Diana Krall: Glad Rag Doll (White Vinyl) on 2 LPs

Bislang kennt man die kanadische Pianistin und Sängerin Diana Krall eher als musikalische Leisetreterin. Als Spezialistin für hingehauchte Jazzballaden, entspannte Swing-Nummern oder, wie auf ihrem letzten Album “Quiet Nights”, sinnliche Bossa Novas... Und nun soll auf ihrem für Ende September angekündigten neuen Album eine Shotgun zu hören sein?

Es klingt verwegen, aber so klingt noch manches andere auf dem von T Bone Burnett produzierten Album, das den schönen Namen “Glad Rag Doll” tragen wird. Das fängt beim Repertoire an, das einem Tom Waits oder Dr. John ebenso gut zu Gesicht stehen würde, und reicht über ein erstes verruchtes Foto bis zur Zusammenstellung der Band.

Denn im Line-Up tauchen diesmal nicht Dianas übliche Begleiter auf, sondern eher etwas schräge Vögel wie die Gitarristen Marc Ribot, Bryan Sutton und Colin Linden, Bassist Dennis Crouch, Schlagzeuger Jay Bellerose und der gefragte Keyboarder und Soundtüftler Keefus Green, der für Diana natürlich auch die ominöse Shotgun “abfeuerte”. Last, but not least geben sich auf “Glad Rag Doll” noch die berühmt-berüchtigten Coward Brothers Howard und Henry die Ehre.

(jazzecho. de)

Product Information

Diana Krall's extraordinary new album, 'Glad Rag Doll' (9 / 25, Verve Records) is an exhilarating and adventurous exploration of new sounds, new instrumentation and new musicians. It stars a singer and piano player, filled with mischief, humour and a renewed sense of tenderness and intimacy.

The record reveals itself at that remarkable vanishing point in time where all music; swinging, rocking and taboo, collide with songs of longing, solace and regret. All are made new again in a vaudeville of Krall's own imagining.

It is at once a major departure and a natural progression for the gifted musician. Diana simply calls the album, "a song and dance record".

"We all just went in there as if the songs were written yesterday. I didn't want to make a period piece or nostalgia record," said Krall.

In fact, these are songs that Krall has spent a lifetime contemplating. Both her childhood home and her current address are stacked with 78rpm records and song folios filled with precious and unpolished gems, songs that have not worn out their lustre from repetition.

If any of these songs could be identified as "20's or 30's music", then they are 20's or 30's songs as imagined for the 21st Century.

The same could be said for a startling rendition of the Pomus classic, "Lonely Avenue", first cut in the 1950s.

The contemplative, contemporary reading of the old Gene Austin recording of "Let It Rain" finds a sympathetic echo in Krall's exquisite rendition of Buddy and Julie Miller's more recent ballad of spiritual longing, "Wide River To Cross".

Working for the first time with renowned producer T Bone Burnett and engineer Mike Piersante, Krall revels in a fresh sonic playground captured in the vivid grain and deep resonant focus of analog tape. Burnett has assembled a distinguished cast of remarkable men to complement Krall's piano contribution at an 1890s Steinway upright.

From the hushed to the howling, Marc Ribot's poised and sympathetic solo guitar accompaniment on the title track contrasts beautifully with a range of surprising sounds and colors.

As ever with a Diana Krall record, her distinctive feel and unique sense of time is crucial. She has established a new and exciting rhythmic rapport with drummer Jay Bellerose and bassist Dennis Crouch that has let loose some of her most joyous piano playing heard on record to date.

Among the new elements brought into the spontaneous arrangement process are the mysterious, sometimes comedic commentaries coming from the keyboards of Keefus Green.

(dianakrall. com)

Rezensionen

,,Umgeben von Session-Profis wie Marc Ribot, Ehegatte Elvis Costello (als Howard Coward gelistet) und dem zur Höchstform auflaufenden Producer T-Bone Burnett musiziert Krall am hübsch plinkernden Steinway-Piano aus dem Jahre 1890 quicklebendige Neufassungen von Archivschätzen aus Country, Folk und Blues und fast Vergessenes aus der Zeit nach dem Urknall des Jazz. Vergnügliche Zeitreise!" (Stereo, Oktober 2012)

,,Weitgehend unbekannte Songperlen aus den 20er- und 30er-Jahren stellen den Hauptteil von ,,Glad Rag Doll"." (Audio, Dezember 2012)