(February 22, 2021) Great musicians around the world have addressed this odd “year of the pandemic” in different ways. Popular saxman Michael Lington had his own idea, and it has been realized in a beautiful way that will be captured in his upcoming March 26 release Alone Together: The Duets.
Unable to perform live shows Lington started recording virtual shows from his home studio. And even better, he invited special musical guests to join him from their own locations – hence the title “Alone Together.” And those guests included some of our faves, such as Javier Colon, Sy Smith and Chris Walker.
(February 22, 2021) Great musicians around the world have addressed this odd “year of the pandemic” in different ways. Popular saxman Michael Lington had his own idea, and it has been realized in a beautiful way that will be captured in his upcoming March 26 release Alone Together: The Duets.
Unable to perform live shows Lington started recording virtual shows from his home studio. And even better, he invited special musical guests to join him from their own locations – hence the title “Alone Together.” And those guests included some of our faves, such as Javier Colon, Sy Smith and Chris Walker.
One of the unexpected benefits of the shows was the closer connection it gave Michael Lington to his fans: “When you perform like this, you never know who is out there listening. Then I get those heartwarming emails that say things like, ‘We’re all locked down at home, and every Sunday night you give us a sense of normalcy in the world and something to look forward to.’ To them, I’m no longer just Michael Lington, the artist, but the friend who comes into their home and chats with and plays for them. This has been a very difficult juncture in all of our lives, but what it has shown me is that we as human beings are very cable of adapting and uniting, even in the most challenging of circumstances.”
One of our favorite collaborations was the groovalicious pairing of Michael and SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award winner Kenny Lattimore. The two had teamed 7 years ago on the deliciously catchy “Gonna Love You Tonight,” and they decided to perform that single again, quarantine style. The result is fantastic, and a reminder of just how good they sound together, even pulling it off in a single take. Lattimore’s vocal charm is just as strong at home as it is on stage, and Lington keeps the upbeat affair jamming.
We can’t wait to hear the entire album Alone Together, but for our latest SoulTracks First Listen we feature this wonderful pairing, along with the video they created for their collaboration – thousands of miles apart. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik
Michael Lington feat. Kenny Lattimore
"Gonna Love You Tonight"