Diana Krall – This Dream of You

A winner of five Grammies and ten Juno Awards, Canadian jazz singer Diana Krall is the only vocalist in her category to have had nine number-one releases on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Her new record This Dream of You is a culmination of studio works completed with her producer Tommy LiPuma in 2017.

Retro in style, the tracks are smooth, gentle, moody and classical. They sound familiar, like ditties from an old movie – especially pieces like Singing in the Rain, Autumn in New York and More than You Know. An exception is the title song, written by Bob Dylan – delivering a more contemporary sound – and the artist’s Irving Berlin remake How Deep Is the Ocean, a gorgeous, timeless and romantic piece.

Featuring an impressive crew of musicians, the compilation presents the vocalist in duos, trios and quartets with pianist/arranger Alan Broadbent, guitarists Anthony Wilson and Russell Malone, bassists Christian McBride and John Clayton, drummer Jeff Hamilton – and includes numbers with violinist/fiddler Stuart Duncan, guitarist Marc Ribot, Bob Dylan’s bassist Tony Garnier, accordion player Randall Krall and percussionist Karriem Riggins.

Krall’s slightly raspy, whispery, sultry voice, with its hushed sensuality, imbues her songs with the right bluesy ambience for her smooth wistful jazz – the kind you imagine listening to in a darkened cocktail lounge. Opening with the languorous, pensive, evocative But Beautiful with its orchestral organum and lovely cello solo (Vanessa Fairbairn-Smith), the record takes us to a relaxing, redolent retreat, away from the world’s tribulations. 

The mellow romantic That’s All combines classic jazz keyboard and a New York City vibe, conjuring the atmosphere of a 1930s piano bar. Mellow guitar with a harp-like tone introduces the more unusual Autumn in New York, another soulful tribute to the Big Apple’s charms. Upbeat and cheerful, the 1947 Sinatra-style show tune Almost like Being in Love is beautifully performed by the singer. The sentimental More than You Know, published in 1929 and later intoned by Frank Sinatra, is interpreted with simmering passion.

Energetic and joyful drums and fiddle instil a 30s aura to Just You, Just Me, originally sung by Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. With gentle guitar licks, the moody and poignant Sinatra number There’s No You is vocalised softly by Krall with dreamy, emotive richness and depth. A wistful “goodbye lover” melody with lush blues piano, Don’t Smoke in Bed is followed by the Dylan title track, infused by the artist with tender sensibility and profound soul. I Wished on The Moon is classic jazz, featuring upbeat keyboard and bluesy cello, and a military beat opens the sentimental, sexy How Deep Is the Ocean, in which the artist’s vocals and mesmerising guitar radiate steamy emotion. Finally, Singing in the Rain, accompanied by cello, is a playful, ultra-jazz version of Gene Kelly’s famous rendition.

Eloquent, tender, passionate and whimsical, This Dream of You is an impressive musical accomplishment – transporting the listener to a relaxing alternate world. 

Catherine Sedgwick
Photo: Mary McCartney

This Dream of You is released on 25^th September 2020. For further information or to order the album visit Diana Krall’s website here.

Watch the video for Autumn in New York here: