Witherspoon Sings Over a Swinging Trio
Jimmy Witherspoon's warm, rough-edged voice rides an easy, swinging band that never gets in its way.
Put on this record and the first thing you hear is a loose, mid-tempo swing, the rhythm section sitting comfortably in the pocket while Jimmy Witherspoon's voice comes in with its familiar blend of gravel and warmth. The arrangements are spare and unfussy. Kenny Burrell's guitar weaves in and out of the vocal lines with a light touch, Gildo Mahones keeps the piano bright and buoyant, and George Tucker's bass holds everything down without drawing attention to itself. Leo Wright's alto saxophone adds color in the spaces between phrases. Nothing here is elaborate. It is a blues-based singer working with musicians who know exactly how to support him.
The title track carries the album's central sound: a playful, bouncing tune that lets Witherspoon lean into the lyric with obvious pleasure. Burrell's guitar work is especially tasty here and across the record, with clean single-note lines that never crowd the singer. Jimmie Smith's drumming stays steady and swinging rather than showy, which suits the material. The mood throughout is relaxed and good-humored, closer to a late-night club set than a formal studio statement.
As a place in Witherspoon's catalog, this is a solid, enjoyable entry rather than a peak. Critic Scott Yanow of AllMusic wrote that the music is enjoyable if not classic and should please Witherspoon's many fans, and that is a fair assessment. If you are new to Witherspoon, start with a more celebrated album from his output; if you already love his voice and want more of it in a relaxed setting, this one delivers exactly that.
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