If you have been reading this, I think you probably know when I discover people from around the world are singing songs from the Great American Songbook. I recently discovered the singer Dian Pratiwi, who has released an album titled ‘My Funny Valentine.’ She lives in Bali, Indonesia, and was born in Jakarta. Her album is a mixture of classic songs and newish soul standards.

Upon listening, though, she has more a soul-funk sound than a jazz one. Her singing is very robust and strong, and her improvisations lean more soul. It’s not bad, just not what I was expecting. The album is culled from live performances, and they show her strength – I bet she is a pistol when she is performing. Her ‘Route 66’ rocks, and there’s a whoel lot of herself in ‘What’s Going On.’