Diana Krall: I'm An Errand Girl for Rhythm

Fifty years after Nat King Cole's "I'm An Errand Boy for Rhythm" sped to its appointed rounds, Diana Krall's "I'm An Errand Girl for Rhythm" relaxes the tempo slightlystill fast, but more lope than gallop. After all, errand persons were by October 1995 less hyper than in October 1945, when deliveries were fueled by World War II surplus adrenaline. Even so, for her King Cole Trio tribute album, Krall remains faithful to more than just their patented piano/guitar/bass instrumentation; she respects and reflects the spirit of that consummately cool combo and its unassumingly heroic era. Krall is ideally suited for this role. Both she and Cole were superior jazz pianists who took up singing and became vocal superstars, after which their instrumental abilities were predictably overshadowed. The limelight, after all, illuminates only so much. Which makes this track especially helpful. It will delight the many fans of Diana's singing, but will equally reward those who haven't paid much attention to Krall the pianist. Her playing here is worthy of . . . well, Nat Cole himself, and that's the highest praise a hipster born in 1945 (speaking of surplus adrenaline) can bestow. If you require an errand girl for swinging, call Ms. Krall.