The Girl in the Other Room

I have been listening to Diana Krall for many years now and had never really entertained the thought of writing about her until fairly recently. Prior to a few years ago, I played her music on hot summer nights or cold winter evenings and that was about it. It wasn't until a major change in work venue after twenty years that I started listening to her, Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf during the daytime hours. Can you say relaxing?

I like a wide variety of music and greatly appreciate subtle nuances as well as loud, in your face boldness, and almost anything in between. I have used the term "comfort music" before and will apply it again to the work of Diana Krall and the jazz standards for which she has become so well-known for adding her own unique voice to.

Way back in 2004 she released an album titled "The Girl in the Other Room". For whatever reason, I recall that I just could NOT listen to any of the songs all the way through, and I couldn't figure out why, until a couple years ago. It was on a cold, blustery, wintry spring day as I sat in the corner window of my shop, feeling oddly at peace, watching the tall fir trees being throttled by the wind across the street, when I listened to it again, and finally understood. The music and the lyrics of these songs were her own.... this was personal, and filled with an acknowledgement of grief. I couldn't listen to it those years ago because of this. It was too close. It had touched home. The funny thing is that I hadn't really been listening to the words way back when I had heard it the first time. I have no memories of the Christmas or New Years that followed my mom's death on December 11, 2000. The beauty of these songs is in their inherent sadness accompanied by hope, which has helped to fill the void of my lost memories. If you are up for it, take a listen to Departure Bay. The lyrics of this song are deeply personal to the songwriter and listener, and are distinct to anyone who is familiar with the island or the west coast of BC. However, the song that truly captures the spirit is Narrow Daylight.

To a small town BC girl who followed her dreams and made it big. from a small town BC girl who didn't dream much at all..... Thank you for the beautiful music.