Diana Krall - Live in Paris

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking, sexy, sensual, classy........and then some!
Review: This DVD captures the true essence of the smooth and sexy Diana Krall. Sound Quality (DTS) surpasses any concert dvd I have owned or heard. They have even managed to capture the sexy subtle saliva sounds in her mouth as she sings softly. Elvis Costello is one lucky guy! There is nothing bad to say about this concert dvd, a must have in any collection. Absolutely superb.

Rating:
Summary: My First Review. . . The DVD MADE me do it!!
Review: I have never written a review. I honestly don't even read them. Further, I am not a fan of jazz. I bought the recent Jane Monheit "Live at the Rainbow Room" (another story) and Amazon suggested I might like Diana Krall "Live in Paris". Truth is I had just received some Christmas money so I figured "Why Not?" Well though not a fan of jazz I am a student of music and I admire perfection and I admire even more passion. This DVD is loaded with both. This young woman is blessed with the rare ability to 'feel' the music. Her piano playing is, in a word, perfect. Her voice, while on it's own is great (but not perfect) is pushed into the stratosphere by passion. I sat dumbfounded through the entire DVD and rushed up to my computer to write this, my first ever review. I would be remiss to not mention the fact that the videographers, editors and sound mixers have displayed similar passion in this work. For those who doubt that recorded music or music DVD could ever be legitametly called an art form their doubts will forever be put to rest by this DVD. If you love music, buy this. Any music. Truth is, I'm an opera buff. . . and this is now my favorite DVD. Cecilia Bartoli has a better voice but Diana Krall brings musical perfection laced with passion to a new level.

Rating:
Summary: Near perfect concert - Krall finally shows some depth
Review: Diana Krall recently gave an extended interview for National Public Radio, available at their website (you can still hear it there in streaming Windows Media if anyone is interested), and I learned that Diana started singing relatively late, professionally at least. Possibly that explains why I always judged that her singing and her piano playing were on two different levels. Both are precise and technically proficient and entertaining, but her piano playing moves me more than her vocals. I consider her piano improvisation more advanced because she is better able to communicate emotion through that vehicle. However, there is a point where she began to come into her own as a singer, and the turning point is right here, Live in Paris.

This DVD documents a superb concert, the best kind of jazz imaginable. Krall is not one of those jazz artists who will indulge herself in ten minutes of instrumental noodling -- good, bad, and indifferent -- boring her audience and stealing time from her bandmates. Krall sings her part, plays her little variations, and generously lets the guitar, drums, and bass into the conversation too. An orchestra adds texture and schmaltz for pop tunes where such is appropriate -- this is not a criticism at all. The arrangements are gorgeous.

Back to the singing. On many of these standards, Diana gives what I would call a bloodless rendition. (But then I would have characterized the entire Look of Love production as bloodless.) She delivers the lyric without acting it out in any sense. I'm thinking of a kind of Carmen McRae coolness here -- a precision that can blunt emotional involvement. (Not that Carmen was always detached, but she did tend to project that quality.) Watching Diana's facial expressions, I don't often see joy or melancholy as she sings, but more bemusement or detachment or maybe a wince or frown that seems more like affectation. This is the same impression I had of Diana Krall even when I couldn't watch her perform -- when I heard her Look of Love CD and her CD tribute to Nat Cole.

I wrote before of a turning point. On The Look of Love, oddly enough, a classy tune but hardly a jazz standard, I begin to hear Diana start to truly sell the lyric. And again on her closing number, Joni Mitchell's A Case of You, she let's her hair down and steps right into the song, letting us feel it too, through her voice. These are the seeds of Diana Krall's evolution as a vocalist -- seeds that are obviously blossoming on her new CD, The Girl in the Other Room. I can only applaud this, and hope for more. I was very enthused with The Girl in the Other Room.

Overall, the vibe was right for these performances. All the players are consummate professionals, and they are obviously having a great time -- which means that it is hard for the audience not to have a great time watching them have a great time. Normally I am bored with bass and drum solos, but the team here swings with gusto, and their dynamic and melodic variations add genuine interest. Everything on this disc is consistently good, period.

I am almost prepared to pronounce Live in Paris the best concert DVD I've seen. No one could fault the song selection. Diana is obviously pleased to be working with her band, pleased that her parents are in the audience, inspired by an orchestra and fine arrangements to back her up. The concert stretches a generous 110 minutes, with extra footage from rehearsals and two music videos. If you like Diana Krall or smooth jazz in general, this disc should have much replay value. I'm looking forward to many reruns myself. I can only give it 4½ stars because for me, five star ratings are to be reserved for classic DVDs like Lawrence of Arabia or Fellowship of the Ring. In the music DVD genre, this title has few peers. Get it, watch it, love it.

