Rating: 
Summary: Great DVD
Review: Excellent performance from diana and her group.
superbe Video quality.
A must to all Vocal Jazz fans.
Rating:
Summary: I would have paid the concert price for this...
Review: From the opening, you know it's going to be better than you expected. The sound and look are as classy as the performer and dreamy, artistic scenes of the Parisian cityscape make this is an experience hard to turn away from. Camera work is candid and intimate but tasteful. It's much more than you'd get in person, even from the front row.She tosses off delicious licks, runs and solos on her Steinway, as easy as she tosses back her blonde locks. There is so much sweet, inspired piano on this. Most of the numbers build to an up-tempo swing supported by Anthony Wilson (electric guitar), Jeff Hamilton (drums) and John Clayton (bass) who add an air of experience and exuberance. Krall admits that Hamilton and Clayton were her adolescent heroes and it's just neat to watch the almost proud look on the three guys as she gets cooking on many of the numbers. Judging from the genuine delight and admiration showing on all their faces, this quartet really enjoyed each other this evening. Plus the small band works well with the orchestra on the several pieces they combine for. And at the center of it all is the striking Ms. Krall. Certainly her looks play a role. That's natural --why not admit it? I'm glad I can appreciate the whole artist on so many different levels without anguishing over little details. But if you have to talk sex appeal, it comes from her being cool, confident and as I said, at the center of it all. Not to mention enormously gifted, experienced and dead serious about her work. As the concert proceeds, you see the guys toweling off their brows but not leather-jacketed Diana. I suppose it conforms to her icy cool demeanor, though her flaxen hair does become just ever so nicely stringy. A bit haughty addressing the audience, she's nevertheless warm and sincere. I loved it and so did the audience. Although a few jazz scholars don't, I do prefer her honest, lower-register style of singing to the 'edgy" styles of other vocalists. Simply put: it's never about Diana. The beauty of her low, resonant voice shows dramatically on the final song, Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You." Krall, with piano, crafts the song starkly alone on the stage, in pin-dropping silence. She walks note-perfect through this heavily nuanced song to give you something of astonishing beauty (and probably goosebumps, moist eyes, lump in throat...)
Rating:
Summary: A living legend?
Review: I have long been a Diana Krall fan, but have never been able to see her live. This video makes up for that. Ms. Krall can do it all: make you cry with her tear jerkers and tap your feet and smile on the fast numbers. Her voice floats over and around, perfectly in sync with the music and with the lyrics and mood of the music. She captivates with her artistry, beauty and personality, and makes it look so easy. Frequently, while still playing on the piano, she turns around to show her appreciation to another musician, and with good cause. Her backup musicians are excellent, a show within a show. And how refreshing to watch an artist that doesn't bore you to death between numbers with their egomaniac insights. Ms. Krall seems to be refreshingly untouched by pride, something that has destroyed so many potentially great performers. This is close to 2 hours of pure music. It doesn't get any better than this! I have a feeling that music historians are going to be referring to Diana Krall for many decades to come. If she continues to do what she did in this concert, she will be a legend.
Rating:
Summary: I fought the Krall, and the Krall won!
Review: I sure didn't start out to be a Diana Krall fan. My taste in jazz vocalists runs from early Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, to Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra. When I attended a Tony Bennett concert at the Hollywood Bowl a couple of years back, he was touring with Diana Krall. It's not easy to believe that a woman who looks like a model for Victoria's Secret, might be a serious jazz artist. That prejudice initially led me to dismiss Diana as a bimbo, yet somehow I couldn't resist the temptation to buy her new DVD, "Diana Krall, Live In Paris." At least I figured she would be a pleasure to look at. Well yeah, but what an incredible suprise, I thoroughly enjoyed her performance too! She sings and swings beautifully, and her piano work is superb. Of course the camera loves her. Will she enter the pantheon of greats? Time will tell. One thing is for sure; Diana's Paris concert is a great pleasure!
