 
Live At The Montreal Jazz Festival Recorded two years apart, both of these shows present this young jazz diva in diverse settings: a formal concert hall in Paris and a huge stadium setting in Montreal. In Paris, Krall and longtime guitarist Anthony Wilson are joined by John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums, with the addition of the Orchestre Symphonique European & Paris Jazz Big Band and guest conductor Claus Ogerman. The repertoire is an all-standards set and Krall’s interpretations are practically flawless. She and her rhythm section had only worked together for a week prior to the event, but it’s evident that there was a great deal of mutual respect for each other. On the bill as part of the Montreal Jazz Festival, the setting is much more casual and the band seems almost to be swallowed up by the cavernous hall. Bass duties this time around were handled by Robert Hurst and Peter Erskine sat behind the skins. Much of the material was taken from The Girl In The Other Room, edging the performance more into the pop realm and with slightly less jazz. In my opinion, the Paris set is superior for several reasons: the material is performed more delicately and with greater nuance, probably due to the venue. Ditto for the rhythm section – Hurst and Erskine are consummate professionals, but Clayton/Hamilton play with greater finesse and range. The Paris recording also sounds much better: you can really hear the attack and decay of the piano and drums and the bass has a round, fat tone that appears to be positioned right in the center of your living room. Krall fanatics will want to own both, but if you have to pick one, Paris is the real deal. -- David Bassin
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Diana
Krall