A Reasonable Amount of Trouble

Jesse Winchester was a quiet man who recorded gentle, soulful music. His 1970 self-titled debut album set a standard that each of his succeeding albums (and many other singer/songwriters) worked hard to reach. His death on April 11, 2014—just weeks shy of his 70th birthday—ended a career that was well-respected among the most credible of musicians. This album was written and recorded when he was in remission from the cancer that eventually claimed him, and his voice sounds at times a bit weary. But with the help of “newgrass” country GRAMMY® winner Jerry Douglas on lap steel, the well-known Jim Horn on saxophone, and producer Mac McAnally on lead guitar, Winchester’s final batch of tunes—and three covers—get the arrangements they deserve. While Winchester isn’t one for self-pity, he does sound to be in a reflective mood with the oldies he selected (The Cascades’ “Rhythm of the Rain,” The Clovers’ “Devil or Angel,” The Del-Vikings’ “Whispering Bells”) and with a few of his own songs, “All That We Have Is Now,” “Ghosts,” and the touching closer “Just So Much.” It’s a high-class farewell.