Album Reviews

How many Diana Krall albums does one need? That's a personal decision of course. However, if you have more than three but no Shirley Horn albums in your collection, you have a few too many. Ditto Sarah Vaughan, Ella, etc. That's not meant as a slight against Krall. In fact I think she'd probably agree with me.

This one, a platinum best seller from 1999, packed mostly with familiar love songs, showcases Krall at her finest backed by small combos and occasionally adding tasteful orchestration arranged by veteran Johnny Mandel who was around 75 when this was made. Russell Malone is on hollow bodied electric throughout and of course Krall plays piano. 

Krall covers crowd pleasing chestnuts like "Let's Fall In Love," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," "I've Got You Under My Skin," " I Can't Give You Anything But Love," in her directly to the point style that benefits greatly from Mandel's orchestrations, which harken back to the early '60s—particularly the Bossa Novas.

Appropriately, the Leslie Bricusse penned title tune is a highlight, with Krall backed eloquently by Malone floating above a cushion of strings.

Al Schmitt's recording at Avatar in New York and mixing at Bill Schnee's  is, as usual, superb. What a treasure that guy is!

Everything that makes a recording great is on display. Krall's voice is naturally rendered in three dimensions, center stage, Malone is stage right a few steps away and as long as you're okay with a widely splayed drum kit, you'll be hooked after a few measures of the opener "Let's Face the Music and Dance." You may not dance, but you'll surely face the music!

There's not much else to say. This is a winning formula that works every time and that includes Bernie Grundman's mastering and the double LP 180g pressing. The state of relaxation induced by this record means getting up to change sides and records will be less than enjoyable, but at least this one's cut at 33 1/3 so you won't be getting up quite as often. But believe me, if you compare the record to the CD, you'll get up happily!