If you are unfamiliar with Laura Love's music, you are really missing out. She describes her sound as "Afro-Celt", but that description barely scratches the surface of her eclectic musical mix of genres. Her songs often combine the rhythms and beats of African music with the acoustic melodies of folk, Celtic, indie, bluegrass, alterna-country, and even traditional Appalachian music, all with a dash of a funky bass guitar and violin for extra flavour.
Laura also has one of the most unusual and affecting voices I've ever heard, occasionally hitting notes that live somewhere between a wail and a yodel. I highly recommend buying any and all of her albums. Particularly Octoroon and The Laura Love Collection, which gathers together the best songs from her early albums on the Putumayo label. She is the most energetic, entertaining performer I've ever seen in concert, so catch her on tour if you ever have the chance.
As I've said before, I've been introduced to several of my favourite artists by seeing them perform live at Mountain Stage (artists/managers check out this post for booking info). Laura Love was the first of those Mountain Stage discoveries.
I first saw Love perform at my beloved venue back in August, 1997. It was my first Mountain Stage concert and I mainly went to see Joan Baez, the headliner of that particular concert. Performing with Baez that night were Sinead Lohan, Dar Williams, Duke Robillard, and Laura Love. While all the other artists mostly played acoustic folk music, or blues in Duke's case, Laura Love blew the audience away with her funked out bass and high-spirited dancing. She was promoting her album, Octoroon, which remains my favourite of her recordings to date.
Then in January of 1999, I went to Mountain Stage solely to see Laura Love perform. I had the opportunity to meet Laura after that show, but I was so tongue-tied that I could only tell her that I enjoyed the show and ask for her autograph. She was very friendly and humble, and kindly overlooked my complete lack of cool.
The biracial child of a schizophrenic mother and jazz musician, Preston Love, many of Laura's songs touch on deep and painful themes. "Octoroon", for example, was inspired by the racism Love has faced in her life. Her memoir, You Ain't Got No Easter Clothes, was published in 2004, along with a companion cd (her ninth album) of the same name.
I attempted to contact Laura and her management to request permission to share mp3s here, but received no reply.
Laura Love Official Site
Buy Laura Love Albums
Buy Laura Love's Memoir
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Laura Love
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2 comments:
Hey, i got here from The Late Greats (who linked your blog). I LOVE Laura Love. I have seen her several times live and she rocked out each and every show.
In a particularly small venue in Bethlehem PA, she and Jen Todd played a set and had a dance contest, which I won, and for which I was awarded their leftover eggplant parmasan from dinner. You can't beat that. Plus, in the middle of "Aha me a Riddle a Day" then threw in a chorus from Oliver Twist - so eclectic, so beautufl and kind. Laura Love brings me such joy!
I first became aware of Laura because of purchasing the Woman's Work CD, just by chance. Then she performed at Merle Fest. and blew everyone away. I now schedule my vacations around her tours. Sarahday, I was at the show in PA. Large wooden building I believe was called the Ice House. I saw you win the contest. Small world. I'm off soon to CA to catch Laura some more.
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