Chicago Sun: DK outdoes 'em all with standards-oriented set

[Bud]

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertai ... all19.html

Diana Krall outdoes 'em all with standards-oriented set

August 19, 2004

BY LAURA EMERICK Staff Reporter
Maybe for Diana Krall, the sentiments of "Stop This World," which leads off her new disc, extend to her critics.

With her superb sense of phrasing, she injects a bit of irony into Mose Allison's already cynical slap at opportunism: "Stop this world, let me off/There's just too many pigs in the same trough/There's too many buzzards sitting on the fence/Stop this world, it's not making sense."

Hmmm, speaking of pigs and buzzards, could Krall be referencing the jazz police here? Since bursting on the scene with the international success of "All for You" (1996), the singer-pianist has had to contend with her share of detractors. Along with the snobbery, there's an element of sexism. If she weren't blond and beautiful, would she have to endure the slings and arrows of purists insisting that she's a poseur who's too pop to play "real" jazz?

Regardless, Krall and her excellent trio more than made a case for their brand of jazz throughout an exquisite performance Tuesday night at the Auditorium, in the first of two shows. She remains an underrated talent, vocally and pianistically. And her trio of drummer Peter Erskine, bassist Robert Hurst and guitarist Anthony Wilson offered unwavering, unfailing support -- the musical equivalent of Tinker to Evers to Chance.

They varied the program radically from their June concert at the Black Orchid. In that invitation-only showcase, Krall & Co. focused on her latest, "The Girl in the Other Room," which features six songs co-written with her new husband, the genre-bending Elvis Costello, alongside covers of songs by Allison ("Stop This World"), Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell.

This time, they shifted to the standards through which Krall has made her name: "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," "Devil May Care" and "All or Nothing at All." But instead of keeping them as exercises in crooning, as the song's originators once did, Krall put the emphasis more on riding the rhythm as she bobbed along with the drum and bass line.

Throughout the 100-minute set, the band delicately underscored the emotions underlying the songs, as when Wilson's spare, echoey guitar and Hurst's mournful bass emphasized the isolation of "The Girl in the Other Room" (which she described as "kind of like a film noir piece").

At every turn, Krall celebrated her many mentors, including pianists Jimmy Rowles and Nat King Cole. Her piano style owes much to both, and as a vocalist she recalls Cole's understated elegance. Fittingly, she performed three tracks from "All for You," her Nat Cole tribute disc: "You Call It Madness," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and a surprising "Frim-Fram Sauce" (the last two as the encores).

Another surprise came with her bluesy rendition of Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin'," complete with a Count Basie "splink-splank" keyboard flourish to close.

But then, she does have a wry sense of humor. When a cell phone went off, Krall immediately segued into a sarcastic "Call Me" and then reproached the rude fan with "you're breaking my groove." Later, she recalled that Rowles once described his voice as " 'a canoe being dragged across a road.' That's what I strive for."

Let's hope that's not meant literally. At a few moments, she fell into vocal tics, sliding into the clenched-throat style of Diane Schuur. Other times, she would cup the mike, in order to cut down reverb, as on "Temptation" (attempting her own growl, like the song's author, Tom Waits?).

In any case, she stands as the most sultry singer since Peggy Lee, as her stark rendition of "Body & Soul" evidenced. Now that Krall has proven her acting chops in the film "De-Lovely," she should play Miss Lee in the upcoming Truman Capote biopic, instead of the stiff, overrated Gwyneth Paltrow. By successfully writing her own material, Krall has already conquered one new field. Is there anything else that she can't do?

Here's to you, Princess Diana.

[Coda]

Bud: Thanks for the interesting post. What a great report!

Remi: I wonder if Laura Emerick, the writer of this piece, sometimes visits this site...especially with the "Princess" Diana moniker at the end of her article?

[Samantha]

Thanks for the review Bud.

[Rémi]

Remi: I wonder if Laura Emerick, the writer of this piece, sometimes visits this site...especially with the "Princess" Diana moniker at the end of her article?

Maybe, who knows... there's more great and important visitors on this site that we can guess.

Anyway, about the "Princess" term, I want royalties!

[DKJAZZDIVA]

Great review...it seems to me DK is changing her format to include more standards from her previous CD's wow Frim Fram Sauce...well I will report what she does in the Toledo, Ohio show...I opted for this theatre vs Detroit...but I know she will rock at the Fox...cost was a factor...the distance from Ann Arbor is about the same...can't wait for Friday night, I will give a shout from all of us here, especially from you REMI...hopefully she will include Black Crow....hey Michelle, if you read this, please pass it on that DKJAZZDIVA wants a dedication heh, heh, fat chance. Anyway, I will try to get to see her and give all our love to her. Will post Sunday, ANAE