FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This recording ("You May Never Know") represents an idea long overdue for documentation.  Cedar Walton's music, with lyrics by the brother and sister team of John and Paula Hackett, are sung by the exquisitely voiced Witherspoon.  And yes she is the sister of the lesser known Minneapolis singer Shirley, and second cousin was the late legend Jimmy Witherspoon.  Walton is here in full effect on piano, with either John Heard or Tony Dumas-bass and Billy Higgins-drums. 

As a singer Witherspoon stands on her own. Her voice is pitch perfect, she inflects in a sophisticated manner, and uses few if any affectations, scat or cooing. AS she interprets these tunes, you realize she's living in these songs. The lyrics themselves are quite clever, and expand the original melodies in some ways, while keeping basic on others. Each of the nine selections has a different title in relation to the original of Walton. The waltz "Sabbatical" is now "Even Steven", the samba "Voices Deep Within Me" turns into "A Love Beyond Compare", and the ultra-quick "Enchantment" was "Firm Roots" now dressed more provocatively. Witherspoon digs into the song "Ojos de Rojo", now "Night Flight", her speedy wit matching Walton's fleet piano note for note. She goes soulful on "Song For A Holy Land", leaps into the hip, fast pace for "Life's Mosaic", and the title track, derived from "I'm Not So Sure" is a great example of pure melodic invention perfectly conceived and executed. The only real zinger is a version of "Bolivia" called "Journey To Bolivia", done is a very different key than the original.

The combination of Witherspoon and these musicians with the lyricists cannot be faulted. A second project would be welcome, but it's likely they'll tackle another icon. For now this is one to Savor. Recommended. -Michael G. Nastos WEMU