For those unaware, Happying is an album by vocal and instrumental duo — and husband and wife — Nancy and Spencer Reed. Half a century ago, they met in the projects in the Bronx and forged not only their romantic relationship but a musical one — influenced by the classic performances of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Carmen McRae, and Jackie and Roy.

In the nearly 50 years since the Reeds moved to the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, the couple has loomed large in the Poconos jazz scene, with the world-famous venue the Deer Head Inn — of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Paul Motian, and Phil Woods, Al Cohn and John Coates, fame — as its epicenter. As best-kept secrets, Nancy and Spencer Reed have played vital roles in this geographical wellspring of music.

Happying comprises three distinct sessions: one in Brooklyn with Bill Goodwin on drums, another with Nancy’s house band at their home studio and a third session with saxophonist Dave Liebman.

1. Cheerful Little Earful
2. Whisper Not
3. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
4. A Child Is Born
5. Feel Like Makin’ Love
6. Morning Morgantown
7. Moanin’
8. Happying

This delightful new collection of captivating songs opens on the cheerful scat-hued Cheerful Little Earful and their low slung rendition of Benny Golson’s Whisper Not and then comes the fluctuating percussional tones found driving Chicago’s classic Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? and a stirring rendition of Bill Evans and Tony Bennett’s A Child Is Born.

Along next is the laid back hipsway of Bad Company’s Feel Like Makin’ Love and a vibrantly playful cover of Joni Mitchell’s Morning Morgantown, the recording rounding out on a notably slower version Art Blakey’s Moanin’, coming to a close on a guitar bed that allows their titular Happying to smoothly groove its way into our hearts.

Leading up to Happying, the couple has made seven albums together, and each have appeared on a cadre of notable records. Happying began life like many albums do: by a simple request from the producer, Richard Dunning. In this case, to do something more “mainstream” than his previous projects.

Right then, the husband and wife duo flashed back to three unfinished sessions. Which amounted to unfinished business — and for fans of Poconos jazz, lucky us.

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