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
1 Average perfomance poorly recorded
Regarding to the musical contents, I will just say that it is a fusion of Jazz with modern pop/country songs. It is a matter of taste, but I prefer "Live in Paris".
Diana appeared somewhat tired. Se rushes on "West of the Sun" and only catches fire in "Devil may care". God knows why...
The bass section in notably inferior to the duo Hamilton/Clayton in "Live in Paris", but these gentlemen as she calls them have other engagements...Anthony Wilson is very good on the guitar, and of course Dina Krall is very good on piano, but her left hand is weak. Almost all notes are played in the middle of the keyboard. Thus the lady maintains composure and does not need to move on the seat, affording correct placement of the microphone when she sings.
This is a recording of a Jazz Trio in a large arena hall. These venues are, in general, not good to record acoustic instruments (to reach the audience they need to be amplified).
Therefore close miking is a necessary "bad practice".
Regarding the DVD there is a significant error in the package. The sound is Dolby 5.0, not 5.1, meaning there is no subwoofer. I personally like that, because I have 4 large speakers and can hear bass from all of them. But a large number of people have 5 small speakers and a subwoofer. When they play this DVD they will simply hear no bass.
If Universal put 5.1 in the label on purpose I think some customers have legitimate right to claim their money back...
Another important point is the fact that only Dolby Digital is available for both surround and stereo. Dolby Digital at the lowest compression rate (highest bit rate) is still not good for music, period.
This is a strange decision for a company called "VERVE" which recorded the greatest Jazz groups in the 60's and 70's with great fidelity. Listen to "Night Train" by the Oscar Peterson Trio on CD and you will hear the difference...
Why this decision to allocate the majority of the DVD to the video and a small portion to the sound in a music record is beyond belief. They could at least put the stereo track in PCM.
Compared to Warner's Paul Simon "You are the One" at the Paris Olympia that has DTS surround and PCM in addition to Dolby 5.1 and subtitles of the lyrics for the non-English native language customers this DVD should be priced at half of the normal...
2 Cool Aid
I have to admit that I was dragging my feet when it came to purchasing this DVD. I am a huge fan of Diana Krall but not of Elvis Costello and I was quite apprehensive of his influence on her music. Not to worry this is a great concert. It would be nature to compare this to her Live Paris DVD. The Paris DVD was done with a full orchestra. This adds a much more full and lush sound. This concert was just her normal combo, giving it a more real jazz sound. I liked it! I noticed that others complained of the filming being to jerky and moving from one seen to another to often. I found it no different than most concerts I have seen filmed. If you like Diana Krall you will like the DVD.
3 Diana Krall Changing For The Better
I just got done watching this DVD and I was very impressed with the entire show. What struck me right from the start was the shift from singer/pianist to pianist/singer of Krall. The focus seems to be on this very tight group and their musicianship. Anthony Wilson (guitar), Robert Hurst (bass) and the great drummer Peter Erskine are wonderful together. Krall sheds the lounge singer in coctail dress who sings "stanrdards" to a musician who is also a singer who appears to be presenting herself as she really would like to be viewed. Maybe for the first time we are getting the see the real Diana Krall and I like the change. I enjoyed the "Live in Paris" DVD but I liked this one better. I liked the old Diana Krall but I love the new one. I highly recommend this DVD!
4 DISAPPOINTING
I know I'm in a minority, but though I'm a big fan of Krall, Wilson and Erskine , I found this release disappointing and inferior to the sublime Paris concert. Not because of the material--which is ok- but because of the production and performance. The former is spoilt by silly camera hyperactivity and a less than great sound quality.Regarding the performance, Krall seems to go for technique too often rather than content--and her vocals are sometimes tired sounding with intonation lapses.Wilson has his moments,but I prefer the sound of the older instrument he used in Paris.Hurst has plenty of chops but seems bored for some of the time and frankly the Hurst/Erskine axis doesn't swing as much as the Clayton/Hamilton pairing. (Compare their respective versions of All or Nothing and East of the Sun) Notwithstanding the above, I'll still eagerly await DKs next project...
