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Diana Krall - From This Moment On |
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by Rick Holland
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 From This Moment On | | Personnel: Diana Krall – Vocals, piano, Gerald Clayton – Piano (tracks 1, 5, 8, 10) , Jeff Clayton – Alto and soprano saxes (tracks 2, 9), Terell Stafford – Trumpet (tracks 2, 4, 9, 10)
Ira Nepus – Trombone (track 2), Anthony Wilson – Guitar (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12)
John Clayton – Bass (tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12), Jeff Hamilton – Drums (tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12)
Gil Castellanos – Trumpet (track 5), Tamir Hendelman – Piano (track 9), Rickey Woodard – Tenor sax (track 10)
The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (tracks 1-3, 5, 8-10) | | Tracks: It Could Happen To You, Isn't This A Lovely Day, How Insensitive, Exactly Like You, From This Moment On, I Was Doing Alright, Little Girl Blue, Day In, Day Out, Willow Weep For Me, Come Dance With Me, It Was a Beautiful Day in August/You Can Depend On Me, The Boulevard of Broken Dreams | |
Diana Krall’s new release From This Moment On, returns to the large ensemble format, and delivers a program of music from the American Songbook that is highly entertaining. Along with her co-producer Tony LiPuma, Krall and trio hook up with master arranger John Clayton and his orchestra, to deliver one of the best produced albums in 2006.
The key to this album is the partnership with Clayton and company. Krall has never sounded more comfortable. And this is saying a lot, because she has been a part of some of the best produced albums in the last couple of decades. This record is loaded with chemistry, as all the musicians are on the same page. The arrangements of John Clayton’s Big Band fit Krall like a glove. Possibly the most impressive quality of these charts, are they give Krall her space to phrase and create. The result is wonderful communication between her and the orchestra which produces a most wonderful listening experience!
There are many who are wanting Dianna to perform more of her originals, (as featured on The Girl From Another Room), but will not be disappointed by this recording. On this recording Dianna gets back to what she’s done well for so many years, singing classic interpretations from the American Songbook. What is most impressive, is her vocals sound even more comfortable on this recording. Her piano solo’s sound mature, swinging with classic interpretive phrasing that represents an era!
I’ve always loved guitarist Anthony Wilson. His playing is swinging with great harmonic and melodic phrases. He simply understands what this music needs, and he and this rhythm section are perfectly suited to accompany Dianna. Add John Clayton to this mix, (who has played many concerts with Krall) who leads one of the finest (if not the finest) Big Bands in the country today, and you have music that simply gels!
There are some great tracks on this Cd. "Willow Weep for Me" and "Little Girl Blue" are simply marvelous ballad interpretations by Krall. She turns around and gives you wonderful swinging standards on Day in, Day, Out and Come Dance with Me. Then you add solid solo spots by trumpeter Terell Stafford, as well as the rhythm section talents of guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and you have some wonderful communicative music!
John Clayton is on a roll these days. Also being a part of the Gladys Knight project on Verve with LiPuma and company, he seems to be a force in revitalizing an idiom of music while giving it refreshing and creative interpretive renditions of this music. There are no gimmicks with Clayton’s productions, only a real understanding of what the music needs and warrants. He is a gem in our generation, and his musical vision and goals are highly admired by this reviewer. For he knows how to present this music to not only the creative types, but has the ability to write and produce music that everyone can access without losing musical quality and authenticity. His groups are creative and play with a real authenticity to musical style! Bravo John!!
And Bravo Dianna, for being part of another musical project that has a chance to have long lasting affect. This project is outstanding, listenable, highly entertaining, and most of all, highly creative and true to our art!!! |
Rick Holland |
| About the author: |
| A versatile musician and veteran performer in organizations such as the Louie Bellson Big Band (Chicago Based Band), Jimmy Dorsey, Mike Pendowski, Rob Parton , Buddy De Franco, Buselli-Wallrab and Terry Gibbs Bands, Rick Holland brings a wealth of experience and musicality to each performance. |
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