Live in Paris
Diana Krall
(Verve – 2002)
by Carmen Miller
For all of her grammy winning and record sales, the best Diana Krall is the Live Diana Krall, and remarkably this is her first live release. Recorded in November 2001 at the historic Music Hall L’Olympia in Paris, Krall is backed by her regular crew… bassist John Clayton, guitarist John Pisano and drummer Jeff Hamilton… as she swings her way through an assortment of her studio recordings, some standards and her stock-in-trade, the ballad. Diana’s sweet contralto is accompanied by the Orchestre Symphonique Europeen on an uptempo version of “Let’s Fall In Love” and a lush rendition of “Under My Skin”.
“The Look of Love” is delivered in her husky, mellow style while Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” comes across as peppy and stepping. The release also features Diana’s first recorded version of the Joni-Mitchell composition “A Case Of You,” a story-song in the Mitchell tradition. There’s also a bonus track featuring tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker and bassist Christian McBride joining Krall on a very pretty performance of Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”, from the upcoming soundtrack to the film “The Guru”. The sound quality is even and clear throughout this album and Diana delivers the even, quality performance she’s known for. For Diana Krall fans that have never been to a live show this is a real treat.