5 Outstanding
Being a musician myself I am critical of the recording quality of what I listen to. I must say that Live in Montreal is one of the nicest live recordings I have heard in some time. Diana's piano work is exceptional and the performance rendered by Anthony Wilson on guitar is show stealing. If you have a high end sound system or a high end appreciation for well played and recorded music this DVD is a must have for your collection.
6 Live at Montreal Jazz Festival
Liked this concert better than Live in Paris although it is a bit different. A little less up tempo content and fewer tracks overall. Very impressed with both the audio and video quality - this is one of the best music DVD's I have.
Not just one for the Krall fans, this is a really good concert.
7 awesome
Two days ago i exoperienced Diana Krall live in Prague. The show was excellent despite the place (hockey arena which was really cold and the sound could be stronger for people far from the stage) and DK's cold (she joked about it actualy, it was very nice, very spontaneous).
Two days later DVD ordered form Amazon came to me so i could compare the Prague show with the one recorded (in another sports arena). If i had to choose between attending the live show and buying the DVD, i would go for the DVD for few reasons:
1, the sound and DK's voice - experiencing it live is a thing to remember and relish, but in Prague it was flawed by the things mentioned above, performance on this DVD is flawless! The sound could be more "raw" but thats only thing i cn think of.
2, intimacy - you will get more intimate feeling watching the DVD in your apartement with a glass of wine or whiskey than in a cold sports arena. Unless you are lucky enough to get tickets fr firts few rows.
3, replayability - this DK in her best you can re-experience anyitme you wish.... and the DVD price is so low my postzage was almost bigger part of the money i had to pay for it - yet worth every cent.
so if you like Diana Krall and/or can appreciate the musicianship of Anthony Wilson, Peter Erskine and Robert Hurts, you have no choice but the get this DVD and enjoy it. It is pure joy indeed.
8 Diana Krall-Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival
I love Diana Krall and own every CD, VHS, and DVD she ever made BUT, this one is not up to her usual standards. Very boreing and found myself 'fast forwarding' to find something of interest. Sorry Diana. But will be looking forward to your next try.
9 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!!!
10 How it's suppose to be.....
It doesn't get much better - a wonderful performance captured on video with an accurate and well recorded audio track. You can hear (and see) the interplay between a jazz quartet at the peak of their craft. I didn't think Diana could get much better - but she constantly surprises me. And Anthony Wilson on guitar? Well, if he's not at the head of the line for guitar players - he's REAL close. Robert Hurst (drums) and Peter Erskine (drums) round out the quartet - they hold their own as Anthony and Diana twist and turn through inventive and entertaining arrangements. WOW!
11 Get Back To the Old Goodies
This CD stinks Diana is at her best doing the old evergreens like on "The Look of Love" and "live in Paris".
12 Not Just THE GIRL, More Like the Woman (i.e. the DK we know)
As most Diana Krall fans are aware, her last several studio CDs have branched out musically from her 1990s-vintage albums (where she concentrated on classic pop standards). In my opinion these shifts in focus have been aesthetically successful, but I realize from reading the amazon reviews that some fans have been left uncomfortable by her moves first into orchestrated bossa jazz (THE LOOK OF LOVE), then most recently into often self-penned contemporary material (THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM).
Those who've supported Diana's changes probably don't need a review to know that this DVD is a must-have, as is her last concert video LIVE IN PARIS. The sound quality is excellent (including 5.1 surround option), camera angles very good, and her performance is consistently strong, with more mature vocals and more adventurous piano solos. On MONTREAL she is accompianed by bass, guitar, and drums throughout (unlike the Paris concert, which has some orchestrated tunes). Also, I greatly admire that she stays in the present tense (so to speak), focusing on recent tunes: 9 of the 12 songs on this DVD are fom her newest album. While I thought highly of the studio versions, in a live setting the new material sounds even fresher, with fluid, emotive performances by Diana and her band.
