Diana Krall - Wallflower

180-gram double LP

Album features duets with Michael Bublé and Bryan Adams

“Wallflower, wallflower, won't you dance with me? / I'm fallin' in love with you” —“Wallflower,” Bob Dylan

Musically speaking, Diana Krall is no wallflower.

By any standard this five-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist and vocalist is one of the most accomplished and distinctive musicians in the world today. Respected far and wide as a wildly successful recording and performing artist, Krall remains a true musical force. At any given moment she could be producing Barbra Streisand’s new album, serving as musical director and arranger for Paul McCartney or hitting the road for a good cause with Neil Young. As the record shows, Diana Krall has already done all that and much more. Along the way Krall has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist of the last 30 years, establishing herself as one of the best-selling and most beloved performers of her generation, one whose recordings thus far have earned her nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. 

On Wallflower, Krall’s stunning and surprising new album for Verve Records, this world-class player has consciously chosen to hand over a little control to sixteen-time Grammy-winning producer David Foster in order, once again, to do something unexpected. On the new album she has recorded a collection of songs from the '60s to present day, showcasing her considerable gifts as a vocalist in a bold and beautiful way. Krall sings a set of songs that include familiar popular classics like The Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreaming” and the Eagles’ “Desperado,” favorite vintage songs by Krall’s musical heroes Bob Dylan (he inspired the album’s title track “Wallflower”) and Elton John (“Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”). The album also features more recent gems like Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and a wonderful new composition from Paul McCartney (“If I Take You Home Tonight”).  Recorded in Los Angeles and New York, Wallflower is a tremendously refreshing and collaborative effort that reflects Krall in a gorgeous new light.

“I have to give a lot of the credit for this album to David,” Krall says. “He’s always said, `Let’s work together’ and finally the timing was right. I was ready to work with David and let him do what he does best. He did all of the arrangements and played a lot of the piano. He blew me away. I always knew David was good but I gained an even further appreciation for his talents as a producer and as a musician.”

That feeling proved to be extremely mutual.

“Working with Diana was fantastic,” says Foster. “I always wondered what it would be like working together. I never thought this would happen because I live in this `pop’ world and Diana lives in this `jazz’ world— or at least that’s how it’s perceived. But one of the many great things about Diana, after knowing her for 25 years, is that she’s truly an outstanding pop singer. Her ability to cross over into pop was a fabulous discovery for me. I’m sure Diana secretly knew about it all along. She tends to be way ahead of the rest of us.”

That connection even helped inspire some of Wallflower’s song selection. “If you think about anyone growing up, even if someone has an extraordinary talent in one area of music, that doesn’t mean that’s all they listen to,” Foster says. “Diana grew up on Vancouver Island just like I did, listening to pop music on Top 40 radio like every other teenager. The songs we’re doing on this album are songs she’s loved since childhood and she sings the hell out of them. Diana is a very musical person and she has a great feel for these songs. Wallflower is a just another amazing extension of who she is and what she can do.”
     Side 1
        1. California Dreamin’
        2. Desperado
        3. Superstar
        
Side 2
        4. Alone Again (Naturally) – duet with Michael Buble
        5. Wallflower – featuring Blake Mills
        6. If I Take You Home Tonight
        
Side 3
        7. I Can’t Tell You Why
        8. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
        9. Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)
        
Side 4
        10. I’m Not In Love
        11. Feels Like Home – duet with Bryan Adams
        12. Don’t Dream It’s Over