Diana Krall in Hartford

About Diana Krall

Diana Krall is a Canadian jazz pianist and vocalist who became one of the best-selling jazz artists of the last two decades by making the Great American Songbook feel contemporary and lived-in. Born in Nanaimo, British Columbia in 1973, she studied in Los Angeles and London before releasing her breakthrough album "When I Look in Your Eyes" in 1999, which unexpectedly climbed mainstream charts worldwide. Her version of "The Look of Love" epitomizes her approach: sultry but never overwrought, delivered with the clarity of someone who understands every lyric she's singing. She's since become synonymous with sophisticated pop-jazz territory, working with producer Tommy LiPuma and touring arenas instead of clubs. Her appeal crosses generations because she treats these old songs with genuine respect rather than nostalgia. Krall plays piano at the core of everything—her fingers on the keys are the real voice here, with her vocals layered on top rather than vice versa.

Her shows are intimate despite the venue size. Audiences sit quietly, attentive, leaning forward. She plays piano for real at every show, no backing tracks. The energy is sophisticated and calm, with occasional moments of genuine wit between songs. People dress up. You hear silverware clinking.

Known for The Look of Love, Fly Me to the Moon, Black Keys, I'll Look Around, Love Looks Good on You

Diana Krall + Hartford

Diana Krall brought her piano and voice to Mortensen Hall in April 2022, delivering a set that leaned into the jazz standards she's spent her career refining. The show opened with "Where or When," a signal that this would be an evening steeped in the Great American Songbook. She moved through "All or Nothing at All" and "I've Got You Under My Skin" with the kind of unhurried confidence that comes from knowing these songs inside out. What stood out were the deeper cuts—"A Case of You," a Joni Mitchell cover that sits oddly beautiful in her catalog, and "This Dream of You," which closed the night and felt more introspective than the glitzy standards surrounding it. By the time she hit "Cheek to Cheek," the room had settled into the particular quiet that only happens when a pianist has everyone's full attention.

Diana Krall in Hartford News

• Diana Krall, the HSO and lots of comedy among the Courant’s arts picks for week beginning April 3 Hartford Courant · Mar 31, 2022
• Diana Krall tour 2022: How can I buy tickets? the-sun.com · Mar 30, 2022
• ‘Cool And Sultry’ Diana Krall Reschedules US Shows, Adds New Dates uDiscover Music · Feb 17, 2022
• Diana Krall To Head Out Of Six Month Tour Noise11.com · May 18, 2017
• Diana Krall announces new tour, album, return to jazz San Diego Union-Tribune · Feb 7, 2017

Live Music in Hartford

Hartford's jazz footprint has always been understated but genuine. The city has never chased flashiness—instead it's hosted the kinds of shows where serious musicians play serious sets to people who actually listen. Diana Krall's brand of accessible jazz sophistication fits naturally into that landscape. Hartford audiences tend to appreciate craft over spectacle, which means piano-forward shows with strong material tend to land well here. The city's venue infrastructure has supported this, with theaters like Mortensen Hall providing the right kind of intimate space for a jazz pianist who doesn't need much more than a microphone and a good instrument.

Hartford road trip to see Diana Krall?

Stay in the West End neighborhood—it's got actual character and puts you near some decent restaurants. Head to Saluto for Italian that doesn't oversell itself, or The Sycamore for New American food done properly. Before the show, walk through Bushnell Park and check out the Elizabeth Park conservatory if the weather cooperates. After, grab a drink at Vaughan's Public House if you want to decompress somewhere that feels lived-in rather than designed. The Wadsworth Atheneum is worth an hour if you have time to kill during the day.