Successfully documenting the early careers of both jazz vocalist Rigmor Gustafsson and pianist Mika Pohjola, New York Life is full of energetic duo expression as well a taste of the subtle and sublime. Song selections include both American and Swedish standards. As a specialty, the duo performs "Walking My Baby Back Home" in a more famous Swedish version, "Sakta vi gå genom stan", whose lyrics tell a story about Stockholm.

Gustafsson and Pohjola originally met in 1990 while students at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. This combination is also present on Pohjola's imaginative Christmas celebration, "Yuletide Voices", where Gustafsson is featured on three tracks.