5/5 Intimate live performances by Diana make this a must have!
  by Stardazer (Greensboro, NC United States)
If you are a Diana Krall fan, you probably already have the Rio concert video, as I did, and have been savoring it. What's to recommend for the extra purchase with a 70 minute length disc?

How often can you experience up close, intimate performances from your favorite artist without the overlay of many instruments? Half of Disc 2 features 36 minutes of Diana singing solo at the piano for a benefit in Toronto (broadcast across Canada) on Heart Health for Women. She's pretty gutsy, pulling this off in an intimate, bare bones performance that left me so floored I had to hit the review button and watch it again! This tune list is; "Where or When," "Exactly Like You," "Walk on By," "Deed I Do," "Quiet Nights," "Frim Fram Sauce," "A Case of You," and "I Don't Know Enough about you." On "Frim Fram," she jokingly changes certain of the lyrics (since this was a benefit on heart health) and then stops the song momentarily after she confessed that substituting "margarine" for "sha fafa" was over the top! It's clear she enjoys performance!

The Madrid Session comprises two songs, the first being a ten minute romp of "Deed I Do" followed by "So Nice" and "P.S. I Love you" (NOT the Beatles tune, of course). The crowd here appears more tepid or restrained in response. Anthony Wilson is the only member of her quartet from Rio to play with her. The others are different musicians.

The Lisbon Session is a favorite of mine. The combo is set up in a room and her band members--none from Rio--do exquisite work. Wow! I had to watch it again right away. Lovely ambiance and choreography.

The Rio Rooftop features Anthony Wilson on acoustic guitar, Jeff Hamilton playing brushes on what appears to be a rimmed, circular serving platter and Diana singing solo with no piano. It's like an impromptu jam of sorts, clearly informal, relaxed and atop a balcony with people seated nearby and also milling about. You can sometimes hear the surf and I swear I heard a small jet gun its engine overhead around the 11 minute mark. The set list is, "The Boy from Ipanema," "Too Marvelous for Words," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Quiet Nights." Very enjoyable. Tommy LiPuma sits nearby. I am sorry I don't know the name of the gentleman who harmonizes with Diana and sings Portuguese when prompted by her. There was a lady companion.

The disc closes with a video of "Quiet Nights" that includes footage you see excerpted in her performance of the same tune on Disc 1. I love her Rio concert and play the CD "Quiet Nights" often as I prepare dinner in the evenings. Great ambiance!

One more inclusion is a lavishly illustrated booklet that features the lyrics for every song on Disc 1.

I commend Diana for treating her audience to these unique, marvelous performances. Maybe someday I'll be able to see her perform live. But, until that opportunity arises, this disc set is a reasonable alternative for the interim!

4/5 Diana Krall rules
  by Louise C. Nicholas (Augusta, ME USA)
Vegas is ok, but I'm always comparing to Live in Paris, which is the ultimate cd and dvd.
I just enjoy all her work.