I first discovered this Afro-German singer about 3 years ago -- the album was
"Out of this Mood" -- and the songs were "Afro Blue" and "If I were a bell"
(at least -- those are the songs I still remember). I recall reading one reviewer who doubted that she understood English - and was just singing phonetically -- which might be the case -- whatever -- her strange pronounciation worked for me -- and the group of German players who accompanied her was very, very tight.

She has a strong, deep voice --- she gets underneath a song -- and I believe everything she's saying.

But her next album, "Shades of Delight" was a big disappointment -- because she now sounds more sophisticated -- and more like thousands of other lounge singers.

And now -- today --- and I heard her most recent album, "Love and Then" -- where she has abandoned the songbook of American standards -- and plunged entirely into orginals -- written by people she knows.

Ouch ! The problem is --- she's still a great singer -- but -- if this were a Baroque opera -- it would be one that only had recitatif --- no engaging melody -- just elegant speaking.

Maybe she thinks her audience has bought enough albums of standards (Rod Stewart has made three of them now) --- but me --- a good song is a good song -- and I can never hear enough of it. (as long as it's done well)