|
It's
fitting that in her review this month of Laura Thomas's new CD
Slow, Carrie Crespo draws a comparison to Nancy Sinatra.
It was the latter's 1966 hit These Boots Are Made For Walking
that sticks in my memory, and it was the boots that Laura was
wearing at her recent Knitting Factory gig that were similarly
memorable. Laura herself made reference to them and was clearly
pleased with the new knee high, titanium-healed purchase, for
which she had shelled out nearly a month's salary.
The
Knit evening - which Laura had put together including her friends
LadyBug, Mahogany and Spacecake - had Laura performing with a
band that she's only recently put together. And while she can
hold her own as a live soloist, the backing brings out not only
her powerful voice, but also a more brazen stage presence, of
which those boots are a perfect prop.
On
record, the new CD continues to showcase Laura's Jazz-influenced
style that was debuted on 2002's On My Sleeve on songs
with honest, sometimes defiant, lyrics that reflect experiences
of her settling down in New York City after several years of travels.
With
the title song of the CD being written about her soldier boyfriend
(who has recently returned from a year in Iraq) it's not too surprising
that, more recently, Laura has turned her attention to political
music, expressing her take on the current administration in Blind
Trinity. A live recording of that song can be downloaded at
www.laurabama.com.
~~~~~
 "I've
got a drum up my ass," was how the sweet smiling Nefertiti
Jones light-heartedly described the cramped conditions onstage
in the Old Office at the Knitting Factory. Fortunately, the close
quarters to her band (and audience) didn't affect the power of
her performance for June's WOMANROCK showcase there, as she kept
the party going with a string of catchy numbers.
Watching
Nef perform songs like Scream and Anybody Else,
one can't help but make comparisons with the raw stage and musical
styles of Alanis Morrisette and PJ Harvey. That Nef grew up in
New York's Alphabet City before the trendy types moved in assures
one that the rawness is no put on act too.
A
former finalist in the American Music Awards New Music category
and Lilith Fair performer, Nef spent time playing around the San
Francisco music scene before settling back in NYC and recording
her CD Missing the L Train, with Steve Addabbo (Shawn Colvin,
Suzanne Vega) as producer.
Now,
as well as playing the local club scene, Nef's also to be featured
in an upcoming documentary on black rock musicians, called Electric
Purgatory, which includes footage from Nef's music video for
her song Alphabet City. Check out her latest news at www.nefjonesmusic.com.
~~~~~
 There
are some musicians that are accomplished self-promoters, who do
a great job of reaching out to their fans and spinning every baby
step into a reason for an email blast of pure hype. Then there
are others that just quietly get on with making music, touring,
and making more music. Ana Egge falls into the latter category,
and as such is a something of a secret. But a secret who totally
rocks.
A
quick look at the tour page on her Web site confirms this assertion,
noting her August dates with Shawn Colvin to be followed by a
tour in September supporting Dar Williams. No doubt she'll be
playing some tunes from her upcoming CD Out Past The Lights,
which she co-produced with Jason Mercer, longtime bassist with
Ani DiFranco, and now performing similar honors for Ron Sexsmith
(who plays on the album, along with Chris Brown and Tony Scherr).
Born
in Saskatchewan, Canada, Ana broke into the music scene when she
won a songwriting competition in Austin, TX. Gigs supporting the
likes of Richard Thompson, Joan Armatrading and Jane Siberry followed,
as did a fair share of awards and an appearance at Lilith Fair.
Now
a resident of Brooklyn, NY, with two studio and one live album
in her catalog, she's been playing local clubs like the Living
Room, Café 111 and the Parkside Lounge, while shopping
her new CD to labels. Find out more about this best kept secret
at www.anaegge.net.
Photograph
of Ana Egge and Nef Jones courtesy of www.mebeeb.com.
Pete
Harris founded Harris Radio as a response to the music
being played on corporate-controlled mainstream radio. He is also
a partner in WOMANROCK. Check out Scene and Heard artists on www.harrisradio.com.
©
1999-2004. WOMANROCK.com. All Rights Reserved.
|
