Diana Krall – From This Moment On – with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – Verve

by | Oct 24, 2006 | Jazz CD Reviews | 0 comments

Diana Krall – From This Moment On – with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – Verve B0007323-02, 51:30 ****:

A welcome change of pace for Diana is this happy session with one of the best big bands around today for her tenth album. The top-selling vocalist will be introducing many of her younger listeners to the retro sound of the female thrush in front of the swinging big band, and that’s a very good move. Krall even mentions in her notes about some of her musical inspirations, and they included Count Basie, Billy May, Fred Astaire, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and fellow Canadian Oscar Peterson. Alto saxist Jeff Clayton and pianist Gerald Clayton are standouts in the band and the arrangements – mostly by John Clayton – are just right to back Krall’s smoky, sexy voice.  (Must be a real family enterprise…) Another band soloist who stands out is guitarist Anthony Wilson – listen to him on Exactly Like You. Krall’s treatment of the Brazilian standard How Insensitive is very soto voce and slow-paced, but works well for her.

The sunny nature of the album fits in with the announcement the singer/pianist is expecting her first child with recent husband Elvis Costello.  She admits the concept album wasn’t her idea originally, but she had no trouble finding songs in her repertory that fit together well with the general upbeat feeling of this disc. I find it personally her most enjoyable album to date.

Tracks: It Could Happen to You, Isn’t This a Lovely Day, How Insensitive, Exactly Like You, From This Moment On, I Was Doing Alright, Little Girl Blue, Day In Day Out, Willow Weep for Me, Come Dance With Me, It Was a Beautiful Day in August/ You Can Depend On Me

– John Henry

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