Thank God I have friends with great taste who loan me movies like this!

Rating:
Summary: Surpassed My Already High Expectations!
Review: The singing and musicianship here are outstanding. Diana Krall is a superb performer -- completely at home in her skin, in her voice, at her piano. I owned a few of her CD's before I sprung for this, and now that I've seen it, I can say I'd easily have paid three times what it cost.

If she doesn't singlehandedly usher in a new golden age of female jazz vocalists (with Norah Jones bringing up the rear), I'd be sincerely surprised. The lesser known but also wonderful Rhiannon (no relation to Stevie Nicks or any of the Fleetwood crew, thank God) also is worth a listen, if you like/love Diana Krall. Heard Rhiannon (she goes by one name, like Charo or Cher or, er, The Donald) at the Vancouver Folk Festival in the late 90's and she absolutely riveted me (and a couple of thousand other people) to the spot with that commanding, sensual, fluid voice.

Oh -- and the fact that this concert is in Paris makes it just that much sweeter. Those Parisiennes seem to have a real appreciation for the uniquely American art form that is jazz ... remember Sting's fabulouso "Bring On The Night"/Dream of The Blue Turtles concert? (I'm dating myself, I know) In Paris. Very wonderful. Must be something in the water. Now if we could only muster up a suitably reciprocal appreciation for their great chanteuses.

My opinion, bottom line? Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Blossom Dearie ... these ladies are part of their living legacy. C'est TRES bon!



Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: I agree with the other reviewer idea of a peek performance here. This is a great DVD and a must-have for anyone with any taste whatsoever. I have all of Diana Kralls CDs including the latest The Girl in the Other Room which was a SEVERE let down. I assume her latest DVD Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival will also be a big let down since she is playing some of those tunes which are obviously something to do with her new husband Elvis the completely different and quite less talented Costello. I do not like to give negative reviews so I will get back to this DVD. I highly recommend this DVD. I think it is, by far, her best work. I am just sad to see her declining. I hope she may again return to be as good as she was here. If you are trying to decide between the other DVD and this one I would say this one has to be the better choice.

Rating:
Summary: Diana Krall's peak performance
Review: I've been a Krall fan for many years -- I have all her albums (except The Girl in the Other Room). I had the pleasure of meeting her before and after her concert here in Escondido, two weeks after she did this Paris concert. That's my claim to fame. Also, I travelled to Canada and met her dad in Nanaimo and spent a couple hours with him -- quite an experience to see where she grew up. Anyhow... as a former working jazz pianist, I fully appreciate who she is, what she's doing and how she plays and sings. In my book, she's my absolute favorite jazz musician of all time -- no one plays better, sings better or looks better than Diana Krall. This Paris gig is the best recording that we'll probably ever see her do -- she was at her peak for this recording. That is, assuming you like her choice of "standards" -- familiar songs and familiar melodies with a Krall take. Sorry to say, I don't like what she has done since becoming Mrs. Costello, but up to that point in time, Live In Paris is her absolute best work. Buy it, you'll love it.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, but same ole, same ole
Review: This is a sparkling product with a truly spectacular audio mix, a must for anyone with a widescreen TV and a decent sound system. The musicianship is top notch. Her drummer and bass player are her heart and soul, her keyboard interpretations are good night club fare. As for Diana Krall's singing, she essentially does the same song in different keys with different melodies-- her breathy style and limited range work well for the torch tunes but some of the spunkier standards demand more... something. After about 7 or 8 tunes, I'm pretty much done with her. But, this is an excellent sounding DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: I have been watching and listening to this DVD for 2 1/2 years now. No, it's not the best jazz ever. No, she's not the greatest jazz pianist ever. No, she is not the best female jazz singer ever. No, it's not the most technically perfect DVD ever. No, she's not the most beautiful woman ever. But she is the most beautiful woman to sing such beautiful jazz standards and accompany herself so beautifully, with such a great band and such great production quality, in such a beautiful setting as Paris, ever.
I have seen no total package of jazz-based entertainment that beats this. I love it.
Sorry, I have to copy a comment from the first Amazon customer review of this recording, from March of 2002. It sums it all up the best, and is the reason I bought this DVD:
If you are a man, if you listen to her, you'll be shortly in love. And if you watch her playing and singing, you'll soon be crazy. Watch out!

Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: What more can you ask?!
This is absolutely great.
I bought a couple of her CDs before.
But I didn't realize how great she is until I saw this.
If you like jazz even a little bit, you will like this.
Some songs are just great to dance to as well.