Cri de Coeur Reviews
Cri de Coeur Reviews
"Those old enough to remember the early 1970s band, Curved Air, will have been struck by the energetic electric violin playing of Darryl Way and Francis Monkman's innovative synthesizer and guitar. The abiding image, indelibly stamped, is with thw charismatic presence of lead vocalist, Sonja Kristina who commanded the audience attention. Thirty years on Sonja has experienced a fitful solo career interspersed with the odd reunion of the band. She's recorded a new solo album following a ten year sojourn during which she suffered the same kind of traumatic inertia that has befallen so many talented vocalists. Her last solo outing in 1992 dipped into the intriguingly categorised 'acid folk'. A decade later, the acid has been diluted and Sonja has opted for a reflective album that turns to jazz and some of the classic greats of the last century. Her performance is as sensuous as it was in her Curved Air days even if the air these days is a little more rarefied.
"With 'Cri de Coeur' she has ventured into the territory occupied by many of the jazz, soul and mainstream greats, like Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday and Hoagy Carmichael. One of the tests of a great singer is if they are able to take great songs and make you sit up and listen. Sonja achieves this throughout the album whether it's on Arthur Hamilton's Cry me a River, Carmichael's Skylark or the evergreen Cole Porter Classic, 'Every time we say Goodbye'. There are also some contemporary influences, including Linda Thompson.
"She is helped in no small measure by a bunch of excellent musician, featuring the Alto sax and the strings of Marvin Ayres. The latter shares considerable credit for producing an album that honours a proud genre without being enslaved by it. From the opening track, 'Don't explain', co-written by Billie Holiday to the reprise of the aforementioned Porter standard, Sonja shows that her ability to interpret and deliver songs, in a sensitive evocative style, puts her on the map as a singer whose voice not only stands the test of time but passes it with flying colours."
Lewis Jones, FOLK NORTH WEST
"At the beginning of the 1970's Kristina was lead vocalist of rock band Curved Air before departing for a solo career, ploughing a terrain Ms Kristina describes as "acid folk" (don't ask).
"In the 1990's she was Pop Music tutor at the University of Middlesex. But there has been a lot of emotional turmoil at the same time.
"Cri De Coeur is precisely as the title suggests. Each song, from Monks "Round Midnight," Ellington's "Solitude" and "Don't Explain" to "Every Time We Say Goodbye" and "Love For Sale" seem to express a reaction to her emotional situation, the result is intended to be cathartic. Sonja ... takes on "Don't Explain" but her reading is radically different (Referring to a previous review of the Niki King album Azure).
"The sparseness of the arrangements only emphasise the extent to which Kristina is endeavouring to lay some ghosts and, with a core line up of Edwards, Hazelton and Sharett supplemented by occasional string arrangements, there is really no place for the singer to hide. The accompaniment is effective rather than memorable with Sharrett keeping a firm grip on things, never getting carried away and displaying a nice turn of phrase.
"All too often songs such as these are sung just because they have endured but Ms Kristina seems to give them a lyrical weight and meaning often forgotten, or ignored."
-- Hugh Gregory, JAZZ REVIEW
"Thirty Years on since Curved Air and Sonja Kristina has evolved or grown up into a lady of Jazz and her voice is tailor made for the genre. Ably assisted by the solo piano, upright bass and saxophone she makes a good job of such jazz classics as Cole Porter's 'Love For Sale' and in turn becomes a contender for Cleo Laine's crown when the time comes for her to abdicate.
"This is an album for the mature ear; maybe for the old time prog rock fan that has moved on to adventures new, where 'Cry Me A River'' becomes an essential for the musical palate. Kristina is incredibly good at this and shines on Porter's 'Every Time We Say Goodbye,' a classic in itself, while the mood never over reaches and remains one for the dark and smoky room and very intimate too. Sonja has moved on from acid folk to antacid jazz!"
-- Martin Hudson, PROG ROCK
