arts &
entertainment
Though she’s mainly a jazz artist,
Diana Krall feels a deep connection with Canadian pop artists
Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell
and Neil Young.
that personal. I was really open to him helping
me do that which I couldn’t. I was working
with Elvis Costello, you know? It worked really
well. We worked at the piano in our cabin on
Vancouver Island.
CC: I’ve read that when you were younger
you were anxious to leave your hometown of
Nanaimo, but now you enjoy being there?
DK: When you’re young you want to go
see what else is out there in the world. Now I
love being on Vancouver Island. Of all the
places I’ve traveled, I still feel it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. Even though I love
being in New York and big cities and living the
wonderful life I live, I still need to go home and
walk in the woods and be in the mountains.
Canada’s
queen of swing
An interview with Diana Krall
CC: Both of your parents played piano,
didn’t they? Where and in what contexts did
they play?
JAMES O’MARA
DK: Mother played piano in church and
my father played jazz, an older style of jazz. I
inherited a love of music from them. I got jazz
from my dad and A Prairie Home Companion
from my mom. I’m a big fan of Garrison Keillor.
I grew up listening to A Prairie Home Companion
and NPR and lots of radio shows in general.
Radio is a big part of who I am. One of my
favorite films is Radio Days.
By Will Fifield
JUS T AS IT’S TOUGH to explain what makes
jazz such a beautiful art form, it’s hard to nail
down exactly what works so well when Diana
Krall sings and plays the piano. So many complicated musical elements come together fluidly in her stunning interpretations of jazz and
pop standards.
Since Stepping Out, her 1993 debut album,
Krall, who hails from Nanaimo, British
Columbia, has been one of the freshest, most
vibrant voices in jazz and popular music. She
has earned two Grammy Awards and a Juno
Award, Canada’s equivalent to a Grammy, as
well as a host of devoted fans. Her 1999 album,
When I Look into Your Eyes, was the first jazz
album to be nominated for Best Album of the
Year at the Grammys in more than 20 years.
She’s critically acclaimed and commercially
successful, having sold more than 8 million
CDs and DVDs.
In addition to the demands of her burgeoning career, Krall married British rock
musician Elvis Costello in 2003 and last
December became the mother of twin boys,
Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James.
The Costco Connection recently caught up
with Krall to discuss her career and life.
The Costco Connection: How has
parenthood affected your career?
Diana Krall: When you become a parent, your priorities change. You don’t have time
for a lot of [distractions]. I’m in the best time
in my whole life now. I enjoy my babies and my
husband. They are the important thing now.
CC: Since you and Elvis are both very
active in your careers, how do you balance family life with work?
DK: It’s really hard. We both understand
what it takes to do what we do for a living and
we give each other that room. We travel
together as a family when we can, but there’s
also a reason for our work. It’s not like we’re
asking ourselves, “What am I doing this for? So
I can go to the next hotel room?” Now [I work]
so I can have something to give to my children.
I’ve always enjoyed my work, but having children and family make it even more rewarding.
CC: On your 2004 recording, The Girl in
the Other Room, you co-wrote original material with your husband. Since writing is somewhat new for you, was it a difficult process?
DK: No. I had written before, but nothing
CC: You are an accomplished pianist. Do
you ever wish you were simply playing as a support musician instead of being a bandleader?
DK: I do. I support the girl singer in our
band [herself]. Sometimes I’m not happy with
the piano player [also herself] and sometimes
I’m not happy with the singer. [Laughs]. So I
get the best of both worlds.
CC: Is there something you’ve wanted to do
in your career that you haven’t done yet?
DK: I’d love to do voiceovers. I’d love to do
a voiceover like Peggy Lee did with Lady and the
Tramp. I’d love to be the voice of a really great
character for an animated children’s film. C
The Costco
Connection
The Very Best of
Diana Krall, her 10th
studio album, is available at your local
Costco warehouse
and on costco.com.
“This is a collection
of the most popular s ongs I’ve recorded,
plus three new songs,” Krall explains.