When it comes to class and style in music, not many performers come close to the smooth and mellow jazz sounds of vocalist/pianist Diana Krall. I first heard her music for the first time a number of years ago on a PBS taping of the Montreal Jazz Festival. I was pretty much blown away by her effortless style and the exquisite sound of the music. Although the music is your standard cocktail jazz, her technique turns it into something I never quite heard before. Anyone who appreciates jazz music, and wants the perfect cd to put on during a quite candlelit dinner, would be touched by "The Look of Love".
The track that strikes me the most on this release is "Cry Me a River". Perfectly played jazz guitar compliments Krall's piano to this classic tune. Her bluesy vocals sound effortless, with a bit of an edge. The amazing quality of her voice is smoothness rounded off with a bit of throaty attitude. You can hear a little "tom-boy" in all of her vocal performances. A nice addition to this cd is the amount of lush strings added to many tracks. This is done to near perfection on "Besame Mucho". I've always been a favorite of The Beatles' early version of this that is featured on the "Anthology 1" cd. Krall's version is much different; probably due to the fact that she sings the entire song in Spanish. Besides strings, the track is colored with Spanish guitar and very sporadic piano touches that gives the song a nice light quality. On the opening track, "S'Wonderful", Krall injects a pleasant and sunny bossa-nova feel. Her higher registered yet sultry vocals soar above the strings and percussion; "My dear, it's four-leaf clover time. From now on my heart's working overtime". She doesn't just recite the lyrics; you honestly feel that she sings them out with pure dedication. This bossa-nova sound makes another appearance on "Dancing in the Dark". This time, the song extends into a longer instrumental interlude. Percussion, bongos, strings, and Krall's "bassier" vocals is a departure from the other tracks on the release. Krall's mood once again changes to blue on the closing track "Maybe You'll Be There". The theme of the song is hoping, against all odds, that an ex-lover will magically show up at her door again. Her rendition is touching and sad, but the airy strings in the background gives the listener that there may be a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. These love-lorn dramas are played out continually on each song of "The Look of Love" in very eloquent fashion.
Compared to Krall's 1999 release "When I Look in Your Eyes", I would have to say that I like "The Look of Love" a little more. Her choice of material here is much more faithful to original jazz styles. One thing's for certain, she seems to get better with each release! If you want to impress your loved one this year, you might want to check this release out. The cd cover alone is enough reason to purchase it!
