Kravis Center, West Palm Beach (FL), March 26, 2012

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Diana Krall: Sultry sounds at the Kravis

The disappointment was almost palpable when Diana Krall postponed her February appearance at the Kravis Center, so all those anxious fans are breathing a sigh of relief today. Krall performs a program of lilting vocals, signature scat and stirring piano riffs Monday.

1. On the piano: Krall’s fingers effortlessly dance along the keys as they have since she was 4 years old. But that’s not to say she doesn’t work hard at her craft. Krall will keep a song in her back pocket, coaxing it bit by bit until it’s what she wants it to be before adding it to her repertoire.

2. Vocally: Krall is able to embody familiar songs into something uniquely her own. Her distinctive alto can blend with the best of them, whether it’s a classic Sinatra or Fitzgerald song or a modern take on a jazz standard. Duet partners from Tony Bennett to Willie Nelson to James Taylor to Ray Charles to Erykah Badu to Elmo praise Krall’s smooth, soulful alto vocals, and she’s at home across all genres, from bossa nova to classic country.

3. Musical pedigree: Krall landed her first paying gig at 15, then won a scholarship to study stateside at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the early ’80s. She is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Awards include three Grammys, eight Juno Awards, nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum albums. Record sales worldwide exceed 15 million.

4. Courage: Krall dealt with criticism and even contempt when she released her album The Girl in the Other Room, which contained six of her own compositions instead of depending on songs other singers had already made famous. The album swung dangerously close to adult contemporary, with a grittier, less orchestrated sound, which alienated some fans and earned the respect of others.

5. Family: Krall, 47, married Elvis Costello at Elton John’s estate and 2003 and they welcomed twin boys in 2006. Her only sister was a Mountie: a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

6. Her mentors include Rosemary Clooney and bassist Ray Brown. Krall also knows her way around the recording studio: she was tapped to produce Barbra Streisand’s album Love Is the Answer, released in 2009.

If you go: Diana Krall
Where: The Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $35 and up
Info: (561) 832-7469; kravis.org