Tuesday, December 29, 2015

200 FAVE ALBUMS. This update: #102. This countdown continues next week.
THE CAFFE` LATTE`
200
MOST RECOMMENDED ALBUMS
Some are the best selling, while others may be obscure, but the albums listed here are all worthy of a listen. No compilation/ best of sets. Only exceptional live albums included. This is a personal listing of the albums I enjoy the most to this day.
#102
EXTENSION OF A MAN: 
DONNY HATHAWAY
 Extension.of.a.man.jpg
 [1973] 
Donny Hathaway's magnum opus 'Extension of a Man' is aptly named. This is an album where the gifted and lauded vocalist takes his music into an array of directions. His starting point is R&B / soul but from there, Hathaway serves up tracks as different as "Valdez in the Country" and "Magdalena". Opening track "I Love The Lord, He Heard Me Cry Parts 1 & 2" is a lush orchestral piece arranged by Hathaway. He takes a soul love song to lofty heights with "Love, Love, Love" and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know". If this album only had 1 track and that song was "Someday We'll All Be Free", it would suffice. Hathaway is at his best here: vocally and musically. This remains a pivotal civil rights watershed recording. Sadly, his career was cut short. He is far from a household name, but cited as an influence by many respected musicians. 'Extension of a Man' is Hathaway's 'What's Going On'. Highlight tracks: Someday We'll All Be Free; Love. Love, Love & I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know.

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