A Swedish Singer Finds Her Swing
Zetterlund's voice moves through these arrangements with ease, never rushed, always in control of the room.
Ohh! Monica! opens with warmth and intimacy — a small ensemble cooking at a medium tempo, Zetterlund's voice entering unhurried over gentle piano and steady bass. The arrangements breathe. Nobody's trying to impress; everyone's trying to play together. Staffan Abeleen and Jan Johansson trade off on piano, Rune Gustafsson threads guitar lines through the mix, and the rhythm section — Göran Petterson and Georg Riedel on bass, Egil Johansson on drums — keeps the whole thing loose and swinging without strain. There's a lightness here that matters. Zetterlund had already gained international attention through her work with Bill Evans on Waltz for Debby, but this record shows her operating in a different context entirely: not the introspective, almost classical restraint of the Evans sessions, but a more playful, thoroughly Swedish jazz idiom. The tempos are comfortable, the songs lean toward standards and popular material, and Zetterlund's voice — intelligent, clear, never precious — moves through these arrangements with ease. She's not trying to be a bebop singer or an avant-garde innovator. She's a professional who understands what a song needs and delivers it without fuss. This is the kind of album that works best as a full listen, the kind where the pleasure accumulates through familiarity rather than hitting you with a single unforgettable moment. For listeners who connect with Zetterlund's voice and the Swedish jazz sound of the period, it's a solid, enjoyable session that captures her doing what she did best: singing songs honestly, surrounded by musicians who knew how to listen.
Who's playing
Göran Pettersonbass
Georg Riedeldouble bass
Staffan Abeleenpiano
Jan Johanssonpiano
Rune Gustafssonguitar
Björn Netztenor saxophone
Lars Färnlöftrumpet
Egil Johanssondrums
Bo Skoglunddrums
Where next?
More by Monica Zetterlund
Varsamt 1991
The Lost Tapes 1964
Monica Zetterlund 1967
Waltz for Debby (Monica Zetterlund & Bill Evans) 1964
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
