Soesja Citroen's ability to personalize other artists' compositions is one of her strong points, but on
Song for Ma, the Dutch singer's own compositions are the main focus. One of the few melodies on this excellent CD that
Citroen didn't write herself was
Thelonious Monk's "Crepuscule with Nellie," which she provides thoughtful lyrics for. This isn't the first time
Citroen has embraced
Monk's music with fine results -- 1983's Soesja Citroen Sings Thelonious Monk, in fact, is among her most celebrated albums.
Citroen writes the music and lyrics for ten of the CD's 14 tracks. The thoughtful nature of her English lyrics on "Lonely Street," "This Year's Spring," "Sun in the Morning," and other originals seems all the more impressive considering that Dutch, not English, is her native language. Produced by Chris Ellis,
Song for Ma is highly recommended to lovers of post-bop jazz singing. ~ Alex Henderson