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March is Women's History Month!

Diana Krall On Piano Jazz

Diana Krall.
Bruce Weber
/
Courtesy of the artist
Diana Krall.

Canadian pianist, singer and songwriter Diana Krall grew up in a town called Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Both her father (who collected jazz records and played a bit of stride piano) and her mother (also a pianist) encouraged her interest in jazz and exposed her to all of the great players. She began studying the piano at age 4 and had several small jazz groups while in high school. When she was 17, she played at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and won a scholarship to Boston's Berklee School of Music.

The legendary bassist Ray Brown had heard Krall in Canada, and he encouraged her to move to Los Angeles to study with him. While in L.A., she also began studying with Jimmy Rowles, who encouraged her to sing as well as play piano.

In 1990, Krall moved to New York and began performing regularly with her own trio. Three years later, she recorded her first album on the Canadian label Justin Time Records. In 1994 — when this episode of Piano Jazz was recorded — she signed with GRP records, beginning a long association with producer Tommy LiPuma; he produced the 1995 release Only Trust Your Heart. That record featured an all-star group backing Krall, including her mentor Ray Brown, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Lewis Nash and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

Each of Krall's subsequent recordings has met with increasing critical acclaim and commercial success. Her album When I Look in Your Eyes earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

Krall met singer Elvis Costello at the 2002 Grammy Awards, and the two struck up a relationship; they were married a year later. Krall's 2004 release, The Girl in the Other Room, included several collaborations with her husband.

Originally recorded July 24, 1994.

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