Kirk Whalum | Everything Is Everything
Kirk Whalum | Everything Is Everything
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The day he started flirting with his saxophone and kissed the reed to create Everything is Everything is the day a fitting monument was erected – a perfectly sculpted monument of the legendary Donny Hathaway. Like opening a bottle of vintage wine, Kirk Whalum has brought a refreshingly smooth sound of the great hits of the late Donny Hathaway.
Kirk Whalum is an eight-time Grammy nominee who has brought us great albums such as the Gospel According to Jazz and the BabyFace Songbook. The year 2010 has been a busy year for the artist. On March 16th, Whalum released the third chapter of the Gospel According to Jazz trilogy. In April 2010, a new role was appointed in his life, the President and CEO of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Whalum who is a native of Memphis, TN had served as the Stax Music Academy Artist in Residence since 2006. Now on August 28th, the artist will be releasing a new album Everything is Everything the music of Donny Hathaway.
The album begins with the song Giving Up followed by Someday We’ll All Be Free, a song that has been covered by many R&B artists including Alicia Keys, Deniece Williams and George Benson. Many artists have rendered their voice and talent in this album. Musiq Soulchild who has had 11 Grammy nominations brings his soulful voice in the song We’re Still Friends while Rick Braun, another notable trumpet player joins Whalum in the song Love, Love, Love. The song Valdez In The Country is simply amazing with Whalum and Jeff Golub creatively using their weapon of choice – Whalum a trumpet, Golub a guitar.
A Donny Hathaway tribute would not be complete without one of the greatest A Song For You another song that has been covered by many artists. However the most chilling song in this album is You Had To Know featuring Lalah Hathaway, the daughter of Donny Hathaway. The song was not performed, but written by Donny Hathaway for a female vocalist. I can only imagine the emotion she felt because while this album is a tribute to an icon, in her eyes, it’s a memory of her daddy whose life was quickly cut short from her life.
The 11-track album concludes with Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything). Surely everything is everything, what was meant to be will be. If I could find one word to describe the album, it would be nostalgic. A great tribute album will do that, make you wish you could go back to the time you first heard the original artist sing each song. My hat goes off to Kirk Whalum. Donny Hathaway would be proud.
Susan Mutharia
The Urban Music Scene