Those who were disappointed with THE GIRL... album just might want to check out this video for a different view of the new material. That studio album for better or worse seemed like a significant move away from her established classic jazz sound (a shift which I thought highly of but you may not agree). Yet on this DVD her performances of those same tunes seem to have found considerable common ground with Diana's jazz-based music that brought her fame back in the late-1990s, and fit like a glove next to the three standards that are mixed in with the new songs here. The flow from Diana's past to her present in my opinion is much more seamless than you might expect based on the studio versions. Not all the skeptics will be back in Diana's corner, but I believe quite a few will be (just as some critics of THE LOOK OF LOVE wound up embracing the subsequent LIVE IN PARIS video).
13 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.
14 even better than live in paris....
DK was definitely on this night, she is awesome, her band is great, the film well done....bringing her into your house for a great performance. This was Montreal's 25th anniversary opening night and she's playing in front if 15,000 of our closest friends. . . pretty special.
rumor was that her husband performed that night. wonder why she chose not to include that
wonder why diana only allows herself to be recorded live in french speaking cities :)
15 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.
16 great musicians!
fantastic!!!if you expect a video multimedia documentary, you`ll be disappointed. If you are interested in watching and listening diana an her fantastic band playing jazz and blues like hell it`s a must!!
17 Diana Krall - Another Live DVD Gem
Irrespective of anything else you've heard or read, this DVD is absolutely worth buying. Thirty years from now it will still rock. Her live music far surpasses any of her studio albums in my opinion.
I saw her live in Philadelphia 10 days before this concert film was shot in Montreal,and it was one of the best concerts by any performer I have seen in the last 5 years. This DVD does nothing to change that, in fact it preserves a great concert by a consumate jazz artist.
The quartet of Krall, Robert Hurst, Anthony Wilson, and Peter Erskine sound like they have been playing together for 20 years.
They are tight, in-synch and loving every minute of it, and it shows. Who else can go do songs so successfully by Tom Waits, Jimmy Rowles, Joni Mitchell, Chris Smither, Elvis Costello, as well as standards like East of the Sun and All or Nothing at All.
This is truly a gifted artist who has abundant talent and a vocal range that shows no boundaries.
I truly do not understand some of the "panned" reviews listed here. My ONLY complaint is that the middle of this set is too sedate and I would have liked to have seen more of an upbeat/ballad mix here, but other than that this woman has and does it all, as does the rest of the quartet. She has the other jazz vocalists looking up at her and it will be that way for many years to come. If you like true jazz and blues this is a performance more than worth the price.
Oscar Peterson wrote the liner notes for this DVD. The torch has been passed to a new generation: Art Tatum, to Oscar Peterson and now Diana Krall.
18 Disappointing release..
I was at Diana's concert yesterday in Vejle, Denmark and brought home the new Montreal DVD. A great 5-star live concert in Vejle - but the DVD is very disappointing. Granted.. after "Live in Paris" my expectations were high.. probably too high. But this DVD release really leaves a lot to be desired.
The video boasts "stunning 14-camera shoot".. and it's alright.. but are we supposed to believe that the greatness of a video shoot is equal to the number of cameras in use? The editing seems random at times, but you do get a nice view of Diana's piano playing for all us piano players out there.
The audio options are 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby surround. Why no DTS? The audio sounds thin and cold, there's no warmth or depth to the sound of any of the instruments... again (unfairly maybe) compared to "Live in Paris".
The concert is also not complete (not that "Live in Paris" was), but the highlight of this particular concert (June 29, 2004) is supposed to have been a closing duet with Diana and Ron Sexsmith performing "Secret Heart". This was promised to be on the DVD - it is not.
Also promised to be on this release was a 15-minute documentary on the Montreal Jazz festival and its 25th anniversary - not on the DVD.
The promised Oscar Peterson Awards ceremony (recipient Diana Krall) was also promised to be on this DVD - it is not.
The extras you do get are:
- the video for "Narrow Daylight"
and in case you do not have internet access (well.. how could you be reading this then?) - you can spend a good 1 or 2 minutes exploring:
- a Diana Krall "discography" and
- a photo gallery
On a positive note.. the next Diana Krall DVD-release is guaranteed to exceed this one .. unless they decide to sell it on adding one and using FIFTEEN cameras!
