Personnel: Jesse Winchester (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Jerry Douglas (vocals, lap steel & Weissenborn guitars, dobro); Vince Gill, The Fairfield Four, John Cowan, Jonell Mosser (vocals); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar); Steve Cropper, Mike Henderson (electric guitar); Pat Bergeson (harmonica); Byron House (bass); John Gardner (drums).

Recorded at Sound Emporium & Mountainside and Creative Recording, Nashville, Tennessee.

The legendary singer-songwriter is back with a new set of tunes, one that balances melancholy soul-searching with a country-tinged funk (in the 1970s/Little Feat/Elvin Bishop/The Band/Sly & The Family Stone sense). Winchester's subdued, rather purr-like voice is a nice contrast to the soulful, gospel-inspired backing vocals, the sharp, Memphis-style guitar licks, and a loping southern groove. He turns his attention to a fine-dancing woman ("Sweet Little Shoe"), a club where he loves to unwind and dance ("Club Manhattan"), temptation and the most human of human foibles ("Evil Angel") and the fragility of emotions ("No Pride At All"). Fans of Lyle Lovett and Mary Chapin Carpenter are urged to check this Winchester fellow out (since he was doing his thing when Lovett and Carpenter were still in grade school).

Dirty Linen (10-11/99, pp.68-9) - "...a gem....As usual, the musicianship is top-notch....GENTLEMAN OF LEISURE cuts a swath straight to your heart by way of your toe-tapping feet."