Diana Krall is an experience in jazz and is a step above. She engages her audience and brings a unique sound to the stage. Love her strength and rich voice.

"Let's take a lover's vow and then seal it with a kiss."

Considering it sold over 30,000 copies in the first week after its release, mark this appealing album as Exhibit "A" to my argument that we humans are hardwired for romance. Not only is Diana Krall a gifted jazz pianist and singer, she is the epitome of cool. It's no surprise that she is married to British rocker, Declan Patrick MacManus, better known as Elvis Costello (This Year's Model; My Aim Is True). As her previous album titles suggest, Krall's highly-acclaimed smooth jazz catalog is synonymous with seduction and romance (Only Trust Your Heart (1995); Love Scenes (1997); When I Look in Your Eyes (1999); The Look of Love (2001)), and her musical renditions are highly infectious. Inquisitive minds wonder how many babies have been conceived while Krall croons "peel me a grape" in the background. This highly-recommended, career-spanning retrospective features standards by Gershwin, Bacharach, Porter, Berlin, Tom Waits, and Rogers & Hart. Album tracks include:

1. 'S Wonderful (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) 4:24
2. Peel Me A Grape 5:49
3. Pick Yourself Up 3:01
4. Frim Fram Sauce 5:00
5. You Go To My Head 6:45
6. Let's Fall In Love 4:18
7. The Look Of Love (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) 4:41
8. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon) 5:44
9. I've Got You Under My Skin (Cole Porter) 6:07
10. All Or Nothing At All 4:31
11. Only the Lonely 4:15
12. Let's Face The Music And Dance (Irving Berlin) 5:17
13. The Heart Of Saturday Night (Tom Waits)4:04
14. Little Girl Blue (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) 5:37
15. Fly Me To The Moon 5:43

G. Merritt

Let me first say how much the new practice of jazz/pop stars irks me. They hold off a few tracks from an album, which only get released on import versions costing three times as much, or greatest hits CDs. This Krall offering contains 3 previously unreleased tracks, only available here...perfect to get those who already own everything to buy this disc, just for 3 songs. Anyway, on to the actual review.

Typically, greatest hits compilations are designed for the consumer who wants to get the biggest songs from a particular artist. And that scheme works for most rock/pop artists (Elvis, Rolling Stones, etc). But in the case of Diana Krall, she doesn't really HAVE hits. The majority of her recorded output is old standards from the world of classic pop vocals & jazz, spanning the 1920's-1960's. Most of those already were huge hits, regardless of the performer. So, it seems that a greatest hits album for her is sort of a silly point.

Since buying this disc would give you a sampling of her most recent albums (only the Verve albums, by the way...not her early albums), it would give you a sampling of many styles and arrangements. If you are looking for a hodge-podge of Krall, with no theme or style of its own, then this is definitely the disc for you. However, if you are just getting into Diana Krall, and only want to buy one disc, a better option would be to decide what you like about her music, and get one of her original albums. You don't need to buy every one. Even if you only get one CD, any of her albums will find her singing big hits with her unique vocal style. One of her original albums will set the mood much better than any "hits" album. She sings on all albums.

For example...

if you like lush, romantic string ballads with an orchestra, then pick up either "When I Look In Your Eyes" or "The Look Of Love."

If you like the Nat King Cole Trio (piano, bass, guitar), then pick up either "All For You" or "Love Scenes."

If you like a more traditional jazz trio (piano, bass, drums), then pick up either of her first two albums "Steppin' Out" or "Only Trust Your Heart."

If you like the big band sound, get her latest effort, "From This Moment On." It contains fast and medium tempos with a large ensemble (sans strings).

If you don't really like jazz or classic pop, and want something with more of an easy listening, rock/pop jazz feel, get "Girl In the Other Room." The songs are more modern. This one is tough to describe, and not her best effort. But it's still good.

My favorites are the ballad album "The Look of Love," which contains several of thetracks with a gentle bossa nova beat. Very romantic. I prepared a bath for my girlfriend and i with this album playing in the background, and she LOVED it. Trust me. Also, her snappiest, coolest jazzy album is "All For You" which is a tribute to the Nat Cole Trio, and contains many of his classic hits.

