Krall’s Appeal? Talent

Geoff Boucher questioned the reasons for the selection of Diana Krall’s “When I Look in Your Eyes” for a best album Grammy nomination (“What’s Up in Grammyland?,” Jan. 14).

Maybe it’s because she is an immensely talented performer with the smooth vocal style of Peggy Lee and a piano style reminiscent of Nat King Cole.

Maybe it’s her excellent arrangements and the playing of the other two accomplished musicians in her trio. Maybe it’s the orchestral arrangements of Johnny Mandel on some of the tracks.

Maybe it’s her impeccable taste in selecting mostly hits written before 1945 by real composers such as Berlin, Arlen, Porter, Kern and McHugh, rather than kids in their 20s. So much for Boucher’s statement that she “doesn’t have any hit songs.”

Or maybe it’s just that her entertainment value is in her musical performance, not bizarre apparel or stage antics. After seeing her on TV, I went out and purchased two of her CDs, not even knowing that one was Grammy-nominated.

DAVID S. ROBINSON

Laguna Woods

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I’m not surprised at all that ears attuned to variations on noise are confused by the nomination of a first-rate musician. I’m delighted that music lovers have a champion to cheer on in the competition.

“When I Look in Your Eyes” is one of the rare recordings that I never tire of playing. It is a masterful music event without a weak moment in its 12 tracks.

DON MAC BROWN

West Hills

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There was a glaring omission from the “pervasive influence of jazz reaching into other areas” portion of Don Heckman’s Jan. 7 All That Jazz column on the Grammy nominees: “Take the A Train--Canadian Brass Play the Music of Duke Ellington,” which was nominated as best classical crossover album.

Every note the Canadian Brass played was arranged by Luther Henderson, who, in addition to being my father, was considered by Ellington to be his “classical arm,” is a veteran of more than 60 Broadway shows and has arranged, orchestrated and/or conducted for Lena Horne and Polly Bergen, to name two of many, in addition to being in the Smithsonian in its oral history of jazz.

Luther Henderson has spent more than 50 years crossing jazz over into many music arenas, and the Canadian Brass albums he does are a perfect example of that.

MELANIE HENDERSON

Los Angeles