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: It may be cliche, but 5 stars isn't enough for this one. I own over 100 jazz CDs, have countless MP3s and have listened to jazz my entire life, but I have NEVER heard anything like this. If you even begin to like jazz, buy this DVD. This is my all time favorite with the previous favorite reigning for over 15 years (Linda Ronstadt's 'Round Midnight). I criticized Diana's last album, and I stand by the criticism, The Look of Love has none of the verve of the other albums. I was VERY wrong, however, to blame Diana. (If you are reading this, Diana, forgive me.) Instead, the studio brass wanted a grammy winner so they dumbed it down for a bigger audience and gave it a glitzy cover to hide the artistic mediocrity they wanted. Hello! Yeah you guys in the suits! Sit down, shut up, and let Diana do her thing. This concert defies all 50,000 plus words in the English language to describe. I'm going to try anyway. Diana, who I was previously worried about, is unreal. Her voice is sublime with just the right inflections showing her obviously strong personality and wonderful grasp of the jazz style. But... her piano is even better. She uses the piano for everything it is worth: fast, slow, light, sad, whimsical, you name it. Then there's the band. These guys LOVE their job. Just watch them smile and close their eyes as they get into the music. What's more, they're good! They have obviously worked together before, the chemistry is phenomenal, they seem to know what the others are about to do and complement eachother rather than conflicting. The European Symphony and Claus' beautiful arrangements complete this work of art that will likely never be duplicated. Yes, this is high praise, but I am stingy with it, and this concert deserves it. Kick some executive ..., Diana, and keep coming out with great stuff like this for true jazz lovers! PS You guys in the suits: put it out on CD and make another buck (customer number one is me) so I don't have to rip the music to listen to it in the car.
Rating:
Summary: Diana Krall is unique - completely unique
Review: This is my first DVD. Not only is Krall's performance superb, but the looks of pure enjoyment passing between her and the other musicians make this DVD immeasurably more enjoyable than the CD. These players are supremely talented, and their enjoyment of each other's playing is beautiful to watch. I wouldn't sell this DVD for $100!
Rating:
Summary: Awsome
Review: This DVD is just fabulous. Diana Krall is an awsome performer and the quality is so much better than watching vhs video. A MUST BUY FOR ANY JAZZ FAN!!
Rating:
Summary: Heavenly jazz on earth
Review: I admit I never heard of Diana Krall before. But I guess great music always finds its way to the heart of a music lover. It was by no accident that I got so curious about her music as I always read about her albums being made as reference material in hi-fi equipment and audio reviews. When I saw her DVD on the list of upcoming concert releases at Amazon, I had no second thoughts of placing a pre-order. When I finally got to view it, I was cursing myself all the way through. How on earth did I miss this great artist? I almost banged my head against the wall as I found it hard to forgive myself. Damn... this artist is so good! Not to mention, she's sooooo hot! I was like watching an angel of jazz visiting earth... Now let's talk about the technical side. Video is very good, even camera angles are subtle and fitting. Audio... OMG!!!! This is comparable to "Hell Freezes Over". No wonder her albums always get the nod for technical perfection among the elite few hi-fi purists. I'm now getting all her CDs. Dear jazz lovers, do yourselves a favor. Buy this DVD!!! Her skill on the piano is amazing. The musical interaction between her, the band and the orchestra is in perfect harmony. There's great jamming and improvisations and her husky voice is sweet and controlled. The technical side on both audio and video recordings is so good it'll put a scare on the faces of the producers of the Eagles' already reference DVD recording. Could it get better than this? I couldn't wait for the next Diana Krall DVD...
Rating:
Summary: Next Best Thing to Seeing Her Live!!!
Review: After attending Diana Krall's incredible live concert in Cleveland on March 19, I came home and immediately checked on what else she had available on CD that I could add to my collection. I was thrilled to find that the Live in Paris concert in VHS format would be released in a few weeks and immediately placed my order. Many performers aren't much different in person, but even when you're up in the mezzanine or balcony, Diana makes you feel like you're in an intimate club setting with her. What a talent and what a personality! Don't miss the chance to see her in person, and don't pass us the next best thing -- this WONDERFUL video! In some respects, the video is better than the live concert because you can catch all of her varied facial expressions and her incredible fingers as she strokes the keys. She does a lot of piano styling in the video, considerably more so than in the Cleveland concert, which shows what a true, innovative talent she is. She's got it all -- piano, voice, beauty and creativity -- and this video is a way to enjoy and appreciate all of it. You'll be glad to have it in your library.
Rating:
Summary: You'll want a great sound system
Review: Great DVD. The sound clarity is top notch, up there with the old standards (hell freezes over, james taylor, fleetwood mac, etc.) The video editing is paced about right, not the annoying quick edits of other videos. The picture quality is dark and "artsy" yet cleanly crisp at the same time. One thing to note: this is the first time on just about any music or movie DVD I've heard that major, important sound (for instance, her piano!) coming out of the REAR speakers (dolby digital or dts). Usually, you just hear surround effects, minor instruments etc. from the rear. The effect is a little "different" but sounds fine. For best results, the rear speakers should be high quality. I may have to upgrade...
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