Product Description

Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 12/13/2004

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12196 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-11-23
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Live, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 89 minutes

Amazon.com
Diana Krall: Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival is a portrait of an already-accomplished musician in the process of evolving into a great artist. Always a fine jazz pianist, an expressive singer, and a capable interpreter (mostly of the Great American Songbook), Krall spent little time developing an original voice prior to her marriage to Elvis Costello and her CD The Girl in the Other Room, which features multiple songwriting collaborations with Costello as well as more adventurous choices in cover material (Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow," Tom Waits's "Temptation"). That 2004 recording is the centerpiece of this concert; fully nine of the 13 selections here, including the Waits and Mitchell songs as well as five Costello-Krall compositions, were drawn from it. Purists may lament the lessening of the straight-ahead jazz element in Krall's music (indeed, with its simple major chords and countryish lilt, the original "Narrow Daylight" will inevitably invite comparisons to Norah Jones). But Krall and her excellent band still swing mightily (cf. an extended version of the standard "All or Nothing at All") and improvise like the seasoned jazz pros they are. It's a heady combination: Krall is at least as good an instrumentalist as her contemporaries; add to that her singing and now an interest in songwriting that reflects the influence of pop music as well as jazz, and you have a genuinely unique talent. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Great sound, great music, manic camera work
I have to disagree with one of the previous reviewers regarding the sound on this recording. I found the sound to be superior to the "Live in Paris" DVD which has a consistent echo throughout the performance. I'm sure this was just an acoustic anomaly from the concert hall, but it's still distracting when listened to on head phones. This new DVD however has excellent sound.

The only complaint I have about it is the frantic camerawork throughout the concert. There are so many camera angles fading in and out that it gets tiring to watch. I just wished that the camera would sit still for at least 10 seconds. I get the feeling that it was directed by someone who has only directed 30 second commercials.

Of course, the music is terrific and includes all the new tunes that weren't on the Paris DVD. I also prefer the quartet sound to the full orchestra from the other disc.

DK and co. once again show the highest level of music.....
Diana Krall live at the very very famous Montreal Jazz Festival, still with the almighty Anthony Wilson on guitar, but this time on bass is Robert Hurst, and Peter Erskine on drum, two of the most renowned players in jazz scene. Seeing Diana Krall and Co. play is like attending a great jazz music workshop, they show very strong understanding of different kind of jazz music, and improvise them,

the opening track "Sometimes I Just Freak Out" combine standard swing to more uptempo "bebop"-ish groove, the transition is so smooth. "Devil May Care" show how Erskine and Hurst manage the super fast bop groove with ease. the bluesy "Love Me Like A Man", and sentimental "Departure Bay" made the finale of the show. And with Elvis Costello co-writing tunes, i found that the melodies become more smooth and easy-listening, but that became a interesting blend with Krall master piano works, and great solos are all over the place, like Hurst and Erskine blaze over "East of the Sun" and "Devil May Care", the improvisation of Wilson and Krall on "Stop this World" is just jaw-dropping as well.

GET THIS!! If you are interested in jazz music and jazz vocal and solo stuff you'll like this one, this DVD highlights one of the most impotant moments of the Montreal Jazz Fest 2004, as well as Krall's music journey, though this might not be typically "Krall"-ish style of music for the sake of the co-writer Costello, but it doesn't affect the quality of music thru out, check it out!!!

Don't listen to the people caught up on DVD extras
Rather than complain about a lack of DVD extras, or about sound options, let's concentrate on the music here. This is a live concert DVD, and it should be judged on the quality of the music, not on peripherals.

If you've had the chance to see Diana live (which I've been able to do three times now), you'll love this DVD. It much better captures the live concert that you typically see with her, as opposed to "Live in Paris." What I've always loved about seeing her live is listening to her strech out on piano, and seeing her guitarist do the same. I've seen Anthony Wilson (the guitarist seen on this DVD) with her the last two times I saw her in concert, and he always comes dangerously close to stealing the show. He's an absolutely great improvisor, and it's great to see him play.

If you like Diana on stage more than in the studio, definitely get this DVD. Even is you like Diana in the studio more, still get it, because she shines as always.