Too much

I have Herbie's studio version cd (Possibilities) with this cut on it. I think Christine did an excellent job on that version... Here, She simply tries to hard and winds up over singing. Also, Herbie sounds like a young gospel keyboard player that's just stepping all over the vocalist. The studio version is off the chain but this is simply WAY over done. Also, I understand that Christine is trying to control her volume levels but there is just too much mic movement here.

Too bad... The original cut was done so nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpEcg3tI1Jc&feature=related

Below is the studio version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vs6cqxVYJ8

Lastly, listen to this beautiful Donny Hathaway version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmjULeODgqc

Hey Don,

Yeah what happened there? Jeez!! I have that album, and It's a very good record. I especially like the Paul Simon track''I do it for your love" and ''Hush Hush Hush'' with Annie Lennox (written by Paula Cole).

The Donny version is great though. Thanks for posting that- Iwould'nt have seen it otherwise. They both over-did it.(rare in Herbie's case)


D.L.

Ha,

I don't know what happened, D.L. I guess it's that old belief system that more is better, and sometimes it is but not in this case.... Is that a great cd or what? I love all the ones you named.... What about that one Hush now "Don't explain" or when love came to town? I love the arrangement of that piece.

Or when love came to town? I really enjoy listening to that whole project.

Herbie took some flack for doing that cd because it wasn't "jazz". Personally, I love artists who can switch gears like that and he is a true master at it.

Here is one more version of "A song for you" by Donny again. It's live. This man's voice came straight from Heaven. It's sad how many musical geniuses have such troubled lives that end in tragedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnkl-YQ-XWU

Don.

D.L.,

Speaking of Tragic lives concerning some of our musical geniuses. Listen to this cut by Phyllis Hyman called: "I refuse to be lonely" (which is also the name of the cd). It was from her final album before commiting suicide in June of 1995 the night she was to perform at the Apollo Theater in New York. Her suicide note read:

"I'm tired, I'm tired. Those of you I love, know who you are. God bless all of you."

She O'd on Sleeping pills and Vodka. She was found dead on her bed in her hotel room.... Listen to the words of this song. The message of her broken heart can be heard throughout. Though I haven't heard the rest of it, It is said that much of the rest of the record had the same overtones. The warning signs were given but no one heard.

She was buried on her 46th birthday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CkLgxq1Xqc

Here's one More:

"Give me one good reason to stay."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl2fBvyoZkM&feature=related


Fyi, Uncle John worked with both of these artists.

Thanks Don,

Wow those tracks are great! She had very good control over her voice, and sang those tracks perfectly.

Suss played with her? That's great!

I also really enjoy all the tracks on Herbie's possibilities- He also had a documentary dvd about those sessions- I've seen that, and it was very inspiring.

D.L.

As with Hathaway, it was a sad day when I got the news of Phyliss' departure. Had spoken with her by phone when we both were in Richmond VA on different gigs (she w/a concert and me ministering at a local church there). I say this from our phone conversation back then: she discovered that her booking agent (name withheld) was under suspicion of bilking her live gig receipts; while "tired" of not having progressed farther than her silkly voice and artistry would have propelled her. Phyliss was a strikingly beautiful woman (especially during the year that I worked with her around the country back in 1978). Unfortunately she gained a lot of weight later on, symptomatic of her frustrations, rather than her faith. I'm oversimplifying here though... admittedly. Further, her managing attorney (Kendall Mentor), now practicing in Atlanta shared with me that she was found in the very same apartment on Broadway and 55th Street... not a hotel room. Phyliss probably felt like her "home" was a "hotel" though...

Our band back then was off the hook back then for the R&B/jazz flavorings.

Neph... I'll check out your sound links earlier of Herbie w/Christine. Gotta run now though. I'll phone you later. Thanks for posting this.

Love to All.

Thanks for the correction, Uncle.

D. Slam wrote:Thanks for the correction, Uncle.

Though I would love to say "you are welcome," that would be insensitive of me. I only provided info from my experience, and not from what I read.

Right now I'm working from an antiquated laptop which I've had to tweak to the gills. It's real hard, but at least I have connectivity. My desktop is in safe storage.


When I hear Christina A., I felt the same as you did Don. But that was only on the surface. When via You Tube (problematic for downloads to me) I listened to what I could hear... it sounded as if she was overdoing it. However C.A. can sing in her own right. The bad news is that during that performance there was no mention of where she got it from. And young folks today are already disillusioned behind the history of our influences. In fairness to you Nephew D., I need to hear this again - since I played this song with Donny Hathaway Live. It's in a vault somewhere protected by the interests of the record company, and not the creators of the music. I remember that when first seeing Donny play this at the piano (and for several live performances thereafter), he performed this "solo." Until his confidence level with us as his band improved, we did it as a unit. Nuff said.

Perhaps someday humanity will recognize that we were ALL meant to be free, yet with the liberty and license to respect each other as you and I have grown to know: Here's me with Donny on Someday We'll All Be Free:

http://www.johnsussewell.com/Someday-Free.mp3
Live! Carnegie Hall... 1973
© Ed Howard & Donny Hathaway (Ed lived in Atlanta, GA... I've lost touch with him after he was going for his M.Div. under Charles Stanley's 1st Atlanta Baptist church).
Piano & Vocals: Donny Hathaway
Guitar: Gil Silva
Bass: Basie Saunders
Congas: Leslie ("Chuggy") Carter
Drums: John Sussewell

It's all good Nephew... our conversations over the phone (along with so many others here likewise) let me know there is nothing wrong with us being real. I love you guys and only ask that you respect the ownership of art/intellectual material as if your life depended upon it. Buy the Music and keep it safe.

Alrighty, then...