Anyone who has had Erik Leuthäuser on their radar for a long time will not be surprised by this set-up. "In The Land of Oo-Bla-Dee", his album debut released ten years ago, you can hear the fresh, adorable bop statement of a great jazz vocal talent with original lyrics. As it has become apparent over the years, the singer, who grew up in the small Saxon town of Freital, has surprisingly different aspects.

The pure, completely classic form of "Quality Time in NYC" was in the nature of the two-part project. Originally, Erik Leuthäuser simply wanted to make an album in honor of Susannah McCorkle and her work. "She's one of my absolute favorite singers!" he raved. Like Irene Kral, the American is not one of those to whom too many singers refer. For Leuthäuser, another argument is to follow his heart. "I'm always curious. I am interested in the less common. I'm always looking for a repertoire that hasn't been sung by very many others."

At the heart of everything: the songs, from the stone-softening "Where Is Love" to "I'm Through With Love" and "Rain Sometimes" to McCorkle's deeply touching "Scars". Following in the footsteps of the honored co-musicians, the vocalist delved deep into the songs: their lyrics, melody, and attitude. He does this so much that in some songs he exchanges the "she" of the original for a "he" and thus intensifies the bond with his personal life and feelings. Storytelling not as a nostalgic practice, but in the here and now. "I may be a bit old-fashioned in my taste of music," Leuthäuser said. "But I find a lot of contemporary things in these songs."