DJ Timmy Richardson
Administrator
Member # 60
|
posted
This may be stated without danger of hyperbole: Lalah Hathaway, as the older daughter of classic soul music artist Donny, and classically trained vocalist Eulaulah, is the poster child for genetic coding. Given such auspicious DNA, one is not surprised to discover her a gifted—even brilliant—singer.
Not shocked in the least. And, of course, these types of assumptions are not necessarily just, but talent is expected ? considered birthright—the scheme of the stars, the design of a divine hand. It makes it all the more impressive that, while Lalah has been imbued with—and influenced by—her begetters' faculties, she is, ultimately, her own artist—an individual voice seeking a singular aesthetic and pursuing it arduously, painstakingly, and sans compromise. She is an artist managing the feat of all great artists—to borrow from existing color, only to create brilliant and unexpected pastiche. To be, at once, familiar and foreign.
In 1990, Lalah was responsible for an acclaimed debut album, eponymously titled and compliments of Virgin Records. Words like "smoky" and "confident" were used to describe it. Then, in 1994, came the album A Moment, also on Virgin. Again, glowing reviews. She was said to be the possessor of "torchy elegance" and to have made a "solid" and "independent step" in contemporary Rhythm and Blues. Lalah joined Joe Sample—jazz veteran of The Crusaders fame—for 1999's The Song Lives On; he provided the formidable piano tracks and she? well, she did what she always does: mesmerized us with a more than notable, persistently sultry vocal performance. Most recently, she has come to the table with a group of songs that reveals an even greater maturity and a darkly original approach to production.
Long before Lalah was my friend, I was her fan. The current that tore through me, the first time I heard her sing, has revisited every time I've since had the good fortune to hear her. I join a host of others in breathless anticipation of her next solo recording.
Patsy Moore
2003
   
--------------------
cyberJAMZ 4/24/07
"When you
knew what you knew you did what you did...but when you knew better..you did better" Winfrey
IP: Logged
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic
