Mary Stallings had made her mark over a career stretching nearly a half-century by the time of this recording session, and she still is very impressive in her early seventies. The expressive alto benefits from an outstanding rhythm section, anchored by pianist/arranger
Eric Reed, with bassist
Hamilton Price and drummer
Ralph Penland. "Close Enough for Love" is the striking opener, and while this was a signature song for the late
Shirley Horn,
Stallings is buoyed by
Reed's uptempo, dramatic setting of this standard. Contrasting with that is the lush, very deliberate approach to "That Old Black Magic," with
Stallings putting greater emphasis on
Johnny Mercer's romantic lyrics in a very sensual way. The neglected "A Weaver of Dreams" is an absolute delight, with
Stallings swinging over
Reed's tasty stride piano in a duo performance. The vocalist also offers a striking interpretation of "A Timeless Place" (vocalist
Norma Winstone's lyrical adaptation of
Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks"), a shimmering affair in which
Stallings captures the essence of the words and melody. "Never Knew" is a rare opportunity for
Stallings to record with her daughter, R&B vocalist
Adriana Evans (who also co-wrote the piece), for a funky, upbeat number that adds a bit of contemporary flavor to this collection of timeless standards. ~ Ken Dryden