The Girl In The Other Room

Performer: Diana Krall
Artist: Peter Erskine; Christian McBride; Terri Lyne Carrington
Engineer: Al Schmitt; Steve Genewick
Producer: Tommy LiPuma; Diana Krall
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Neil Larson (Hammond B-3 organ); Anthony Wilson (guitar); Christian McBride, John Clayton (bass); Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton, Terri Lynne Carrington (drums). Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California and Avatar Studios, New York, New York. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. It may or may not be significant that Diana Krall's first album of new material since the ascendance of Norah Jones is the former's least jazzy, most pop-savvy album of her career. In any case, it marks Krall's biggest departure to date; THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM is almost entirely devoid of the jazz standards that constituted her previous repertoire, and it contains her first recorded batch of original songs. It's possible that new husband Elvis Costello, who co-wrote all six of those tunes with his wife, was the agent provocateur. It's also feasible that Costello, who has previously recorded Mose Allison material and palled around with Tom Waits, nudged Krall toward such choice selections as Allison's bluesy plaint "Stop This World" and Waits's cocktail rhumba "Temptation." Nevertheless, Krall delivers them--like the rest of the songs here--in a misty, laconic style very consistent with her earlier work. There's no attempt at pop-oriented production here, just the same piano-trio sound that's been Krall's stock in trade all along. Ironically, the jazziest tune here is Costello's early-1980s ballad "Almost Blue," previously performed by Chet Baker. Naturally, the new songs also bear the unmistakable stamp of Costello, but no matter how far afield her song sources (Joni Mitchell and Chris Smither's catalogs are drawn on as well), Krall maintains the trademark feel that made her famous.

Q (p.100) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]here's a bolder choice of material....Her playing has loosened up too..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.97) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Krall is darkly exhilarating in the raucous Mose Allison opener 'Stop This World,' then coolly compelling in Tom Waits' 'Temptation'..."

With her pre-bop piano style, cool but sensual singing, and fortuitously photogenic looks, Diana Krall took the jazz world by storm in the late-'90s. By the turn of the century she was firmly established as one of the biggest sellers in jazz. Her 1996 album ALL FOR YOU was a Nat "King" Cole tribute that showed the singer-pianist's roots, and since then she has stayed fairly close to that tradition-minded mode, with wildly successful results.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25