According to Diana Krall, we should see Quiet Nights as a love letter to her husband in the form of an intimate romantic album. It is 'very feminine, as if you are lying in bed next to your lover and whispering this in his ear'. That bed stands on sturdy legs, formed by her accompanists Anthony Wilson (guitar), John Clayton (bass) and Jeff Hamilton (drums), expanded with percussionist Paulinho
… DaCosta. Together they produce a Brazilian tinted mattress of bossa novas and a soft pillow of relaxed ballads. For the bedding, superarranger Claus Ogerman was taken out of the linen closet of his self-chosen retreat. Just like on Krall's successful album The Look Of Love, he provides a beautiful and extremely comfortable blanket of strings and flute, horn and oboe. Naturally, Krall's somewhat husky and sultry voice lends itself perfectly to the romantic plan, and it is understandable - but a pity - that she doesn't climb out of bed to play the piano much. But then the words she whispers to her bed mate! Not very original, with titles such as Where Or When, Walk On By and even the umpteenth version of The Girl From Ipanema. Would hubby Elvis Costello get excited about that? (HB)more
