Customer Reviews

Only Trust Your Heart

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What can I say? Diana is making me buy an entire album and this is the first time that I am buying albums as Christmas gifts. I am giving her album and Micheal Duble's self titled album to my closest friends. I send gifts that are high quality and thoughful gifts that I would personally enjoy (Just in case they are sent back). Both albums are kick ***, making this a banner year. All this and QE on Bravo TV! Color me happy!

Whatever you may think of Diana's more recent crossover music (which I think is brilliant), this early album demonstrates clearly that her music is rooted in jazz. There is no crossover here - it's pure jazz. Diana sings and plays piano, backed by a small but select band comprising a bass player (sometimes Ray Brown, sometimes Christian McBride), a drummer (Lewis Nash) and a ten saxophonist (Stanley Turrentine).

Like so many of Diana's albums, this one relies heavily on songs from the first half of the twentieth century, beginning with Louis Jordan's classic Is you or is you ain't my baby. Other classic songs featured here include Squeeze me (Duke Ellington) and two songs associated with Peggy Lee (I love being here with you, The folks who live on the hill). The only original is the closing bluesy instrumental, CRS craft.

This is a fine album that will particularly appeal to jazz aficionados. It may even expand the market as fans of Diana's later music learn to appreciate jazz. But some of those fans may not like this - if in doubt, listen to some of it before buying.

Oddly, little mention in the customer reviews of Stanley Turrentine's presence on the recording. It's what makes this album different from --and hotter than --any other of Ms. Krall's fabulous work. Example: No doubt about it --Diana and the band supremely cook on the song "I Love Being Here with You" from her latest Paris live recordings. But on this version, Turrentine's tenor sax steers the tune up the onramp and into overdrive. He's jazzy enough to be interesting but stays sane and faithful to the melody. Which matches Diana's musical style, I think. But whether it's Stanley Turrentine, Ray Brown, Christian McBride, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, etc., it's testament to Ms. Krall's ability to attract and lead such superb associates. And at such a tender age, though she was no overnight sensation at this point, having played professionally since her teens.

Still, one of my favorites cuts on the CD is saxless: the dreamy "All Night Long." Diana's lilting piano solo and sultriness interpret the plaintive mood of the piece perfectly.

Her three subsequent recordings are maybe a little more softened and refined. That's not at all a bad thing, but I tend to listen more to this CD, its predecessor, "Stepping Out" or the two recent killers "The Look of Love" and "Live in Paris." "Only Trust Your Heart," among all her recordings, is Diana at her most muscular, both vocally and instrumentally. Even on the slower pieces she reaches decibel levels more likely to be heard only in her concerts. Maybe it's Turrentine's influence. In any case, it's just nice to hear Diana prove that she can belt 'em out.

Well, I started out with the recent releases, but now I feel like I've found the gold. The love songs on the other albums are beautiful, no question, but this CD shows her range. You get a much fuller appreciation of who she is as a musician with this CD and without all the sexy packaging that must be some marketeer's idea of who she is. This must be what it sounds like to hear her in concert. Whoa! And with such amazing musicians. Read her idea of what she's going for, in the liner notes.

...and you can tell she had some work to do on her lyrics, but regardless, there are some great tracks on here worth checking out if you're a Diana fan:

is you is...
only trust your heart
broadway
squeeze me
all night long

they're soft songs perfect for the winter months and curling up next to a fire and listening to....no "smooth" jazz here, just nice sounds and soft piano.

Recently I bought this CD after sampling it. The first track "Is you is or is you ain't my baby" is really terrific, my favorite, along with "Broadway". Diana voice and the way she phrases her songs makes her CD a unique jazz piece. She puts her own signature on these classical jazz pieces. The background piano ; bass ; sax were all perfectly rendered and in itself is something to appreciate...but with the addition of Diana's voice makes this again a true Diana Krall piece.

DK is a class act. This CD has material that follows more of the standard jazz genre; a definite must for a DK collection. Also saw her concert in L.A. in May. She was fabulous, playing non-stop for 2 hours. One of the best concerts I've seen.

Though an early album, I didn't come across this one until after owning When I Look In Your Eyes and The Look of Love. These later albums convey a "matured" Diana Krall, even subdued compared to this swinging cd. It's worth owning to round out any Krall collection.

First things first.Diana is incapable of releasing anything not top drawer. This is among her jazziest,with some sly bass lines and sax playing swinging right along."Is you..my baby" cuts a rug very nicely, as do most of the others, and the much neglected "Folks on the Hill" is another mellow smooth one. My main gripe is there's just nine cuts here, even if they're all just about at Diana's customary high quality...The one surefire wonder of Ms. Krall is WHEN I LOOK IN YOUR EYES, I believe among the finest pop/jazz albums ever recorded. Her other efforts are essentials too, and hopefully she will keep swinging and cooing for a long time to come.

Relaxing, smooth music and vocals. Perfect for a romantic dinner and evening.