You may love the "Very Best Of" CD, but just remember you are getting a very random mix of styles and moods on this disc. But you may want it for the previously unreleased tracks. Whatever you get, i think you'll love Diana Krall.

It's usually the quality of the song selections that make an album stand out. This is an album that is the best selections from Ms Krall's work, which she chooses from a larger existing repertoire that contains a lot of jazz standards, and so you could hardly find a better song list. Some may complain about the resulting familiarity, but not me! Diana has a low voice with a streak of sexy, which fits right in with the style, a quartet of melodic piano jazz. She may not be the next American Idol or Jazz pianist of the year, but she does a wonderful job of making these tunes come to life. Most of them are upbeat, a good listen on Saturday morning while you're getting your day started.

When the advertisement for this greatest hits CD came out saying it had 2 cuts not available anywhere, it sounded pretty good as I already had all of her stuff. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered it was only 2 alternate tracks from another of her CD's instead of something original. I feel a little ripped off. Unless you do not have any other Diana Krall in your set, don't waste your money on this...

The Very Best of Diana Krall takes many of the old "standards" and gives them a new presentation with her jazzy vocals, superb keyboard work, and high quality back-up arrangements by either a small combo or a full orchestra. Krall says that Peggy Lee has been a strong influence on her performance style and you can hear it on "Peel Me A Grape." But there's also a Sarah Vaughan quality to "Frim Fram Sauce," that is really delightful. Highly recommended for decompressing from a tough day or as background for a sensuous seduction plan or the successrful morning after.

...and you might want to break open a bottle of champagne for you and your significant other because when you finish the scene and put this album in your cd player, the next 73 and 1/2 minutes will be laid-back singing by the golden jazz singer herself. Whether part of a combo (she also plays piano) or with the backing of the London symphony orchestra, you're in for a treat so enjoy.....

I rated this average because I think some other works Diana has done should have been included on this CD. Matter of fact I was a little disappointed with some of the selections. However, Diana is an excellent entertainer and I love most of her stuff.

I really enjoy listening to Diana Krall and this CD has some (most) of her best songs. A real pleasure to enjoy on a sunny afternoon sipping some chilled white wine, just have someone "peel you some graps"

As a die hard "Kraller" I can only say that this CD does what it was intended to do...namely?...give an "across the board" look at what Ms. Krall is capable of doing.
My only regret is that the producers didn't include her version of "Dancing in the Dark", which, in my humble opinion, is brilliant!!!
Not only because of her superb interpretation of this old standard but also because the "background" string orchestration is GENIOUS!!!

this product arrived in great condition and in a timely fashion. i enjoyed listening to it.

This is one of the best jazz albums I have bought in the past year. It has been such a surprise because I really didn't know Diana Krall when I bought her CD. She has a wonderful warm voice that enables her to interpret the songs beautifully. This album has many of the best jazz songs ever and I cannot emphasize enough what a great singer Diana Krall is. I played her CD during Thanksgiving and many of my friends decided to get her CD afterwards. You will definitely not regret getting this album. If you love old time jazz songs with a fresh voice. This is the album you want to get. I love it.

I picked this up for my wife and I asked her if she was satisfied with it and she answered yes with a smile.

Ella, Etta, Natalie, Billie, and Diana - well, if Diana isn't in that list for everyone, this collection definitely proves that she should be.

I could listen to this collection over and over - the backing team are perfectly matched, Diana's voice just rides over the fantastic backing layer they provide.

If you're a fan of female jazz vocals, this one is a must have.

Diane can make any song sultry, this collection is a testament to that point. To be able to produce a "Best Of" this early in her career says a lot about her appeal to the masses. All of Diane's albums except her holiday offering and "The Girl In The Other Room" are represented, the countrified "The Heart Of Saturday Night" is a bonus track issued in Japan from the "The Girl In The Other Room" cd and hails from those sessions. Speaking of sessions, this "Best Of" could have served as a means to assemble her excellent outside studio work for artists like Dave Grusin and Terrence Blanchard so these songs will have to be sought out and is worth the search. Be that as it may, the three tracks new to this collection keeps this collection from becoming obsolete. Diane is busy having a family and deserves her time off. Thank you Diane for the wonderful catalog of recordings available and we will welcome you back with open arms.

