You're my thrill (Diana Krall) (LP 688 - 690)

Diana Krall  The Girl In the Other Room (CD, Verve Records, 2004) *** 

Diana Krall  Quiet Nights (CD, Verve Records, 2009) **

Diana Krall  Wallflower (CD, Verve Records, 2011) *** 

Genre: Jazz vocal 

Places I remember: My dad's music collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Love Me Like A Man (TGITOR)

Gear costume: Narrow Daylight (TGITOR); Alone Again, Naturally (Wallflower) with Michael Bublé.

Active compensatory factors: I'm hanging on to these CDs for my dad's sake. She was certainly his thrill, but she's not mine.

I like a few of her songs, usually in a small jazz combo setting, but generally the strings and hushed intimate vocals (at their peak on Quiet Nights) does little for me. 

The Girl In The Other Room hangs together pretty well as a collection of songs and Wallflower is notable for her covering of some singer/songwriters like Jim Croce, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Elton, Leon Russell and bands like The Eagles, The Beatles, and The Mamas And The Papas. Patchy is probably the verdict from me.

When it works it works (I Can't Tell You Why, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word) but when it doesn't, it doesn't (I'm Not In Love, California Dreamin', In My Life).

Where do they all belong? This brings to a close Canadian jazz pianist Diana Krall's collection that I inherited from my dad. Some live Frank Sinatra is next up in this sub-genre.

That's life (LP 498 - 500)

Michael Bublé Call me Irresponsible (CD, Reprise, 2007) *** 

Michael Bublé Crazy Love (CD, Reprise, 2009) *** 

Michael Bublé Christmas (CD, Reprise, 2012) **** 

Genre: Jazz vocals 

Places I remember: Charity shops in Caterham for the first 2 and HMV Oxford Street for the Christmas one.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Crazy Love (Crazy Love); Home (CMI - bonus CD)

Gear costume: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (CMI) 

Active compensatory factors: I have a great memory of driving from Caterham to North Wales in December two years ago and playing the Christmas CD in the car with Jacky. Magic.

In truth I'm not a huge fan of his work - those first two CDs were picked up for a pound each from the charity shops and they are pretty uneven. His voice suits some cover material but not all.

I definitely understand the appeal - he's a massive star! A global phenomenon. But sometimes that means you're trying to please a very wide range of people and therefore, you're hit and miss.

When he's on though - as he is in those three selections above - he's truly great.

Where do they all belong? And that's it for Mr Bublé.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (Michael Bublé) (LP 285)

Michael Bublé Christmas (CD - Reprise,  2012) ***

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: HMV in Llandudno, this Christmas  

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas




Gear costume: Jingle Bells (with the Puppini Sisters) 

Active compensatory factors: Okay, I m not a fan, generally, of Michael Bublé's type of jazz vocal, but, I was won over by the featured track. 

In fact I've been singing it non stop over Christmas, having bought the CD for my wife from the HMV in Llandudno while on holiday after she complained that I had no Christmas music in the car.

My dad would have loved it, as so would my mum - those Puppini Sister vocals would have have instantly reminded her of her fav Andrews Sisters.

Michael is effortless, and smoooth. Great for easy listening at Christmas while touring around North Wales with her indoors.

Where do they all belong? May be worth a search to see what else is available in the swing genre from this guy. He's just put out a new album of love songs that I'll most definitely be avoiding but that potential proper jazz album (if it exists) could be good.