Opening with Jimmy Webb’s “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,” about the realization that all things are no longer possible, this latest CD release offers just what we want from this duo: Whitfield’s sublime vocalizations coupled deliciously with Mike Greensill’s smart arrangements. Scaled down to its bare components (voice and piano) the listener is focused on the lyric and the interpretation, which plays to Wesla’s strengths—she loves a clever lyric, a touching ballad and lighthearted humor, working each with precision and clarity.

“Give Me the Simple Life,” “Sail Away” and “It’s Fate, Baby” all fit the couple’s neat style and are recognizable staples from the American Songbook library. Mike Greensill’s arrangements delicately frame each number, adding subtle contours and flourishes that bathe Wesla’s vocals in a nourishing atmosphere that enhances each interpretation.

“Message from the Man in the Moon,” heard whistled in a Marx Brother’s movie, and “Moonlight Savings Time” display the couple’s love for finding hidden gems and breathing new life into them. “That;s Him Over There” and “I Found My World in You” were given to Wesla by composers Lew Spence and Neil Sedaka respectively, and are welcome additions to her repertoire. We should be thankful for the few remaining constants in life —one being a remarkably satisfying, technically adroit, romantically wistful performance by this couple.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
April 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org