Put on this CD instead if you want some atmosphere. The smooth renditions delivered with feeling (attitude) might even settle your nerves after a hectic day. Of course it helps if you enjoy the lyrics of a few oldies. This collection benefits from a terrific backup band - just listen to each instrument's "audition" (especially the bass) and see if you don't agree. Listen closely and you'll hear the nuances in timbre of Krall's vocals depending on the mood she wants to convey. A talented singer and a great collection!

This is a wonderful collection of some of Diana's greatest works. The group of selections of this CD serve as great examples of Diana's smooth, rich tones and fantastic musical talent. Truly enjoyable!

I found this CD very enjoyable. I recommend it to anyone who is a "Diana Krall" fan. Very well put together and a good variety of songs.

Hey, I am a die-hard fan of Diana Krall & I just love her musical genius. I have ALL of her music (DVDs too) & I feel she just keeps getting better & better. Love ya Lady Di! Thx a million. Tonya S., Memphis, TN.

Diana is a timless Songtress and jazz performer.. This is a nice addition to my jazz collection. Bravo Diana!

An excellent compilation containing (as the name says) the Very Best. Mainly previously released tracks but a few new. Great listening.

Considering that this is the first compilation of the very best of Diana Krall's recordings, it is an essential add-on to all her fans. The 15 gorgeous songs were perfectly selected from seven of her most remarkable albums starting off with George and Ira Gershwin's gem of gems, "'S Wonderful" down to Bart Howard's most charming composition and an all-time favorite of mine, "Fly Me To The Moon" . . .

"And let me play among the stars
Let me see what Spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, I love you."

Although I have listened to and enjoyed all these songs from the CDs this compilation was taken, I still think that this CD is a great addition to my collection since it features the crème de la crème from all of her recordings. You don't have to skip any track for every song is truly a charmer and a winner. Who can resist the beauty of these all-time favorites of mine? These are spellbinding songs of the heart that can create wonderful memories you'll treasure forever.

"'S Wonderful" - Claus Ogerman's flawless Bossa Nova arrangement and orchestration with the Los Angeles Session Orchestra and Krall's sublime vocal and piano artistry made this standard an absolute gem of gems that would have made the Gershwin Brothers so proud since it's the best interpretation ever recorded.

"You made my life so glamorous
You can't blame me for feeling amorous
'S wonderful, marvelous
That you should care for me."

"The Look of Love" - a charming ditty from Burt Bacharach and Hal David that will make any music lover fall in love with its melody and lyric. Once again, Claus Ogerman brought out the very best in Krall with his arranging expertise and Krall gives this song the ultimate radiance it so deserves.

"The look of love
Is saying so much more
Than just words could ever say
And what my heart has heard
Well it takes my breath away."

"You Go To My Head" - a favorite of great singers to record and one of the masterworks of J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. Another Claus Ogerman superb arrangement and orchestration with the London Session Orchestra. This will be a treat to your ears for it's a previously unreleased track.

"You go to my head
And you linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning 'round in my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne."

"Let's Face The Music And Dance" - the most remarkable and captivating version of this Irving Berlin classic. Another majestic orchestral arrangement by Johnny Mandel, conducted by himself and Eddie Karam.

"So while there's moonlight and music
And love and romance
Let's face the music and dance."

"I've Got You Under My Skin" - Cole Porter's most enduring song and one of the most recorded standards. Who wouldn't be enchanted by Johnny Mandel's brilliant orchestral arrangement? I would say Krall gives it the retire-the-trophy-treatment for a female vocal rendition.

"And deep in my heart
You're really a part of me
I have got you under my skin."

And last but not least . . .

"East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" - a very nice song penned by Brooks Bowman featuring Krall on vocals and piano with Anthony Wilson (guitar), John Clayton (bass) and Jeff Hamilton (drums).

"Just you and I
Forever and a day
Love will not die
We'll keep it that way
Up among the stars we'll find
A harmony of life to a lovely tune
East of the sun and west of the moon."

