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98 of 103 found the following review helpful:
Having Your Cake and Eating it TooApr 20, 2002
By Tad Ulrich
Who says you can't have it both ways? Imagine hearing the best Diana Krall cd she has made thus far and being able to watch it at the same time. Imagine no more. Your dream has come true.This dvd is actually better than being there because the superb camera work keeps you intimate with everything going on. I have sat mezmerized before my big screen tv and sound system throughout the 130 minutes of heaven. The dvd is a work of art with wonderful creative scenes of Paris intermingled occasionally with the music. While the 5.1 sound is excellent for the most part, higher pitched sounds such as cymbals, bells and other percussion sounds are often inaudible. Still, I don't know how you can realistically ask for more. The music is beautifully varied with plenty of up-tempo swingers mixed in with the slower ballads. One of my favorites is I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL. It's obviously one of Diana's too. Just look at her at the conclusion of the song. That says it all. I take exception to the comments from some who have stated Ms. Krall seems too laid back or disconnected from her audience. I certainly didn't see that. What I saw was a young woman just being herself and clearly into the music and the fans as well. She cast lots of approving glances and smiles at her fellow musicians as they played. Diana took several breaks throughout the night to acknowledge her players and conductors efforts as well as talk to the enthusiastic audience. In fact, at the conclusion of the concert, after all the other musicians had left the stage, Diana came back out to the piano, by herself, to sing and play A CASE OF YOU. Clearly, she intended this to be an intimate moment with just her and her audience. I must admit, I am totally enthralled seeing this beautiful young woman wailing passionately on that Steinway and Sons piano in the best traditions of modern mainstream jazz. It's a very rare experience these days, and Diana proves she can hold her own with anyone in that genre. I have seen this dvd several times, most recently with my 14 year old son, who is primarily into hard rock. The day after he said, "Hey, dad, that Diana Krall dvd of yours is really great. I think I'm becoming a Diana Krall fan." Can there be a greater endorsement than this?
39 of 39 found the following review helpful:
If you buy any music DVD this year, then buy this one!Aug 05, 2002
By Aces Wild
Simply one of the most emotionally moving concerts I've ever seen... excellent video direction & production to sync with music recording of this concert... the camera positioning (angles, shots, composition) in conjunction with music performance are the most brilliant that I've ever seen ... the shots of Diana singing with either the drummer , or the bass player, framed in the same shot, with perfect clarity and depth of field ..these are the shots that demonstrate cinematic excellence ... I hate to say it, but it's DVD's like this one that make you realize that the truly inspired live video music recordings are clearly superior to paying for a bad seat at a live concert ... of course, the DVD would not replace having an excellent seat at the concert! Just when you think that it couldn't get any better than the song she just finished singing in the show, Diana comes thru with a another heart stopper ... personal favs include: - the look of love - under my skin (Diana has arguably put forth the best version of the classic Cole Porter song that anyone ever has , which is saying a lot) - east of the sun, west of the moon she also performs killer intepretations of "maybe you'll be there" , and "cry me a river"... this woman is blessed with incredible talent, beauty, and presence ... this concert is made very special by the musicians in her jazz group and the European Symphony Orchestra , and of course Claus Ogerman in a guest role .. Brava! Diana, Brava!
31 of 32 found the following review helpful:
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!Apr 04, 2002
By bradhusker
"bjr"
Where do i begin?
Anyone even remotely interested in jazz, or just great music, MUST own this dvd, period.
I just got finished watching this wonderful concert on dvd, and the experience was breathtaking. Her jazz band is so tight and perfect, they are so passsionate about their music, and it shows during this show in Paris, the love, the joy of making great music, great art. I have never heard a concert sound this awesome on dvd, simply put, the dts 5.1 surround sound is perfection, its as if you are in Paris with diana, front row and center, amazing!
Of course i love her jazz selections most of all, her slower ballads are not as awesome, with the one exception being, "cry me a river", that is awesome, and when she closes with her second encore, joni mitchell's, " a case of you", you will be spellbound! But its on the jazz numbers where your jaw will drop, this lady is already a legend, and when she plays jazz, you close your eyes, and the music washes over you, and you get swept up in pure ecstacy, she is that good, no wait, when her career is finished, they will speak of this lady in the same reverential tones as they speak of ella fitzgerald, and that is speaking volumes about Diana Krall,
All i can say is this, I know music, anyone who doesnt own "diana krall, live in paris", is cheating themselves out of one of life's great pleasures, this dvd is a must own.
Thank you, goodnight.
15 of 15 found the following review helpful:
Krall Delivers - Smooth and ClassyMay 03, 2002
By Chris I.
I'll admit that at first, I wasn't very impressed with Diana Krall. Then again, I only heard one or two of her songs played on a local smooth jazz radio station. However, after buying her "Look of Love" CD, and then borrowing a friend's copy of her "When I Look In Your Eyes" CD, I came to realize, like so many others, just how special she is. "Live in Paris" is truly an outstanding musical video and I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the old show tune standards. What sets her apart from other vocalists is her exceptional skill on the piano. Comparisons to Nat King Cole's style aren't too exaggerated. The video production is outstanding with creative camera angles and occasional cut-ins of scenes around Paris (not the typical tourist shots, but rather interesting scenes that compliment the particular song). There are 2 "MTV-like" bonus videos and both are nicely done, as well. Definitely a worthwhile purchase, and not just for Krall fans.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
I'd krall through broken glass to see Diana in concert!Jun 03, 2002
By Charles S. Houser
I bought this DVD after hearing one or two cuts from one of Diana Krall's CDs at a friend's apartment. I loved her smokey, hollow reed voice and jazzy phrasings. The DVD is really my first serious exposure to her work. And it's marvelous. It's like a little time travel trip back to the early and mid-60s when jazz was at its most sophisticated. Her interpretations (both vocal and on the piano) are cool and exciting without being clever or abstract. And the mid-60s was a great era for female vocalists. Krall seems to channel and blend the best of them--such as Dusty Springfield (compare their versions of Bacharach's "The Look of Love"), Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, and Astrid Gilberto--all without sacrificing her own astonishing originality. Interestingly, in her final encore number Krall reveals another one of her mucical personae when she gives a solo performance at the piano of a song by fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell ("A Case of You"). On top of giving a dynamite performance of some really great standards, she shows herself to be a generous performer, frequently and sincerely acknowledging her fellow musicians and the arrangers of the various numbers (she even brings the legendary Claus Ogerman out on stage). Besides the full concert (with some interesting footage of the streets of Paris intercut at various points), there are two bonus videos and three numbers from her rehearsal with the Orchestre Symphonique Europeen. This is one DVD that will give you many hours of pleasure. There's a lot here to enjoy...over and over again.
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