by Andrew Hamilton
Jerry Butler and Brenda Lee Eager's voices weave together seamlessly on this fine exhibition of male/female duet singing. The warblers climbed the charts with &Ain't Understanding Mellow& (number three R&B); they nearly cast the spell again accompanied by Chicago's best musicians, eight songs from Butler's Songwriting Workshop, and two killers from Motown. In the spotlight are the pair's rendition of &The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind),& popularized by the Dells; an update of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's &If This Love Was Mine&; &As the Seasons Change&; &Can't Understand It&; and &How Long Will It Last.& And they rock hard on Holland, Dozier, and Holland's &Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me for a Little While).& While nothing's as mesmerizing as &Ain't Understanding Mellow,& this set begs for CD exposure, along with other Butler/Eager tracks.