Soul Marta Kubiov – CD

This is Marta Kubiovs final album, bringing a dignified and beautiful close to her dramatic musical career. Many of the songs date from the 1960s, when the singer had only a few years to establish herself as a legend. They are all covers, mainly by American songwriters, and most were made famous by Black female vocalists, making them a considerable interpretive challenge. Rather than imitate Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross or Shirley Bassey, Kubiov draws on her own distinctive voice, emotional depth, feeling for the meaning of a song and experience of a life without special privileges. The lyrics are by Marta Skarlandtov and Vclav Kopta, with Pavel Vrba appearing twice from the archive. Pianist, arranger, bandleader and producer Petr Malsek was a key partner, bringing Josef tpnek, Martin Lehk, Pavel Bady Zboil, Frantiek Kop, backing singers Dasha, Alena Prchov and Naa Wepperov, a string quartet and the Prague Studio Symphony Orchestra into the studio. Matj Ruppert appears as a special guest on one song. The album includes songs such as au, Good Bye, Kdysi dvno, Pejdi ten prh and Cesta tv m bt tvj cl, while the physical CD also contains Odvk ena. It is a soul album by a singer who knows her own life and has the talent to tell its story convincingly.