"Vocalist Ronnie Wells and bassist Keter Betts have been closely associated with the Washington jazz scene for so long that their respective gifts are all too easily taken for granted. Their new albums, though, quickly reaffirm the pleasure that comes from being in their company. On "HERE I AM", Wells and pianist Ron Elliston spend an entire album introducing the words and music of Ed Greenebaum, a veteran, if not exactly well-known, tunesmith. As it turns out the enthusiasm the married duo has for Greenebaum's compositions isn't hard to share. His songs have an old school charm and structure- some are even equipped with verses- and they cover a wide range of emotions, inspired by relationships giving rise to selfishness ("She's Not Right For You"), sorrow ("We're Through"), and joy ("I Love To Be With You"), among other things. There's more than a touch of whimsy apparent in Greenebaum's writing too, a lighthearted spirit that contributes to the album's appeal and helps generate a swing pulse that provides a nice contrast to more dramatic material. No matter what the mood, though, Wells and Elliston interpret the tunes expressively while receiving plenty of support from saxophonist Bruce Swaim, guitarist Steve Abshire, bassist James King and drummer Mike Smith."