More than sixty years after her debut, the grande dame of folk releases an album of only self-penned songs for the first time. In the liner notes, she describes their creation in detail. The range of topics is as broad as the colorful life of the UNICEF ambassador: driving under the influence of alcohol, lost lovers, the influence of mystic Thomas Merton, experiencing nature on the farm, wild days in Greenwich Village, a visit to the Tate Gallery in London. There is no trace of nostalgia, one can feel the love of life. Musically, there is no reason for the 83-year-old to deviate from her recipe for success. Her unique alloy of Broadway and folk balladry is stable and, carried by the solid production, does not dissolve even in the occasional sugar bath. A top-class pearl in the age work, with which old fans can access without hesitation.

Martin Wimmer