums in the genre that offer such an irresistable listening experience from start to finish.
Free Music Review: "Love being here with Diana Krall"
Hit: 5 Stars
The opening tune is a Peggy Lee/William Schluger composition called "I LOVE BEING HERE WITH YOU", featuring some great vocalizing by Krall and tickling the ivory's that only she can, her back up is Anthony Wilson (guitar), John Clayton (bass) and Jeff Hamilton (drums) shades of the King Cole Trio come to mind. Smooth sounds of "LET'S FALL IN LOVE", a classic standard by Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler sends the listener into the realm of pure ecstasy. Mesmerizing and tranquil vibes within an original style in this Burt Bacharach/Hal David "THE LOOK OF LOVE", sends a message of sensual feelings that Krall brings to the surface ~ must make mention this sounds better "Live", something in Krall's voice gives this more substance.Some stand outs ~ "I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN", nothing can top this Cole Porter selection that only two people I know give this their own signature, of course Frank Sinatra is the first and now Diana Krall comes to the forefront, not bad company to be in---beautiful arrangement by Alan Broadbent music director, conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique Europeen, this song really gets under your skin, gotta love it. Some great jazz piano on "DEVIL MAY CARE", Krall and her group are really having a swinging good time, and it shows. One of my all-time favorite songs is "MAYBE YOU'LL BE THERE", songwriters Rube Bloom/Sammhy Gallop hit the mark with words and music, Diana takes it to a higher level with this intimate arrangement.
My highlight pick is "A CASE OF YOU", love this song, love Joni Mitchell (artist/composer) and Love Diana Krall with the lyrics pouring from her soul, this song especially shows what a terrific singer she is. Another highlight has to be "JUST THE WAY YOU ARE", the never to be forgotten Billy Joel hit, Krall and her style take over, she's right at home with this one. If you're not a fan by this time, there is no hope for you. This album is a keeper for the jazz-buff in all of us, take it from me this is well worth the money and then some.
Total Time 70:11 on 12 Tracks ~ Verve 440-065-109-2 ~ (2002)