Diana Krall
The Girl in the Other Room
(Verve)
Some may question Diana Krall’s decision to include her own compositions on this album. But in the history of jazz, nearly every troupe leader wrote original tunes, so the real question is: Why so late? The six Krall tracks (written with Elvis Costello) bear strong pop ballad sensibilities, reflecting her love of composers like Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell. But the real strength lies in Krall’s return to a small troupe setting, where her vocal style and exceptional talent as a pianist take centre stage.
—Dave Hayden
categories: Canadian artist,Juno nominee (2006)
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.