Love Scenes

by

Diana Krall

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I have to admit I was suspicious of the hype surrounding Diana Krall's "Love Scenes." Just about everybody loves her. Almost overnight, Diana Krall became synonymous with "jazz singer," just as Frank McCourt became synonymous with "Irish writer" after the publication of "Angela's Ashes." I suspect this caused a backlash among some jazz fans who (partly because of the nature of jazz, constantly rebuilding upon itself) are especially conversant in jazz lineage and eager to compare styles.

Well, just as Frank McCourt is not the last word in Irish literature, Diana Krall is decidedly not Billie Holiday (a ridiculous comparison) or Sarah Vaughan. In fact, not knowing too many other jazz vocalists might even enhance your appreciation of "Love Scenes." You have to appreciate her on her own terms; fortunately, this is easy to do.

So why is she getting the attention? For starters, her subtle intonations and phrasing make ordinary words sound onomatopoetic: Listen to "Garden in the Rain," and you'll hear the crisp fresh sound of springtime. Her vocal dynamics are superb, knowing when to pull back and when to let her voice soar. And her acheingly beautiful "I Don't Stand A Ghost of a Chance with You" is the best version I've heard since Clifford Brown's instrumental masterpiece.

"Peel Me a Grape" is fun and sexy, but you'd have to be a bad singer to ruin Dave Frishberg's (1962) clever list of double entendres! ("New Thunderbird me, you heard me.") Still, Ms. Krall delivers the goods, and teasingly drops a couple of words as she stretches the phrase "Peel Me...."

Her remarkable swinging but subtle piano can be overlooked: Just listen to the confidently daring solos on "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "How Deep is the Ocean (How High is the Sky)" and you'll appreciate her artistry. The arrangements, as well as the comping on guitar (Russell Malone) and bass (Christian McBride) are consistently strong.

She's not as complex or as blues-inflected as other vocalists, but she IS a superb jazz singer. Like the best jazz musicians, she adds new colors and shadings to standards, and swings both vocally and instrumentally. She is less the jazz vocalist on her recent "When I Look Into Your Eyes," which is overproduced, apparently overdubbed, and veers way too close to a bland pop style. Let's hope that future efforts are closer to "Love Scenes," a deservedly much praised album.

This will be third cd for me to purchase of D.K. So far I have liked each cd. There have been no major disappointments yet.

There seems to be mixed emotions about Di's voice. Some seem to

really like it and while others say it is booring. My opinion is that it fits the jazz mold. Usually jazz doesn't require an operatic voice. One that is real crystal clear and always on key. Most jazz singers are people that sing about their hard knocks of life. Most have lived through rough times and tell us about these times through their songs. That's why they have a lot of sorrow and hurt in their voices.

As far as this cd goes, it offers a pretty good repertiore. It could have been possibly better, but it will do. I will say if the repertoire would have been a little better, I would have had no choice but to give a better rating for this cd. The repertoire was the only reservation I had about this cd.

I would like to recommend this cd. It is worth your purchse price.