Lalah takes it back to 'Where It All Begins'

Lalah Hathaway creates music that you anxiously wait to hear performed live. And you know the performance is going to live up to your expectations because she’s been blessed with a voice that’s mellow, soothing and smooth.

While Lalah released her first album in 1990, I’m a relatively new fan. (I was introduced to her after my sister created a mixed CD a few years ago which contained several songs from 2008’s Self Portrait.)

I’ve come to develop a deep appreciation for her music. There isn’t another artist around who sounds like Lalah Hathaway, and with the music business mostly focused on the visual and appealing to a younger crowd, listening to a truly talented and grown artist is refreshing.

When talent such as Lalah continues to provide a sound that’s real and uniquely hers, you know all is not lost in music.

Where It All Begins, her latest release, is composed of many faster songs than I’m used to hearing from her. At first listen, they didn’t really grab my attention – perhaps because it’s such a departure from her previous work. But the beauty of hearing an artist perform live is that it allows you to hear the songs differently. Now, I realize Lalah is just providing listeners with a wider range of her music.

Lalah performing at Yoshi’s Oakland is a perfect combination. A frequent guest at the intimate venue, Lalah, with her signature locks flowing freely over her shoulders, opened her on Dec. 2, 2011 set with If You Want To, a song from Where It All Begins. Up-tempo and energetic, If You Want To, inspires listeners to get up and shake a leg on the dance floor. If Yoshi’s was that kind of space, I would have been up two-stepping.

The band transitioned right into one of my absolute favorite songs from Self Portrait, Breathe.  I was slow grooving in my chair as I was reminded “that this ain’t the end of the road. It’s all a bad dream until you believe.”

The hour-long show was a good mixture of material sung by other artists, as well as her own. That can sometimes be a disappointment if you expect to hear an artist perform only their songs. But because Lalah is known for covering other singers (and doing a fantastic job in the process), I didn’t mind at all.

She definitely put a smile on her father, Donny Hathaway’s face with her rendition of his song A Song for You. While listening to Lalah sing with such beauty and depth, my mind actually paused in realization that her voice envelops you with a feeling of love and a sense of peace. Utterly amazing.

I also suspect singer Anita Baker (Angel) and the members of Earth, Wind and Fire (Love’s Holiday) would have nothing but praise for her renditions as well.

And I trust Luther Vandross (Forever, For Always, For Love) is delighted that his song is performed with the love and joy Lalah radiates as she sings about "remembering the love we once had," forgetting about the past and making love last this time around. Lalah covered this hit on her 2004 album, Outrun The Sky, and it has since become a favorite of Oakland's audience.

The individual performances by background singers Jason Morales and Toni Scruggs deserved their own standing ovations. Both vocalists held their own while performing their interpretation of the Ella Fitzgerald classic Summertime. Their vocal range had such depth and feeling that it raised the hair on the back of my neck and had the audience hooting and hollering.

I appreciate when an artist gives stage time to other band members, providing them with their own spotlight to shine. From the first notes of If You Want To, to the encore of This Christmas, the audience was engrossed with Lalah at every turn. When she went left, they moved with her. When she strayed from the song and improvised, they shouted and cheered. Several times, many in the audience stood and applauded.

During the show, Hathaway encouraged show attendees to support Where It All Begins and push it to platinum status. There’s no reason her album shouldn’t sell millions of copies.

Here’s to hoping that those reading this will go out and support an artist whose music needs and deserves to be on top of the charts.

Upcoming shows: Erykah Badu at the Warfield, Dec. 10 and Watch theThrone: Jay Z & Kanye West at the HP Pavilion at San Jose Dec. 14.