American born, but living in Switzerland since 1964, Vince Benedetti has worked with such luminaries as Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie, and Stan Getz, besides leading his own ensembles. He discovered Diana Krall singing in a hotel bar in his adopted homeland in 1988. She joined his band for a European tour and this album was recorded in 1990. It never found release at the time, but Krall's subsequent success has now brought it to light. Seven Benedetti originals make it clear why the composer and pianist (not to mention trombonist as well) felt he'd found an ideal voice for his songs. With guitarist Martien Oster, bassist Christoph Sprenger, and drummer Alberto Canonico, Krall sails through them with a swooping vigor and confidence one associates with timeless standards. Two numbers are offered in alternate takes, purposely played shorter to encourage radio airplay. From saucy swagger to lilting balladry, this is a perfectly matched set of players and material. It's also an early look at a singer whose debut wasn't to appear until three years after these recordings were made. --David Greenberger
Album Description
RECORDED IN 1990 AVAILABLE NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! The first recording with Diana Krall from 1990, singing and playing on all tracks. A historic document in the career of an award winning international super-star! This is a must have recording for all Diana Krall fans!
Vince Benedetti met Diana Krall in 1988, while he was driving a taxi in Switzerland. After a brief conversation about their respective Jazz backgrounds, Benedetti learned that Krall was working as a singer-pianist in one of Zurich's most established hotels. He went to see her play—and was astounded! He had discovered a great new voice. As Benedetti describes, "Here was a singer of depth and intensity who was able to convey it all with a breezy, laid-back phrasing—something normally assumed to be contradictory. Moreover, and this was critical to her delivery, Krall had developed a mature voice and swinging comping style, using good chord voicings and placing accents & fills in all the right places."
Heartdrops is a collection of light and airy, yet very melodic compositions, played by a line-up best suited for both the material and the overall sound. Krall's sensuous voice, her impeccable phrasing and, last but not least, her very competent piano and organ treatments add that particular flavor of suaveness to a program of well selected titles, most of them by Benedetti.
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