Diana Krall is an icon of elegance in music and she has a penchant for reviving sweetly sentimental songs that are completely pleasing to the ears with her soft, mellow and sultry vocal art that is as sweet as pie. And this compilation CD "The Very Best of Diana Krall" is a testament of her love and passion to her craft, and a must-have not only to her fans, but also to lovers of great music.

Wholeheartedly recommended for your listening pleasure!

P.S. For more gorgeous Diana Krall CDs, please check out The Look of Love, When I Look in Your Eyes, From This Moment On, Live in Paris, Love Scenes and Christmas Songs. Happy Listening!

This collection plays like a cool breeze breaking up a steamy Summer day. All the tunes feature the strong vocals of Ms Krall, & her excellent Piano playing. She has a subtle music savvy that oozes sex appeal. This set of songs goes from 1996's "All For You, to 2006's From This Moment On." There are spunky mumbers, direct jazz jams, sensuality, & improvised romantic journeys. From her eleven albums, the string based hits are well represented.

But oddly, her singer-songwriter tunes are left out. There are a few unreleased tracks. A yearning "Only The Lonely," a cruising "You Go To My head," & "The Heart Of Saturday Night." "Lets Fall In Love," with its fine guitar intro & the Bacharach cover "The Look Of Love," are here to be played over & over by anyone who needs a mood enhancer. throughout this collection her precision timing & her interpretive voice made for a great weekend of listening.

This is only the 2nd album I've purchased of Diana Krall's. I bought the Platinum edition which has a DVD included. If you like off-beat Jazz then you'll love this album, this woman has talent! She's beautiful, great voice and great skills on the ivory. I love the CD and DVD. I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice is you didn't buy the version with the DVD included. The video's are enjoyable and creative.

Don't be like me.Plunk down the few extra bucks for the limited edition.This album has it all,so reward yourself, go 1st class, and knock yourself out.It doesn't get any better than this.

I generally have a good feeling about a "very best" or "greatest hits" collection, and a Diana Krall collection is quite welcome in my music library. Of course, the "very best" of anyone's work is subjective and this is missing some of her early work from "All For You"("Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" would have been a good fit), and the outtakes that represent her "new songs" are satisfactory. "Temptation" would also have been a good choice. Overall, 4 stars. And pick up the version with the DVD included. And get "Live In Paris" in any version!

I'm not a Diana Krall fan, yet listening to this collection, Im about to be converted, BUT, how could it leave out the ONE track that I loved when I first heard it...Narrow Daylight??

Peter, Australia

Diana Krall is a jazz genius. She has that very rare gift--an emotional depth that matches a prodigious musicianship. To call her a phenomenon is not an exaggeration. Every cut on this album is an absolute stone cold gem.

I admit that part of me has a problem recommending this album. It's not because I think it's not good enough--it's because I think in a way it might be too good.

Let me explain.

I'm concerned that folks who are new to Miss Krall's oeuvre might buy this album, and only this album, thinking that now they have all of the best of her work. That would be tragic. People, there's a lot more where this came from.

To those of you who are Diana newbies, please please please don't let this be your only Diana Krall CD. Every one she's ever recorded is brilliant. Rather, let this be your starting point. If you were to ask me which of her albums would make a great second purchase, I'd strongly recommend "Live in Paris", from 2002. It's not only a terrific live CD, but there's a wonderful DVD of the same concert. I'm fortunate to own both.

....than the sum of its parts. Finally. A "greatest hits" album that really is....this is 75' 33" of absolutely the finest jazz singing around. If you're already a fan of Diana, you've probably got twelve of the fifteen cuts...you've Picked Yourself Up, Fallen in Love, and been Flown to the Moon. Still, it's nice to have them all together. There are even two cuts from "Live In Paris", complete with applause. Thanks, Diana, for including "Frim Fram Sauce", one of my personal favorites.

If there's a weakness here, it's the three previously unreleased cuts...they are unused takes from earlier releases [the notes let us know which ones]...maybe there was a reason. Still, they aren't "bad", and it's always great to have something by Diana we haven't heard before.

