Didja Feel The Music of...Daryl Hall

The music of Daryl Hall is a complete experience to me. That’s probably because Daryl Hall sings a song with what seems to be every bit of him put into it. If you’re listening, his distinctive voice, and lyric delivery take you there with him to sweet love, cynical love, new, lost, or lusty love, love of a city or time or ideal. But, if you are watching while listening to “Stop Loving Me, Stop Loving You” or “What’s In Your World” or any other of the tunes that speak of his feelings at their rawest, well, look out because he’ll almost physically pull you into that vortex of musical emotion he is creating.

Hall and Oates tunes immediately made me sit up and take notice back in the ’70s—literally. The first time I heard them was on a break from performing with different jazz groups on the road. I was enjoying an evening of wine, water (a nice hot bath in a real tub and not a quick hotel shower) and WBLK, the soul music station broadcasting from downtown Buffalo, NY. Whatever the song—I’m afraid I don’t know for sure because of listening to their hits and his solo performances so many times since—I remember the intro was so good I sat up straight wanting to understand and internalize it.

Then, there was this voice; a voice that smoothly romanced some notes and next dug so deep inside to bring out others and place them boldly there for the world to hear and feel. His singing in that first encounter and through the decades since has made a connection with me that is about going all in on a song. There is no doubting his true musical ability, and that of the fine musicians who make the sound whole. Yet, it is the fact that he is fully in and wanting his audiences to be right there with him that makes me feel his music so strongly.

He has influenced my singing and songwriting and I am grateful. Mostly, it is a real gift to hear and see a talent give so completely.

Watch and listen for yourself and see what you feel.     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mepYq9R5lx4