Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

Categories: Capital Read, Inkless Wells

Guess who's selling a lot of albums

by Paul Wells on Thursday, April 9, 2009 5:27pm - 14 Comments

Diana Krall. 104,000 copies of her latest, Number 3 on the Billboard chart — her highest debut ever and the second-best sales week of her career. I wrote my first article about Diana in 1994 and I wish her every happiness. I encourage everyone to see her in concert, where the depth of her genuine talent is much clearer than on record. But it is beyond me why she’s selling better than ever. Still, good for her.

Here, try this: If you’ve heard and liked Diana Krall but you haven’t heard of Dinah Washington or Shirley Horn or Cassandra Wilson, may I suggest you keep enjoying Diana and check out this and this and this.

UPDATE: Also this, from a singer you will know.

Tags: 20-year overnight sensations, Diana Krall

More by Paul Wells

Wayne

Excellent news: way to go D. = What I am really enjoying is her hubby’s new TV program last week Elton John and tomorrow a Sting re-union = brilliant!

Wotcher?

I agree. Costello’s program was a pleasant surprise. I understand Diana will be performing on a future episode.

Wotcher?

Dinah Washington is wonderful. I will definitely check out your other suggestions. Thanks.
Ted

Thank you PW.

Miss your music education posts. Always learned a lot.
Sisyphus

A warm and sultry voice combined with semi-familiar Brazilian rhythms can do a lot for a girl.
Agree that she can do a lot better. But it would be more appreciated by a smaller audience.
Van Centre

Shucks. I guessed Billy Bob Thornton. And here I though I was an expert music historian.

Maggie’s Farmboy

I got all excited for Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman after reading the header.

Wotcher?

Good one!

http://www.chuckercanuck.blogspot.com chuckercanuck

Cassandra Wilson doing Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. Ay caramba! Hot!
Joan Tintor

Dinah Washington, yes. “What a Difference a Day Made” was playing in a store I was browsing in the other day.
Greg

May I recommend Esther Phillips to those who have not heard her. I saw her for the first time, over 30 years ago, on Saturday Night Live (when they took chances with their music) and I was completely smitten.
de

How very diplomatic of you.
http://www.jackmitchell.ca Jack Mitchell

They’re advertising a “Live from Rio” concert of Diana Krall’s at Cineplex Odeon, this summer sometime IIRC. You know you’ve hit the serious big-time when people will gather in theatres to watch you perform in another hemisphere. Viva Krall!
hosertohoosier

Musical tastes tend to have some relationship with overall economic performance. If I were a betting man, I would look for a return of something like grunge, or some new and more vibrant form of punk rock. There is a reason that the late 90′s early 00′s saw an 80′s comeback – they were both periods of rapid (too rapid) growth.