Lalah Hathaway Returns With “Made In Chicago,” Featuring Eric “Pikfunk” Smith
Lalah Hathaway has returned with Made In Chicago, a personal album that reflects her hometown and heritage. She’s the daughter of legendary R&B singer and songwriter Donny Hathaway, and the new record carries an air of vintage soul. Chicago, she says, is more than a city; it’s “a feeling, a sound, a way of moving through the world.”
“I feel these songs live at the intersection of nostalgia and melancholy,” says Lalah. “I will forever be processing the loss I suffered as a child when, in the winter of 1979, my father died at age 33. That pain is permanent. And so is the imprint his music has on mine. But Made In Chicago is not a ‘daddy album.’ It’s much more about the joyful music I heard heading into my teens. I had always taken piano lessons, but at 13 when I started attending a performing arts school, everything changed. Just those two words—performing arts—had me thinking differently. The world opened up.”
The grooves on Made In Chicago are anchored by bassist Eric “Pikfunk” Smith, who has worked with Hathaway for decades. He embodies the spirit of the ’70s with vintage tone while bringing his own voice to the story. If you love old school bass lines with modern touch, this album is for you.
Check out his playing on the album opener, “47th Street,” which recalls Curtis Mayfield just as much as Donny Hathaway.
Made In Chicago is out now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (Apple Music and Amazon Music).
Made In Chicago Track List:
- 47th Street
- So Smart
- Follow
- Can’t Let Go
- Every Little Thing
- Rainbo
- Someday
- Time
- Magic
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
