Anna Christoffersson and Steve Dobrogosz - It's Always You (2006)

One of the great joys of reviewing is being able to bring into the open great music that you know would otherwise slip under the radar. So it is with It’s Always You, an album of rare quality and beauty. I’ve reviewed three of Steve’s previous albums back in September 2004 so I was prepared for the quality of his piano work (which is exceptional and recorded wonderfully) but I wasn’t quite prepared for the voice of Anna. What an instrument. Smokey, earthy, rich and expressive and used with such intuitive ease that it makes listening a joy. The key quality of the album, which really struck me from the first listen, is how they combine and truly work as one voice. Obviously I’m not the only one struck but this sense of combination as when I mentioned it to Steve he said, “She sings the way I hear things inside, which is truly uncanny, then adds something more”.
The thirteen songs, all written by Dobrogosz and dealing with the many faces of love, have a classic feel with beautiful melodies and lyrics. I can’t really narrow down a style as with all of his work there are aspects of many different genres mixed so while primarily jazz you’ll also a get good dose of blues, gospel, and pop. All the words that I can write don’t come close to experiencing the real thing so I’d urge you to go to Steve’s web site and check out the video and sound clip available under the album cover with the very pretty lady on the front. The chance meeting in 2004 where Steve filled in for an absent pianist has produced what I feel is Dobrogosz’s best album. Without being soul music, the album is very soulful highlighted by the all too rare sense of oneness between piano and vocal. I often hear a vocalist and pianist on the same disc but not often are they working together to level of Dobrogosz and Christoffersson. One of my albums of 2006. Craig Fenemor