Diana Krall Dazzles with her Piano Virtuosity and Sizzling Vocals at Sonoma State

Diana Krall wearing a long suede coat with tall leather boots and blonde tresses come on stage looking every bit a runway model.  She's a sexy siren with an exceptionally enticing voice and prodigious piano skills.  Her radiant good cheer warmed the audiences. "I love playing here.  I feel back at home." She asked we "Get out of the present and into the present," and broke into "Do I Love You" with her sensual jazz libretto.  The program consisted mainly with standard jazz classics like "Nothing at All" and "Love is All I Can Give to You."  Her artistic interpretations transform the ballads into nothing like you've heard before.  Many of the numbers were bookended by her deep rich vocals bridging the smooth jazz and allowing for blowing changes.  Krall's jazz fusion sound was augmented by a quartet of phenomenal musicians.  The bass player gave a mesmerizing solo simultaneously strumming & plucking the strings combining a cadence of both jazz & classical.  Diana asked for a sing-a-long on "Love is All I Can Give to You" but didn't get fed back from the crowd and picked up with it in good humor.   The numbers were never introduced although most were identifiable classics.  They performed one original composition she wrote with 2 of her bandmates.  I would have liked her to name the song and her favorite Irving Berlin song which was a beautiful love ballad.  Krall is a two time Grammy winner with numerous jazz albums topping the jazz billboard charts.  Krall constantly amazed with blowing changes and her sensual sound that marks her unique style recognizable while transcending any one musical genre.  The roaring standing ovation brought them back on stage for 2 memorable encores:  "Cry Me a River" and "Doing Much Better Now."  Live jazz performances don't get much better than this and was an especially welcomed  respite from today's tumultuous times.