Devil May Care: Piano Vocal

Krall's arrangement preserves the conversational ease of this Dorough composition while demanding real sophistication from the performer. The piano part requires both comping finesse and solo facility, making it a genuine showcase for vocalists who can accompany themselves.

Sophisticated and urbane. The tune has the ease of a late-night conversation, with melodic phrases that feel natural to the voice and harmonic sophistication that keeps the accompaniment interesting without overwhelming the lyric. There's an inherent charm in the composition that sits somewhere between wit and genuine warmth.

Vocalists studying jazz standards who want material that develops both interpretive maturity and self-accompanying skills. This works equally well for piano students expanding into vocal accompaniment or singers building a sophisticated jazz repertoire.

• Keep the lyric conversational rather than theatrical. The strength of the writing lies in its directness, so resist the urge to oversell the melody.
• Balance the piano texture between supportive harmonic comping and moments where the keyboard takes subtle melodic interest. Let the voice lead, but give the accompaniment room to breathe.
• Study how Krall handles the phrasing across bar lines. Many of the most compelling moments sit rhythmically behind the beat in ways that reward careful listening to her original recording.

Include this in a jazz or contemporary standards recital where you want a moment of stylish restraint between more upbeat selections. It also serves as an excellent teaching piece for advanced singers working on the relationship between piano accompaniment and vocal line in jazz contexts.

• Interpreting jazz phrasing and rubato
• Accompanying oneself while maintaining vocal focus
• Reading jazz chord changes and comping patterns
• Balancing melody, lyric, and harmonic support across five pages of material