Diana Krall
reunited with
Tommy LiPuma
, the producer who worked with her for the first decade-and-a-half of her career, for
Turn Up The Quiet
, a 2017 album that found the pianist returning to the Great American Songbook interpretations that made her name.
LiPuma
died just before the release of
Turn Up the Quiet
, prompting
Krall
to fashion a quasi-tribute to her collaborator from the album's leftovers. The ensuing
This Dream of You
is hushed and reserved, a leisurely stroll through quite familiar standards augmented by a version of
Bob Dylan
's "This Dream of You," a deep cut from his 2009 album
Together Through Life
.
is supported by a rotating cast of all-star players --
Christian McBride
and
Russell Malone
are on "Autumn in New York,"
Marc Ribot
Karriem Riggins
are on "How Deep Is the Ocean" and the
Dylan
tune -- but the energy is so subdued, the shift in players is felt more than heard; the exception is the lively, swinging "Just You, Just Me," where fiddler
Stuart Duncan
makes his presence known. That mellowness is an attribute of
, as it gives the album a distinctly relaxed, sophisticated vibe, but it's also a detriment because the record is so soft and slow it can veer into the sleepy. That wasn't a problem with
, whose stillness was compelling, so
winds up shining a light on the accomplishment of the final album
finished in his lifetime. Together, they knew which songs to select to create a complete listen. What remained behind is nice but not quite absorbing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine