Rating: 
Summary: Diana Krall - Back To Basics
Review: I have recently become more and more a fan of Diana Krall.
She has recorded great tunes that I thought I would never hear covered again with the extreme quality and passion she puts into her music. This DVD, Live in Paris, is no exception. She has surrounded herself with musicians of an unparalleled level. Anthony Wilson on guitar, smooth as silk, moving effortlessly from backing Diana to solos of blazing speed and accuracy that reminded me of Al DiMeola . John Clayton on acoustic bass, if you haven't heard him play, it's time to listen. Jeff Hamilton on drums, 'the ultimate', there is no better player on a set of drums. Filling in the gaps, John Pisano on acoustic guitar, check out his work on 'The Look Of Love' and on percussion, to add a little kick to the bossa novas, Paulinho DaCosta.
As if this weren't enough, the band is rounded out by the backing of the European Symphony Orchestra, adding lush strings and a little bit of brass to 'spice up' (not to be confused with The Spice Girls) the arrangements. The tunes on the disc are standards. It doesn't get much better
than 'Let's Fall In Love', 'Deed I Do, 'Under My Skin', 'S'Wonderful, 'Love Letters' and a 'kicking' rendition of 'East of the Sun', showcasing Diana, first and foremost, as a great jazz pianist. This DVD will provide your ears a welcome change
to this age of musical mediocrity. Diana Krall and her band
get back to the basics of what music is all about,
Great Musicians, Great Tunes, and Passion.
Rating:
Summary: S'Wonderful
Review: The only imperfection is the absence of Russell Malone on guitar. Diana Krall is such a superb musician, and so superbly backed by Christian McBride and John Clayton that the facial manipulation and body movements of her guitarist were only a minor distraction for me. The absolute joy of seeing her close up and personal, and to watch her fingers at work on the keyboard, are absolutely mesmorizing. I have loved her music since I first heard her sing and play. The emphasis on her good looks, of course, is well deserved, but her physical beauty is dwarfed by her talent. No blonde bimbo, this. Diana Krall is an industry giant, and seeing her perform is even better than listening to her on CD. How many times have I watched it? I couldn't even count; but each viewing is time well spent. Did I mention that I love it? I love it!
Rating:
Summary: Krall Delivers - Smooth and Classy
Review: I'll admit that at first, I wasn't very impressed with Diana Krall. Then again, I only heard one or two of her songs played on a local smooth jazz radio station. However, after buying her "Look of Love" CD, and then borrowing a friend's copy of her "When I Look In Your Eyes" CD, I came to realize, like so many others, just how special she is. "Live in Paris" is truly an outstanding musical video and I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the old show tune standards. What sets her apart from other vocalists is her exceptional skill on the piano. Comparisons to Nat King Cole's style aren't too exaggerated. The video production is outstanding with creative camera angles and occasional cut-ins of scenes around Paris (not the typical tourist shots, but rather interesting scenes that compliment the particular song). There are 2 "MTV-like" bonus videos and both are nicely done, as well. Definitely a worthwhile purchase, and not just for Krall fans.
Rating:
Summary: Closest thing to being at the concert
Review: Short review: If you already like Diana Krall's work, you probably won't care what my review says. You will get the DVD unless you hear it is a trainwreck of monumental proportions that will cause you to break out in giant purple spots. Fortunately for you, there is nothing about the DVD that should keep any fan from getting it. I only wish it was out sooner. For the curious who are not yet fans, this is an enveloping and engaging show that showcases and absolutely radiant Krall who is at the top of her game belting out energetic toe-tappers and sublime ballads with style and sass. Long review for the brevity-impaired: I've been to over half a dozen Diana Krall shows since she promoted "All For You" a few years ago, and I think this DVD is very accurate in portraying what her show is like. I was disappointed by concert DVDs by Don Henley, U2 and Sting; largely because they were several songs shorter than the real shows. If "Roxanne" was good enough for Sting's actual show, it should have been good enough for the DVD. A live recording can produce a couple of songs that are not up to par for a home video release, but the edits in the cases I mention seemed excessive and only made to produce a tighter and slicker product, even at the expense of cutting half a dozen releasable songs. As far as I can tell, Krall's DVD includes a full show with no deletions. I can't be absolutely positive, since she seems to change her setlist nightly, but I can say that the DVD's setlist is consistent with a full show. Surprisingly, they included the between-song banter that she usually shares with the audience. She tells personal stories and credits the songwriters, collaborators and those who have influenced and inspired her. I would have expected this stuff to be the first to be edited out to make the DVD representation tighter. I admit it can slow down the musical flow of the show, but what you get in compensation is a more personable show and better appreciation of the music. At the real show, this talk makes the whole event very intimate, but some of that atmosphere may be lost in the DVD translation. Don't worry about any cheesy audience reaction shots. This is about the music and the musicians. There are no quick camera cuts. You are allowed to enjoy smooth, flowing camerawork that almost lets you forget this is a film. There are a couple of pretaped interludes of the city of Paris interwoven into the video mix that puzzled me a little. They are very brief and don't really distract from the show. I just thought they could have done without them. They don't cut into the audio at all. Overall, I can only gush about the performances. Krall is at her best, and fans will find everything they like about Krall here and more, since the DVD gives them the best seat in the house. For those unfamiliar with Krall's work, forget the reviews you read. She's been compared to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and countless others to the point of meaninglessness. Hear her for yourself at a book store's listening station or at a used CD store or listen to the samples here on Amazon or on Krall's website. She is unique and draws from the best traits of many influences. She has been performing almost all her life and her genuine love for the music shows through. She seems to do anything to get the music to your ears, whether it's her own, Sinatra's, Nat Cole's, Julie London's, Peggy Lee's or Rosemary Clooney's. She'll plug the work of all these people before she plugs any of her own. She'll definitely sell you on the music and does so with charming wit and sass. She backs her words up with engaging performances. Take a listen to her CDs and take a look at this DVD and try to call me a liar. -Dennis
Rating:
Summary: Stunning!
