DIANA KRALL BRINGS OLD-HOLLYWOOD
ELEGANCE TO WOLF TRAP

On the warm evening of July 3, the Filene Center at Wolf  Trap filled nearly to capacity, its 7,028 seats glowing under the soft shimmer of vintage brass footlights. Crimson velvet curtains and old Hollywood spotlights gave the stage the feel of a bygone movie palace—setting the mood for a night rooted in glamour rather than spectacle. It was the perfect setting for Diana Krall, an artist whose strength lies in restraint, subtlety, and style.

Krall opened with a buoyant, teasing version of “Almost Like Being in Love,” immediately delivering on the evening’s promise of her “cool and sultry” voice. For the next ninety minutes, she blurred the boundary between a grand open-air amphitheater and an after-hours jazz club, inviting the audience into her world of late-night swing and smoky sophistication.

As always, the vocals were only part of the draw. At a Diana Krall concert, jazz lovers know to expect—and savor—the extended space she gives her bandmates to shine. Bassist Sebastian Steinberg and drummer Matt Chamberlain are exceptional musicians with plenty to say on their instruments, and every note was worth hearing. Their interplay on “All or Nothing at All” slipped effortlessly into Krall’s elastic phrasing, while “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” simmered slowly. “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” Krall’s first real jaw-dropper of the evening, featured her channeling Oscar Peterson in a dazzling mid-section of cascading runs and rhythmic tension, stretching silences until the rafters seemed to hold their breath.

After a swinging “Just You, Just Me”—a nod to Nat King Cole, one of the pianist-vocalist heroes Krall cited alongside Shirley Horn—she dismissed her rhythm section and stepped into a solitary spotlight. What followed was the emotional center of the concert: an extended solo-piano suite that showcased the breadth of Krall’s piano artistry. Her interpretation of “The Look of Love” unfolded as a soft-spoken letter to Burt Bacharach, and by extension, to her husband Elvis Costello, who collaborated with Bacharach on a recent box set. That melted seamlessly into a delicate tribute to Tony Bennett—whom Krall performed with on numerous occasions—with a glowing interpretation of “Fly Me to the Moon,” the final chord hanging in the air like a summer firefly. “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” was hushed and reverent, and when she moved into “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” singing solo over a walking bass line played with her left hand, the moment was pure Nat Cole—stylish, intimate, and deeply felt.

With Steinberg and Chamberlain back in place, Krall pivoted into story-driven territory. Bob Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate” and Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” shimmered with vulnerability, her phrasing as much about emotional shading as melody. The night built to a lively close with a rollicking “Route 66,” which sent the lawn crowd to their feet.

For the encore, Krall offered a gentle farewell to the recently departed Brian Wilson with a hushed rendition of the Beach Boys’ “In My Room.” Her velvet chords and whisper-close vocals seemed to shrink the massive amphitheater into a cozy parlor, the last notes dissolving into the cicada hum of the surrounding woods.

At just under ninety minutes, with not a second of filler, Diana Krall triumphed with the art of understatement. She reminded the Wolf Trap audience that jazz can smolder as powerfully as it burns, that virtuosity can seduce rather than shout, and that the Great American Songbook remains endlessly fresh in the hands of an artist who trusts her material—and her listeners—completely.

An Evening with Diana Krall
Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
1551 Trap Road in Vienna, Virginia
reviewed July 3, 2025
for future events, call 877.WOLFTRAP or visit Wolf Trap and Wolf Trap’s calendar
tour continues; for dates and cities, visit Diana Krall