Krall & Foster together in Wallflower

I find it surprising that this collaboration took such a long time coming. Diana Krall and David Foster, two of the biggest names in music today, are after all both Canadians and both are from British Columbia at that. Well, Foster was born in Victoria while Krall comes from Nanaimo, but that is only a ferry ride away. Still, their working together took a lot of years to happen. But it is finally here. Krall, today’s most successful jazz artist, has a new album out that was produced and arranged by Foster who incidentally also played a lot of piano for the recording.

Foster is the legendary producer who has worked his magic with the likes of Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Natalie Cole, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and so many others. He has 16 Grammy Awards and is one of the judges of the upcoming reality search Asia’s Got Talent. Foster creates hit recordings and albums for the ages.

On the other hand, Krall who is married to Elvis Costello has been at the forefront of contemporary jazz music for over 20 years and has five Grammys. Her sexy, low contralto never fails to amaze and she is also one fantastic pianist. And would you believe she is also a producer and did the Streisand album Love Is The Answer. On occasion, she can also be a musical director and arranger, like she was once for Paul McCartney.

Given what they are capable of, they could have done anything and still sold a lot of albums. It would have been so easy for them to go standard or with new originals. But they chose to do something totally unexpected. Pop songs. That is classic pop songs. The album is titled Wallflower and Foster has Krall singing some of the best-loved pop tunes from these past 50 years.

The album is a varied set held together by Krall’s distinctive smoky tones, Foster’s laid-back but so effective arrangements and lots of memories. That is save for one cut. This is the sweet ballad If I Take You Home Tonight, which is a new song composed by McCartney. Not to worry though, after listening to Diana’s rendition, you will surely start storing memories along with this romantic tune. 

As for the rest of the superbly introspective Wallflower, here are the cuts included, all of them Krall’s personal favorites. California Dreamin’ by the Mamas and the Papas; Desperado and I Can’t Tell You Why, both by the country rock band The Eagles; Superstar by Leon Russell; Alone Again Naturally, by Gilbert Sullivan as a duet with fellow Canadian Michael Bublé; Wallflower by Bob Dylan featuring Blake Mills; Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Elton John; Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels) by Jim Croce; I’m Not In Love by 10CC; the Randy Newman song Feels Like Home a duet with Bryan Adams, who also happens to be Canadian; Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House; and the best of the lot, In My Life by The Beatles and the cute and frisky Yeh Yeh as a duet with the original artist from 1964, Georgie Fame.

For more mellow sounds, you might want to check out the star-studded and song-filled album The Crossover Café Volume 2 (Smooth Jazz & Sweet Soul). There are a whopping 37 cuts in the two-disc set. I have been listening to these CDs for days now and there is still no hint that I am beginning to tire of the selections. I find them to be very well chosen and it is just the right batch to put on the player when you do not feel like getting into the whats or whys or whatevers of the original albums they came from.

Cuts included range from the popular like Biggest Part Of Me by David Pack, Let’s Stay Together by Maroon 5 or La La (Means I Love You) by Swing Out Sister to the classics, What’s Going On? by Marvin Gaye, Morning Dance by Spyro Gyra and For Once In My Life by Stevie Wonder to some wonderful surprises I enjoy the best, So Many Stars by Jane Monheit and Sergio Mendes, Don’t Know Why by David Benoit and The Way You Look Tonight by Kenny Rankin. Krall is also in the album with They Can’t Take That Away From Me as well as two Filipino artists also get the chance to go into the jazzy, soulful mood, Sitti sings My Favorite Mistake and Paolo Onesa does Which Way, Robert Frost? All these and more for only P495.