Lalah Hathaway
@ the Jazz Cafe, London
17 -18 May 2012
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Biography
Born to R&B/Soul music royalty, most people know her simply
as the daughter of late Soul music legend, Donny Hathaway. But there is more to
her than that. A trained pianist and vocalist, she is a graduate of the Berklee
School of Music and her career has spanned two decades. 21 years after the release
of her first LP, her career continues to thrive. It was 1990 when Lalah
made her music debut on Virgin Records with the self-titled album Lalah Hathaway,
effortlessly fusing elements of R&B, Jazz and Pop. The resonance in her voice
immediately struck a chord with music lovers and her first single “Heaven
Knows” solidified her place in R&B music. The disc also spawned the
hit “Baby Don’t Cry” and featured fan favourites “Somethin’
” and “I’m Coming Back.” It was evident that Lalah not
only had the voice, but the talent to carry on her father’s legacy while
shaping her own musical destination. Lalah distinctly set herself apart from other
R&B artists of the time by making music that was true to her heart. In 1994,
Lalah released her much-anticipated 2nd album “A Moment” with “Let
Me Love You” serving as the album’s lead single. “A Moment”
saw Lalah exploring several music sounds including sampling elements of New Jack-Swing
and funk, but not shying far away from her soul and jazz roots. The project also
included the Sly & the Family Stone remake “It’s a Family Affair,”
and the soul-stirring, fan favourite ballad “Separate Ways.” 1999
brought the release of the critically acclaimed duet CD The Song Lives On with
legendary jazz musician Joe Sample. The songs “Fever” and “When
Your Life Was Low” helped to broaden her audience and further establish
her name with jazz music fans, while continuing to leave an impression on audiences
worldwide. After her departure from Virgin Records, It would be 10 years
before she would release another solo effort. However, Lalah kept- and continues
to keep busy by recording and touring with several acts including George Benson,
Take 6, Marcus Miller, Rahsaan Patterson, Mary J. Blige, The Winans, Kirk Whalum,
Gerald Albright, David Sanborn, Carl Thomas, Angie Stone, Robert Glasper, Donald
Lawrence, Eric Roberson, Grover Washington, Esperanza Spalding, and just recently,
Prince. In 2004, the long awaited album “Outrun The Sky” was
released, yielding the #1 single “Forever, For Always, For Love” -a
remake of the classic Luther Vandross tune. Outrun The Sky’s success put
Lalah in the spotlight again and established her as a one of the premier vocalists
of her time. The album included production by Mike City (Brandy, Yolanda Adams,
Carl Thomas) and scored rave reviews from fans with unforgettable favourites “Better
and Better” and “If U Ever.” In 2008, Lalah released
her 4th solo album Self Portrait on the renowned Stax label, which debuted in
the Top 10 on Billboard’s R&B charts, and to date is her most successful
CD. Opening with lead single “Let Go,” the 12-track set is best described
as a journey from heartache and pain to awakening and renewal. Self Portrait garnered
Lalah her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
with mid-tempo slow jam “That Was Then.”
2011 marks the release
of her 5th solo studio album, Where It All Begins (Stax), in which she effortlessly
delivers her trademark sound that greets you with the familiar warmth that you’ve
always known. Included in the set is a remake of fan favourite, “I’m
Coming Back.” The new version is a richly intense, percussion heavy, mellow
arrangement in which Lalah displays her full vocal range and tops it off with
the addition of legendary Jazz/R&B vocalist Rachelle Ferrell. Where It All
Begins also features Grammy award winning and nominated producers JR Hutson, (Jill
Scott, Musiq Soulchild) and Dre and Vidal (Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Alicia
Keys) Lalah understands who she is as an artist and continues to remain
consistently true to her vision in song and lyric. Like aged, fine wine, her voice
continues to get better with time. Throughout her career, Lalah has captivated
audiences by channelling the essence of her father’s spirit in her music,
while adding her signature flare. Her ability to touch a listener’s soul
in one phrase is an extraordinary gift that is synonymous with the Hathaway brand.
No one can vocally expresses the hurt, pain and anguish you feel today yet give
you hope for a better tomorrow like Ms. Lalah Hathaway. Thankfully, the Hathaway
sound continues to live on through her creative expression. Lalah looks
to the future of music by embracing the zeitgeist of her present. “My
hope is to continue to make timeless art for people…in a way I feel like
my dad came here in part so that I could get here- and I am here so that he can
stay here. I was born for this.” Biography compiled By: Trent
Jackson (and Lalah Hathaway) |