From This Moment On by Diana Krall

Personnel: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Anthony Wilson (guitar); Robert Hurst (bass instrument); John Clayton (bass guitar); Jeff Hamilton (drums); The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. On 2006's FROM THIS MOMENT ON Diana Krall returns to both a repertoire of classics and to her big-band sound, and the move feels like something of a homecoming. Krall's vocal and piano performances ring with authority and elegance throughout; her subtle and sultry approach sounds effortless and unmistakably artful at once. With a track list that includes "Little Girl Blue," "Willow Weep for Me," and "Isn't This a Lovely Day," one might worry that Krall is treading too-familiar territory here, but the Canadian singer puts her distinctive stamp on each of the 11 compositions. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra provides some serious swing on the uptempo numbers, but it is Krall's gorgeous, melancholic ballad treatments that steal the show.