Diana Krall - When I Look in Your Eyes

don't get me wrong , understand i'm right

CARLOS SANTANA is an excellent musician . THIS was the far better album of the year it lost to "SUPERSTITION" . the understated and incredibly tasteful guitarist RUSSELL MALONE . the miraculous arrangements of JOHNNY MANDEL . the sexiness and pitch perfect restraint of MS. KRALL'S vocal and piano contributions . LEWIS NASH or JEFF HAMILTON on drums . the song selection and programing of the material . the lifetime achievement award was SANTANA'S . the music is ours . the snapshot forever . the depth of this deep , sultry well will grow in stature . sans radio play . by word of mouth . just off the beaten path more traveled . July 26, 2008

relaxing music

This is a great background music CD when you have guests, want nice music on, but not enough to interfere with conversation. Or you can turn it up and dance with your partner to something jazzy. May 18, 2008

No better way to unwind

There are tons of reviews out there for this CD. I just wanted to add that there is not better way to relax than to sit on a deck or patio in the summer with the beverage of your choice and this playing in the background. March 20, 2008

All Things Reconsidered

This was the top-selling jazz c.d. of 1999. I started writing Amazon.com reviews in January of 2004. I had this one then and would have reviewed it and given it 4 stars at that time. I'm glad I waited 4 years. Here's why:

By 1999, Diana Krall was well-installed in the jazz world as "The It Girl." On the heels of her best-selling and well-lauded "All For You" and "Love Scenes," she was the beautiful pianist/chanteusse who evidently could do no wrong.

Then, the critics started to turn on her. I recall that one particularly mean-spirited critic called this c.d. a "J. Crew Catalogue." And after that, the brickbats got louder on "The Look of Love," "Live in Paris," and "The Girl in the Other Room."

Then, just as suddenly, the critics were kind to 2006's "From This Moment On." But through all of this, the fans kept buying and, for the most part, adoring. I was among those, writing a 5-star review of the latter.

And all of this caused me to re-visit this c.d., the fulcrum of all of this hoopla. How good or bad is it, really?

Verdict: It's very, very good. It's very definitely on par with "From This Moment On."

To begin with, Diana Krall remains the sexiest jazz singer ever. Her take on the novelty song, Michael Franks' "Popsicle Toes," will make you want to feel her warm Brazil and touch her Panama. (Sorry, Elvis!) But it's the sultry "Do It Again" of Gershwin, done as a slow-dance where she's so close to you that she's behind you, that gets you going.

Besides that, she is one hell of a pianist. Check out her soloing at the bridge of "Devil May Care." It is a solo with all of the internal logic and musicality of a Thelonious Monk solo. Or check out her "traded 16's" with the great guitarist, Russell Malone, on "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon);" the idea of such an exchange is to make it all sound like one extended solo, which these two musicians accomplish.

It might be that the critics didn't like the heavy-stringed arrangements on a few of the arrangements. Frankly, the only cut which felt too heavy to me was the one added in later versions of the c.d., track #13 or "Why Should I Care?" The rest didn't bother me: in fact, the strings really enhance the approach to the set-opener, Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance." And that cut also establishes Ms. Krall as a jazz singer, as she plays with the tempo throughout.

Bottom line: it's not that Diana Krall is overrated. Not at all. It's that so many other jazz singers are underrated, some ridiculously so. Ms. Krall was lucky to come along at the right time. But she has earned her accolades. RC


February 5, 2008

The one to get ...

This was a great buy. Diana has that sultry (and although I hate to use the term) - sexy way of singing that would please most people. The record delivers on all counts - singer and music. November 23, 2007

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