If the powerful bluesy vocals of Lucy Woodward accompanied by the playful jazz piano of Henry Hey don’t enthrall you, then I might need to seriously consider your sanity. The two artists have teamed up as The Guests for a cover of Bill Withers’ (with only a pronoun difference in the title) Who Is She (And What Is She To You) (seen/heard here) replacing Withers’ former “He” with “She.” Vodka doesn’t often cover “covers,” but there are exceptions. One criterion for a cover making it onto the Vodka platform is that the artist(s) must make the song their own. A complete duplicate of the original (same sound, same rhythms, same everything) means I should have just listened to the original. The Guests don’t make that mistake. This is definitely a song that they have made their own! You can verify this yourself by listening to the original Bill Withers version. Both versions are excellent, with the Withers’ version laced with guitar and augmented with orchestration and The Guests’ version using only Hey’s piano. You won’t miss the guitars or the orchestration on The Guests’ version, I promise.

Lucy Woodward grew up in a very musical household. Her parents had diverse musical pedigrees, with her mother an opera singer and musicologist, and her father a composer and conductor. In her house, it was common to hear opera, middle-eastern music, and much more. From this background, Lucy formulated an understanding of melody and story and went on to perform, building her career over years of jazz clubs, coffee shops, and collaborative efforts, not to mention a number of critically acclaimed LPs. 

Henry Hey also hails from a music-loving family. He was immersed at a young age in everything from the Beatles to orchestral music and jazz. This eventually led him to New York City, where he performed with some of the jazz greats. He’s also known for his collaborative writing relationship with the pop group Empire Of The Sun and is the co-founder of two critically acclaimed instrumental groups, Rudder and Forq. It was in New York that he met and began collaborating with Lucy. He co-produced her 2016 LP Till They Bang On The Door. 

You can find out more about The Guests by visiting the project page on Lucy Woodward’s website or Henry Hey’s website, including more extensive biographies on both Lucy and Henry. In addition, check out Lucy Woodward’s website or Henry Hey’s website directly for extensive information about both artists and their other projects.

There’s so much to love about The Guests and the music that they create. It is serious jazz while maintaining a playful and story-filled setting. Who Is She (And What Is She To You) is a testament to what you can expect from this talented duo!  Check them out now!