The Very Best of Diana Krall: Piano/Vocal/Chords Book

This collection captures some of jazz's most enduring standards in arrangements that honor both the pianist and vocalist equally. Each transcription preserves Krall's signature approach: sophisticated voicings, lyrical restraint, and the kind of musical intelligence that makes singers and pianists want to dig deeper into the material they're learning.

Intimate and urbane. These arrangements live in the space between a jazz club and a concert hall, balancing technical sophistication with emotional directness. The music feels lived-in, never showy; there's room to breathe between the notes, and the emotional weight of each song emerges gradually rather than through display.

This book serves singers and pianists who want to explore jazz standards through arrangements that feel contemporary yet grounded in traditional jazz vocabulary. It's ideal for students pursuing jazz vocal performance or pianists building a repertoire of jazz-inflected popular songs; it's also valuable for classical pianists looking to expand into jazz and cabaret styles.

• Study the original recordings alongside the transcriptions to internalize Krall's phrasing and rubato; the printed page alone cannot convey the subtle time shifts and dynamic shaping that define her interpretation.
• Balance the piano voicings with transparency rather than thickness; these standards rely on hearing both the melody and the harmonic architecture, so avoid overloading the left hand even when it seems full on the page.
• Shape vocal lines around the lyrical content, not just the melodic contour. Krall's phrasing choices often prioritize the text and emotional arc of each song, which may differ from lead sheet conventions.
• Treat the chord symbols as a foundation, not a restriction. Many of these voicings are specific to Krall's arrangements; experiment with inversions and substitutions that maintain her sophisticated harmonic language.

This collection works well in jazz or cabaret recitals where students can showcase both vocal and piano skills, or in repertoire classes exploring how contemporary artists approach the American Songbook. Individual songs pair effectively with other standards in a themed concert; the range of moods and tempos allows flexible programming around a cohesive musical idea.

• Reading jazz voicings and substitutions from chord symbols
• Balancing melody and accompaniment when piano and voice share prominence
• Interpreting rubato and phrase shaping in jazz contexts
• Understanding how text informs musical phrasing in lyrical songs
• Managing the relationship between notated rhythms and swing interpretation
• Building interpretive choices grounded in harmonic understanding rather than melodic habit