Live Jazz Albums

Ella Fitzgerald sure knew how to have fun. Her playful improvisation of “Mack the Knife” is both creative and hilarious. Her rendition of “Too Darn Hot” is too damn hot. Her live singing was as good as her studio. Oh boy, can she swing and scat on “How High the Moon?” Ella rocked Berlin.

Diana Krall kicked off her concert with “I Love Being Here With You” showcasing her astonishing piano work complemented by her skillful musicians (Jeff Hamilton on drum, John Clayton on bass and John Pisano on guitar). Krall’s recovering of “Let’s Fall in Love” is reviving, and Hamilton’s brushwork is a perfect foil for her contemporary style. The bossa nova groove on “‘s Wonderful” is ‘s marvelous. Krall rocked Paris.

In contrast to Diana Krall’s raspy voice, Tarry Blaine has a sweet, suave tone with a sense of playful. The childlike “Eeny Meeny Miney Mo” is a perfect song for opening the concert. Love the sound of Allan Vaché’s Clarinet. Her version of Billie Holliday’s medley (“When a Woman Loves a Man/My Man”) is obviously not as emotional as Billie (no one can interpret unrequited love better than the Lady Day), but she has made it sound modern. Some highlights of the show includes “A Little Bit Independent” (dig Mark Shane’s piano and Ed Polcer’s cornet), “Carolina Shout” (instrumental) and “I’d Love To Take Orders From You” (the most politically incorrect song). Blaine rocked Cleveland.