Don’t You
Know
By Kaz
Hawkins, featuring Sam York
Produced by
David Jamison
Co-produced
by Kaz Hawkins
2017
TRACK
LISTING
1 Nendrum
2 Don’t
Slip Away
3 Because
You Love Me
4 Don’t You
Know featuring Meg Tyler (Spoken word)
5 Surviving
6 Better
Days
7 Alabama
Love
8 The River
That Sings
9 Lipstick
& Cocaine
10
Hallelujah Happy People
11 Don’t
You Know
12 My Daughter
My Reflection featuring AMY
“I want listeners to hear every breath I make,
feel the tears that came when I recorded certain songs, giggle when they hear
me having fun with my vocal. The pressure was off for this album and I recorded
it for me. That is what music is, a journey through emotions and I laid them
all bare on this.” Kaz Hawkins
I don’t
like this album. I love and adore it. Kaz Hawkins is one of the most
extraordinary singers I have ever heard in my lifetime, and I have heard a hell
of a lot. She has an astounding vocal range and can belt out big, brassy blues
numbers or hit you in the heart with a sweetness to behold. Her last album (by the Kaz Hawkins Band) blew
me away. I blogged about it here.
This new
album is pretty much a solo production, although others are involved, notably
Sam York on piano and guitar, and producer David Jamison. Kaz’s daughters
feature too. Ten of the tracks were recorded live in a single day. Kaz’s
grandson is the star on the cover.
Don’t You
Know is an intimate, reflective album that draws us in to Kaz’s emotional
world. I have kept an eye on her online messages and it is clear that her life
runs the gamut from huge success and adoration to unhappy challenges and
frustrations. These highs and lows inform the songs. It all works beautifully.
Yes, you get serious, sad and deep lyrics here but they are complemented by
inspiration and encouragement that whatever life throws at you, it is possible
to fight like hell, most of the time, to get through the bad times. Even at the
first play, the album oozed class. The production keeps things controlled. Kaz
is singing to me and just me. She will sing to you personally when (not if) you
buy the album. Whatever you pay, it will pay you back a hundred times more.
I’ve picked
three tracks to give you a flavour of the amazing Kaz Hawkins. If you know her
work, you won’t need reminding, but you must hear these new songs. If you don’t
know Kaz’s catalogue, invest a few minutes on these links and you will see and
hear someone who deserves through hard work, determination, sincerity and raw
talent to be an international star.
Don’t Slip
Away is a truly powerful song, released for Mental Health Awareness Week. Here it
is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mUu0h4JAPU
An important message and a powerful performance combined.
The River
That Sings is a salute to the people of Alabama and was inspired by a specific story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjW7vJzWNow
My Daughter
My Refection is a mother/daughter performance and, as they say, feel the love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PoWonlCh5E
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