DIANA KRALL SINGS McCARTNEY

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Diana Krall turns to pop on new CD 'Wallflower'
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 10 February 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Singer-pianist Diana Krall wants to make one thing clear about "Wallflower," her new CD: It's a pop album, not a jazz album.
For her 12th album, Krall enlisted fellow British Columbian David Foster, a 16-time Grammy winner. Foster did the arrangements and played most of the piano parts, freeing Krall to focus on her vocals.
Three Rock and Roll Hall of Famers provide background vocals on several tracks: Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles (on his own "I Can't Tell You Why"). Krall sings duets with two fellow Canadians: Michael Buble on Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)" and Bryan Adams on Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home."



The repertoire mostly includes pop ballads from the '60s and '70s, including The Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'''; The Eagles' "Desperado"; and Elton John's "Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word."
The title track is an obscure Bob Dylan song that Krall discovered on one of his "Bootleg Series" records. The newest song is a previously unreleased ballad by Paul McCartney, "If I Take You Home Tonight."
Krall kicks off a 27-city U.S. tour on Feb. 25 in Boston.



A conversation with Diana Krall:

AP: Why did you want to do a pop album?

Diana Krall: I had a chance to work with David Foster whom I've known for a long time. I felt that this was the right time and the right person to do this kind of record with. David has a jazz background, but he's also a great pop producer and incredible accompanist which I discovered more and more as I was working with him. ...
I really made it clear that I didn't want to do a jazz record. ... I wanted to do a pop record and keep the integrity of the original melody and chord changes.

AP: Do you feel a personal connection with these songs from the '60s and '70s?

Krall: I don't think I could do things that I don't find some connection to. It's not like I'm pulling songs from another era that mean nothing to me.
I sang pop music most of my life. I was a somewhat normal young person listening to pop music — Crowded House, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Adams — and playing it. Elton John was always a hero of mine.

AP: What was it like working with Paul McCartney on his standards album, "Kisses on the Bottom?"

Krall: That whole time working with Paul was probably one of the greatest experiences in my life. He's just an amazing, good person. ... I was the band leader, piano player and accompanist, and I loved being in that role. Every day it was a joy to come into the studio and see Paul and (producer) Tommy LiPuma work together.
Paul had written some romantic ballads of his own to include on the record, but fortunately for me one song, 'If I Take You Home Tonight" did not make it on the record. I asked, "Paul, do you think it would be OK if I did the song on my record?" and he said sure. How exciting is it to do a new Paul McCartney song? It's one of my favorite tracks.

AP: Are you worried about how your fans might react to "Wallflower"— that some might think you're abandoning jazz for pop?

Krall: I don't think I'm abandoning anything. ... I've always seen myself as a jazz pianist first. The major influence in my life is Nat King Cole, although I don't put myself in the same category as him.
I know that some will like this album and some will not. You cannot control that. ... You just want to make a beautiful record that you love, coming from an honest place, and hope that everybody else will love it.



If I Take You Home Tonight 
Diana Krall
Composer: Paul McCartney

If I take you home tonight
I will think of songs to sing to you
Music filled with joy and (light) ?
If I take you home tonight

If I tell you how I feel
Would you be afraid and run away
I would say my love is real
If you let me take you home tonight

Oh my love let me treat you right
Let me take you home tonight

Oh my love let me treat you right
Let me take you home tonight

If you let me take your hand
There are places I could bring you to
In some unimagined land
If you let me take your hand

Oh my love let me treat you right
Let me take you home tonight

Oh my love let me treat you right
Let me take you home tonight

If I take you home tonight
I will think of songs to sing to you
Music filled with joy and light

If I take you home
If I take you home
If I take you home tonight

If I take you home
If I take you home
If I take you home tonight