Lalah Hathway Heats Up the Atmosphere at BHCP Live!

Lalah Hathway Heats Up the Atmosphere at BHCP Live!
By Ed Magik


November 4, 2010
Los Angeles, CA.

The sound of music filled the air with the vivacious voice of Lalah Hathaway, daughter of Donny Hathaway, accompanied by her beautiful background singer Toni Scruggs, and her band featuring dynamic drummer Eric Seats, as Lalah Hathaway was a featured artist at BHCP Live!, an  on-going live concert series at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.   

Lalah Hathaway is a sincere, whole-hearted, soulful singer with messages of love and inspiration in her music.   Her live concert, which was held inside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza located in the Southwest Area of Los Angeles, California, raised the attention of some of her performing peers like Rachelle Ferrell, Vesta Williams, and Dave Thomas who dropped in to visit and sing along side Lalah, thus adding to the entertainment and the excitement. 

The event was hosted by Nautica De La Cruz, on-air personality from Radio Free 102.3 KJLH radio, Los Angeles, who greeted hundreds of Lalah fans that attended the event before introducing Lalah and her band to the stage.

Once Lalah and her band  got on stage, the atmosphere of the plaza suddenly rose with excitement as more and more people gathered and shuffled around the stage and upper level areas, jockeying for prime position to experience the entertainment.    Lalah was accompanied by vocalist Toni Scruggs, and band members, drummer Eric Seats, keyboardist Mike Aaberg, basist Timothy Bailey, and guitarist Jairus Mozee, each of whom gave some dazzling solos during the seemingly short one-hour concert.  In my opinion, “you just can’t get enough Lalah”.

Shortly after the performance, singer Rachelle Ferrell commented about Lalah in an on-the-spot interview with ED MAGIK TV host Holland Baxley. “Her voice is like rich, organic, melted chocolate”, said a somewhat giddy Rachelle Ferrell, who was very excited to see Lalah, after just returning from a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia.

When Lalah was asked what her fans can expect from her next album, she told Holland Baxley, “…they know kinda, I’m going to be slightly off the mark, but always doing my own thing”.  Lalah did not reveal the title of the album, but she also added, “It’s a soul record.  It’s full of soul and pop, and there’s some upbeat stuff too.  I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised.” 

Holland also interviewed keyboardist Mike Aaberg, basist Timothy Bailey, and guitarist Jairus Mozee, who all appear in the video  Lalah Hathaway Sings at BHCP Live! - Plus Interviews ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-K4iLxp4fA )  shot by me, Ed Magik, producer of ED MAGIK TV ( http://www.edmagiktv.com ) .  The video also includes highlights of the performance.

The BHCP Live! free concert series does a lot to help bring the community together as one spirit.  Thanks to Facebook.com, a number of my local friends attended this concert and several other live concerts at BHCP Live! with outstanding and reputable artists such as Goapele, Sheila E. and the E. family, Jon B.  , as well as relatively new performers including, Cali Swag District, Aaron Fresh,  Wonder Broz, and School Gyrls.

The owner of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Capri Urban Investors, L.L.C., plans to give the plaza a $30 million upgrade.    The renovation plans call for a vibrant, brand-new interior design, featuring a dining atrium, live entertainment performance area, and extensive exterior building, site and landscape improvements to the 43-acre property.   The initial renovation is set to be completed before the 2011 holiday season.

“Baldwin Hills is home to the largest middle and upper-middle class African American community in Los Angeles.”, according to the information found at

 http://www.crenshawplaza.com