Donny Hathaway Live - Opinions?

Well its a classic. very popular in its day. You may find some of it cheesy.

Weeks solo is great. chops wise its easy but thematic development and earthy feel make it musical and nasty.



AJ

 

I don't find any of it to be cheesy. He's not Wooten but if you want to listen to a recording where the bass player grooves like a mutha yet doesn't step on any of the other musicians buy it. You won't be sorry.

Regards,
Jeff

 

bbird, you need to get it. it is worth the $30 i paid.

what made me sad is that when i talked to willie about his playing in this album, he told me and a friend that he was "over playing". it broke my heart to hear him say that. i thought his playing was pocket maturity. it kind of made me question myself, but my friend (who has played with some biggies) didn't agree with what willie said, so that helped.

willie is playing a lot less (less busy playing) with vince gill. he doesn't move around that much, but each single note means more than any five notes that i have ever played in my life.

getting back to what you asked, you should really get the album (donny sings his ass off as well).
the whole band had THE groove...

 

BlackBird,

Get it. There are some parts of the record that I am not wild about, but the rythym section makes the album completely worth it. Awesome grooves, in hot sweaty clubs. And Hathaway is an incredible singer.

and willie's solo and groove is the epitome of pocket.

Just fat tone and fat time. And IMO one of the greatest recorded bass tones ever. Big low end with big mids.

 

It's an outstanding record - Hathaway's vocals are amazing, and the whole band are great. Willie's solo is a classic, and almost every soul/gospel bassist I ever interviewed for Bassist magazine picked it as a pivotal moment in their bass playing life...

Nothing cheesy about the record at all.

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

 

All right I'll play defence. I skip on by You've got a friend every time I put that CD on I think its cheesy. Voices? Getto? cirtainly not, nasty!



AJ

 

I think it is nice and funky.
Its all about the groove.

 

BBird-
www.dustygroove.com is stocking Hathaway's LIVE! for $13...it's an import, too.
It's not the 'best' live recording out there; the raw vibe, though, does fit the mood of that small club, IMO.

Also at Dusty is Buddy Miles' Them Changes...another '70s R&B/Soul/Funk/Rock classic.
This is also an import(I've seen it for between $25-$30)...DG has it for $13.
This album is also on the 'raw' side of the house; Billy Cox's bass on the title track almost blew out my car's speakers.

 

Anyone know anything about the [/i]In Performance[/i] album by Hathaway?
I just hit DG...it's NOT to be confused with LIVE, though Dusty Groove's blurb sez it's from the same classic era as LIVE.

Another nice Hathaway album is the(1st?) one with Roberta Flack...Chuck Rainey plays some nice tasteful stuff; the rhythm section is sweet.
(The 2nd Hathaway/Flack collaboration wasn't that bad, either).

 

So I turn on "Austin City Limits" last night and who do I see? Willie Weeks playing with Vince Gill. The band was awesome. Vince has to be one of the greatest living guitarists and Willie made the band sound great. Great stuff.

 

i had a chance to hang out with willie before that gig. he's aight'

 

I've been listening to this one ever since I was in high school in the mid '70s and my band used to do Donny's version of "what's going on" with all the cool instrumental breaks and accents.

Willie's work is classic P-bass "in-the-pocket" style groove. He's not as flashy as current players, but I think it's a good idea to study a bit of his work. He's right up there with the other classic bass masters that are too numerous to mention.

 

to say the least!

 

I dug the deep grooves on that record. His approach to 'What's Goin On' is cool and the solo is excellent.

 

I know this is an old thread but I have been spending a lot of time with this album. The groove on Jealous Guy and his line and solo on Voices should be required listening for all bass players. I'm not into the chops players and this album is all about deep, serious bass that I love. I wonder what he is using for his boosted sound on Voices solo.

 

Yep masmasbasso,

I have this on LP. I've seen it on CD, but I'm having a difficult time finding it on CD. one of these days...

 

They have it at Amazon.com, but it is $22 and an import. I lucked out and found it at a used record store. I would still like to find a copy on final.

 

Cramba!
I told you guys in an earlier post-
www.dustygroove.com
$13.

EDIT-
I just checked DG.
The cd is "Out Of Stock" & now goes for $15.99. DG is good about restocking items.

There is the vinyl/LP version in-stock for $8.99.

 

before i had internet access, i looked for this cd at my local indie record store for years and nada. then last year i finally order online and next thing you know, i go to the same record store and they have about 5 copies in stock