The Donny Hathaway revival starts here
Posted by: Kevin-W on 13 March 2004
Prompted by an item on Robert Elms' Radio London show on Friday afternoon, I dragged out all my old Donny Hathaway albums yesterday: In Performance, his superb debut Everything Is Everything, Donny Hathaway, and (the two I enjoyed most) Extensions Of A Man and the very wonderful Live, which contains a stunning version of "The Ghetto".
Does anyone else think this man is (or sadly was, as he committed suicide in 1979) a soul titan? He's ripe for rediscovery and reappraisal, I believe. Perhaps fellow fans can convince forum members unfamiliar with his work to try it – if you like passionate, jazzy soul I guarantee you'll be hooked – and spark arevival.
What does everyone else think?
Kevin
Kevin
Posted on: 13 March 2004 by fred simon
Donny was absolutely a soul titan, no question.
One song alone, Someday We'll All Be Free, qualifies him as such ... man, what a beautiful and brilliant song! Everything about it, but especially the rotating cascade of unusual harmonic modulations that comprise the hook.
Posted on: 15 March 2004 by effinity
Soul Titan? Stays in the soul thats for sure, 'The Ghetto' is one of those tracks that is permanently in my head. I particularly remember it as the best produced conga playing track I'd heard and really focussed my interest on conga technique although it would be some years before actually aquiring any!
You'll be hooked, definitely.
Steve
Posted on: 15 March 2004 by okyknot
"Donny Hathaway Live" is one of my all time favorite albums. Soul Titan fits, he has a golden voice that defines the genre. As mentioned above "The Ghetto" is a moving number that still send chills up my spine everytime I hear it.
Cheers
Posted on: 15 March 2004 by Kevin-W
Of course, we mustn't forget his incredible version of Young, Gifted & Black.
He's probably my favourite soul artist after Stevie W.
Kevin
Posted on: 15 March 2004 by Minky
Ditto to the live album and "The ghetto".
I heard him doing a blistering version of "song for you" on the radio a few weeks ago. What album is that mofo on ?
Posted on: 15 March 2004 by Bhoyo
Kevin and I agree that there are certain Stevie Wonder albums it is actually illegal to be without. I think we can make a similar case for Donny H., although I would be inclined to leniency if the plaintiff agreed to pick up A Donny Hathaway Collection for starters.
Davie
