Big Picture Big Sound

The Performance

Native-Canadian Jazz pianist and vocalist Diana Krall puts on an intimate live performance of original numbers and standards with a heavy nod towards the Bossa Nova style in the city where it all originated. Backed by a full orchestra and her ensemble consisting of Jazz veterans John Clayton on bass, Jeff Hamilton on drums, Anthony Wilson on guitar and native-Brazilian percussionist Paulinho DaCosta, Krall easily pleases the Rio crowd with their native music -- a genre that she has clearly long admired.

Diana Krall's vocal style -- deep, smoky, a little flat -- is admittedly not for everyone. She is far less palatable than some of the more crossover ready artists that have come along in her wake, such as Norah Jones or even the Billy Holiday imitator Madeline Peyroux, but unlike Jones, in particular, Krall is far more steeped in Jazz tradition than popular song. The closest she comes to Top 40 is being married to Elvis Costello.

Personally, her vocal style has never appealed to me much, but her music is certainly worthy of note. Having been apprentice to such legends as Ray Brown and Rosemary Clooney, it's not difficult to understand why she has reached such critical acclaim. Live in Rio should offer a treat to those who enjoy the laid back sounds of Bossa Nova, and there are ample amounts of recognizable numbers here even for those unfamiliar with Krall or Jazz in general, like "The [Boy] from Ipanema," and Burt Bacharach's "Walk on By," made popular by Dione Warwick and Issac Hayes.

The Picture
 
Diana Krall: Live in Rio was captured in 1080i/60 high definition and brought to Blu-ray Disc in an AVC/MPEG-4 transfer that is marred by heavy doses of video noise and an overall level of softness that hinders the presentation. Close up shots when lighting levels are bright look clean and sharp. Flesh tones are natural and blacks are deep, but quality varies widely making this one of the lesser transfers in the Eagle Rock catalogue.

The Sound

Unlike its video counterpart, the sound mixes provided on Live in Rio are its strength. With DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless, LPCM 2.0 and Dolby Digital 5.1 options available, Live in Rio's lossless and PCM options both offer pleasing and musically balanced sound, with smooth high frequencies, deep yet tight low frequencies that perfectly reproduce the upright bass and lower registers of Krall's piano and a clean, solid midrange. Vocals are full and clear and the entire mix has a good dynamic range. The string section is balanced into the mix perfectly, and instrumental separation across the front channels is good, with each instrument clearly discernible in the mix. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix adds some ambience into the surrounds and expands the soundstage subtly, but the 2.0 mix still retains a nice sense of depth.

The Extras

• The Rooftop Session (1.78:1; 1080i/60) -- Some improv acoustic performances with Krall and members of her band from a hotel rooftop:
  • "The Boy From Ipanema"
  • "Too Marvelous for Words"
  • "Cheek to Cheek"
  • "Quiet Nights"
• Quiet Conversations (1.78:1; 1080i/60) -- Interview segments with Krall and her band mates.
• Promotional Film -- The Boy From Ipanema (1.78:1; 1080i/60) --  Relaxing images of Ipanema Beach and other footage from Rio meander by as Krall's version of "The Boy From Ipanema" plays.

Final Thoughts

This is great late night listening; even with the unremarkable picture quality it's impossible to argue against the skill of the musicians in this performance and the quality of the audio mix, even if Krall's vocals are an acquired taste. Jazz fans should add this their collections without hesitation.

Where to Buy

• Diana Krall: Live in Rio on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Performer: Diana Krall
• Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
• Audio/Languages: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; LPCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Eagle Rock Ent
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: May 26, 2009
• Run Time: 149 minutes
• List Price: $24.98
• Extras:
  • Conversations
  • Promotional Film -- The Boy from Ipanema
  • Rooftop Session