Album of the Day

Donny Hathaway had established a reputation as a talented session pianist and arranger before he got the chance to cut his own album in 1970 – and it turned out he had a wonderful voice, too. Hathaway had grown up singing gospel and spent time working for Curtis Mayfield, and EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING displays both of those influences in Donny's moving performances and choice of material. The nine selections on the album are split between inspiring covers of songs like Nina Simone's “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” and such socially aware originals as “Tryin' Times” and “The Ghetto” (both co-written with Leroy Hutson, Mayfield's replacement in The Impressions). Donny Hathaway cut many fine records in his all-too-brief career, but this debut disc may well be his best.