I am not an unbiased judge of Diana Krall; I flipped the first time I heard her voice, don't even bother to deny the crush my wife accuses me of, and buy all her albums the day they arrive in stores. 'S Wonderful. And, a lot of folks agree with me...get this, and hear why.

Diana's subtle musical intelligence and jazz sensibilities have been deepening for a long time. True, Krall's skills can sometimes shield her emotions - but there's nothing to hide in this collection of her best covers, exploring her rich range, which are presented here.
On this set of smoky mood-pieces that she recorded from 1996 ( starting from the album All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio until 2006 with From This Moment On) Diana is supported by a fine-tuned, intimate trio including Russell Malone and Christain McBride or by full, big, lush orchestral arrangements.
There are improvised, straight-ahead jazz jams and romantic, loose, animated numbers which accelerate from slow musing to a Frank Sinatra soulfulness.
Here's more evidence that she is quite the best gal for the job. Songs that other singers sleepwalk through she invests with real personality - be they sensual or ebullient. Of her 11 albums, the big string-laden hits are fully represented, though, sadly, her singer-songwriter set The Girl In The Other Room is bypassed.
Three unreleased tracks appear: a slow, sensual "You Go to My Head", a moody "Only the Lonely" and a Tom Waits-faithful "The Heart of Saturday Night".
After giving birth to twins, this is Mrs. Costello announcing she is back.
Mark it as the first no-risk disc for the Christmas shopping list".
It's low-lights, maybe somewhat dinner-jazzy music, but it's as classy as anything Diana Krall has recorded.

While Diana Krall is not the apex of jazz vocalist when it comes to the instrument of her voice, (that would be Diane Schuur) she makes up for it by oozing sex appeal onto every note. For that... She is unbeatable.

This is a great collection for someone like me who really likes Ms. Krall's music but isn't ready to go buy the whole catalogue of her work, as it has the songs I am most familiar with, and thereby my favorites.

Great CD!

Most of the songs in this collection were taken from three Diana Krall CD releases - 'Love Scenes', 'When I Look In Your Eyes', and 'The Look Of Love'. A 'Best Of' may be a good introduction but these three releases present a fuller, more substantial overview of her musical prowess. If you have one or two of the above mentioned CDs, complete the trio over this 'Best Of' set. And while you're at it, pick up the DVD version of 'Live In Paris' to see Diana perform great songs from these three CD releases. The then-previously unreleased 'Taste Of You' remake will blow you away...

It's about time this Diva of the jazz piano put together a nice greatest hits package, from start to finish, this cd showcases the talent that she is, was, and will be for years to come.

that voice is in pure form, smokey jazz from a smoldering hot Lady...this cd would make a great introduction to her music and style for those that have never heard....Brava to you Diana, can't wait to see you in concert this year!

This is a great best of album from Diana Krall it has her timeles work from her previos albums and all of these songs are classic in my book!.

(4 & 1/2 stars) This new Diana Krall best-of CD does what you would hope any best-of would do. That is, it plays like a near-perfect collection of songs where just about every cut entertains at a high level. The songs are sequenced very well, with up-tempo numbers mixed in to spice up the slower and more romantic music. So you get to hear "Let's Fall In Love," with its fabulous guitar-and-vocal intro (Russell Malone (Playground) on guitar) leading right into "The Look of Love," a great Bacharach cover. And so on. All feature the ultracool and exquisite vocals of Ms Krall, and her piano playing's not too bad either. The real highlights for her fans are the three previously unreleased tracks, songs from the sessions for two of her previous albums. Each of them is good enough to belong on this best-of (a fairly rare thing for a hits collection). I particularly enjoyed "You Go To My Head," which has both a wonderful orchestral arrangement by Claus Ogerman AND some tasty piano lines from Diana. This album will make a great christmas gift for the jazz fan on your list. I kind of wish I had bought the deluxe edition with DVD The Very Best of Diana Krall, but this music is great anyway.

PS - I wanted to title this review with a pun on the lady's last name, such as "Krall, Don't Run" or "Pub Krall," but those wouldn't have made sense, right?