Review: Just read the other 5-star reviews and know that this one is in complete agreement. I carry it with me now on airplane trips and listen to Diana in place of all the weak movies / audio channels.
Rating:
Summary: Stellar
Review: I have been captivated by this woman's talent for, going on, almost 10 years now. This video is something that I have been waiting for, for almost as long. She is stunning live, and this DVD captures that en toto. Her arrangements are masterful, and her voice mesmerizing. A mix of whiskey and silk, and certainly a pleasure to watch. This concert makes you feel like you're in the front row. I would recommend this DVD to anyone, and I have bought quite a few as gifts for my closest friends and loved ones. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
Rating:
Summary: She gives an incredible performance
Review: Diana Krall is one of the most talented new artists on the music scene. Diana has a great presence of carries herself with much confidence. This DVD really displays that. Live in Paris is crystal clear and has vibrant colors. This is a must-see DVD, if you enjoy good jazz music. I give this a 5 out of 5.
Rating:
Summary: What's Not To Love?
Review: I've been a Diana Krall fan for about two years, since I belatedly heard All For You, still her best CD in my opinion. I was disappointed in her last two releases, The Look of Love and When I Look Into Your Eyes. They were fine records, but Krall's piano was missing in action. It was used more as filler than as the foundation for the songs, that role being taken over by lush orchestral arrangements. So I bought this DVD with some apprehension, but I needn't have worried. In this concert, she plays her Steinway up one side and down the other. The orchestra is employed on about half the songs, but there's plenty of swinging, small jazz combo jamming mixed in. The audio quality is first rate, the picture is crisp and clear, the band is great (I'd never heard of guitarist Anthony Wilson before, my loss), Krall's smoky, sultry voice is in fine form, her piano playing is astounding, and oh yeah, she's easy on the eyes too. Did this woman sell her soul to the devil or what? This DVD is as good as it gets, it would stand up on its own just as an audio recording, but to be able to hear music this fine, and gaze upon Diana Krall too, is sublime.
Rating:
Summary: We Have Been Blessed!
Review: This lady exudes class, sincerity, genuiness, and generosity. She also manages to squeeze a liberal dose of talent in there somehow. In what is clearly a performance from her soul, Ms. Krall transcends the limitations of live music presentations and brings her audience through some of the most intimate sharing of one person's inner qualities I have ever experienced. For example, the opening words of S'Wonderful is clearly a personal communication to her audience in Paris as well as her audiences everywhere. She merely takes advantage of some judicious words to convey her real feelings. And she speaks to each one of us. Although her Canadian accent is positively charming, what is really noticeable in this performance is her genuineness. She is really living those songs and her performance reflects nothing less than a total immersion of her psyche in the music. The music. The music. We have been blessed. Even though she is a daughter of our friends to the north, she is an extraordinary national treasure.
Rating:
Summary: The Best. that all the rest have to Beat!
Review: I have been a Diana Krall fan for some time now and have all her CDs but this DVD is the peak that everyone else has to scale.
The sheer quality of production from sound quality to superb video has to be heard and seen to be believed.
I saw Diana Krall in concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London earier this year and she wes terrific. Her group of musicians are all top class and she performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. I thought I had seen the best but this DVD is out of this world. It is better than being there. The sound recording is of studio quality and the visuals are superb.
The video takes you in so close that you are on stage!
All I can say is buy buy buy !
If you have no other concert DVD then buy this one. In my opinion it sets the standard that all others should aim to achieve.
In a word SUPERB
As for Diana and her music. There is nothing more that I can say except marvelous piano, her interpretation of a song is the best there is with hints of Peggy Lee and Julie London but still with her own distinctive style but what style! The lady has it all,great musicianship, great voice and she is beautiful
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