MANILA, Philippines - From Diana Krall’s refreshing version of Where or When, to a soul-stilling rendition of You’re My Thrill, the 10 songs on Quiet Nights are disarming in their intimacy. Even those familiar with the breathy vocals and rhythmic lilt in Krall’s music — and now there are millions — will be taken aback by just how far the music pushes, unabashedly, into the realm of sweet surrender.
Krall is the first to credit the musical team she assembled — her loyal quartet, producer Tommy LiPuma, engineer Al Schmitt plus arranger Claus Ogerman — for much of the seductive power on Quiet Nights. But there’s a deeper, palpable sense of maturity that she brought to the recording as well.
“Most of my singing and playing on the album is really just first or second takes. You’re My Thrill was a second take — Too Marvelous, first take.”
It makes sense that Quiet Nights (also the English name of the bossa nova classic Corcovado that is the title track) draws much of its musical spirit from the land that puts the “carnal” into its annual Carnaval celebration. “I was inspired to do this record because of my trip last year to Brazil,” says Krall, who returned to Rio de Janeiro to shoot a concert for a new DVD release. “Then I just kept going back and found that everywhere you go you still hear the sounds of Jobim and bossa nova.”
Quiet Nights under MCA Music, Inc. is available in record stores in Super Jewel Case format for P495, and via downloads for your cellphone through WAP.