Diana Krall meets right guy for 'Girl'

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Diana Krall departs from the jazz and pop standards of 1999's Grammy-winning "When I Look in Your Eyes" and 2001's "The Look of Love" on her now year-old CD release, "The Girl in the Other Room." Diana Krall with The Honolulu Symphony Pops 7 p.m. Sunday Waikiki Shell $35-$125 (some ticket prices include catered-meal options) (877) 750-4400

There was some audible adjustment of a tea tray and seating as Krall made herself comfortable. She jumped back into conversation soon enough.

"OK, I'm back! Apologies!"

Krall's desire to create as much of a comfort zone as possible for our chat was understandable. Interviews have never been a joy for her. (She told one journalist earlier this year, "I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than do press over and over again.")

But there we were, early last month, chatting about everything from Krall's Sunday evening concert with the Honolulu Symphony Pops to her year-old, most recent CD, "The Girl in the Other Room," and her disdain for doing precisely what we were currently doing.

ROOM TO MOVE

Released a year ago, "Girl" found Krall departing from the jazz and pop standards of 1999's Grammy-winning "When I Look in Your Eyes" and 2001's "The Look of Love," which sold millions.

Krall's emotionally understated and intimate jazz stylings are unmistakably all over "Girl." But this time they grace coolly refined reimaginings of contemporary compositions by Tom Waits ("Temptation"), Joni Mitchell ("Black Crow") and Elvis Costello ("Almost Blue").

"Girl" also is Krall's first disc to feature her own compositions, all co-written with Costello, her husband since December 2003.

Krall had considered writing her own material for years.

"But I didn't really meet the right person to collaborate with," Krall said. Pause. Shy laughter. "I feel like I've met the right guy."

Ah, understatement. Krall's "guy" is only one of the last quarter-century's most consistently interesting and impressively genre-defying songwriters.

Krall has credited Costello with helping her through a difficult period in her life. Her mother died in 2002, as did two of her longtime musical mentors, vocalist Rosemary Clooney and jazz bassist Ray Brown.

Writing did not come easy to Krall, even with Costello's guidance. But she welcomed its catharsis.

"It was all I could do," Krall said quietly. "I wasn't into playing standards at all. I just wanted to write from a personal place with Elvis. For me, that was absolutely the right thing and the most creative thing ... at the time."

GETTING PERSONAL

On "Girl," Krall's intriguing selection of covers combines with her own work to create an intensely personal record, steeped in the sadness of loss and the joy of new beginnings.

The most deeply personal of her compositions for "Girl" is also one of the disc's best. Rich with evocative detail of place and time, the moody "Departure Bay" juxtaposes Krall's memories of her mother with a return visit to her Canadian hometown, Nanaimo.

"That's the best song on the record," she agreed. "I feel closest to that piece of all the pieces we wrote together."

Because it addressed home and family?

"Mmm hmm. Yeah. It was a very big realization, coming from a small town on Vancouver Island that you strive to go to the big city — New York — and learn how to be a jazz musician," Krall said. "Then you come home and realize that things that were so exotic to you are not exotic at all, frankly.

"(Home was) a little more interesting and beautiful. You see it through different eyes than you did before. ... It was really cathartic to write about that which was so dear to me."

Krall was asked whether it was difficult to share something so personal with the public.

"I'll tell you where it's hard sharing it ... is in the press," she said, her voice weary and a tad annoyed. "The most difficult part of everything that I do is always doing press about it ... because I prefer when I'm in it."

Krall understands the necessity to "get what you're doing across to people." She just wishes her music and performances could speak for themselves sometimes.

"I'm a really shy person and don't always articulate," she said. "That's why I express myself through words and music, because it's easier to do that than talk about it. That's where I find ... the challenging bit."

Krall giggled disarmingly. All was calm again.

WRITING AND ELVIS

Krall is still writing but not, she warns, "with an agenda."

"I wrote something a couple of weeks ago I really like and I've given it to Elvis to see what he can do with it ... write some lyrics," she said.

There's a long pause after Krall is asked what she's learned from Costello about songwriting.

"Well ... that you should just go for it. Trust yourself. Just write. Don't try to judge it too hard," she said.

Reminded of her husband's 2006 concert dates with the Honolulu Symphony Pops (March 31, April 1), Krall was crossing her fingers she could attend.

"If I could ever follow Elvis around, I would. You know that! If I'm not working, I'll be there," she said.

Asked about the possibility of watching Costello's performance from the sideline as an adoring wife and longtime fan, Krall laughed hard.

"That'd be lovely. ... I'll be in the audience cheering away."

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.