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October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997
“I’ve been a searcher, I’ll tell you. I did search and do search. I’m not a student. I’ve never thought of myself as an intellect, but I have had strong desires. My desire was really to delve into life. We can tap it and say reincarnation, we can say metaphysics, we can say a lot of things. But that is not the ultimate. And so that’s why they sing, oh, sweet mystery you know. It’s still unknown. I feel even at this point that if I could find an added dimension I would pursue it.”
Louise Nevelson, DAWNS + DUSKS, 1970
Recently I began re-reading this book, an old favorite of mine from college days. That brought me to remembering Laura in a certain way. You see, long ago I took this book with me to visit Laura & shared the woman’s book with her. Laura was struck by Louise’s work, her sculpture. Struck, as if by lightning. And so, Louise Nevelson became a strong thread in the tapestry of life that Laura & I shared. Years later, Laura returned that favor of introduction to this great artist by taking me to Louise’s chapel in midtown Manhattan somewhere. Sublime.
What gifts can friends give to one another? They can and should embrace together a dialogue that thrives, pulses, outside of the mundane of life; make a place in the day to day for the artistic, creative life which inspires. Let the pots & pans & laundry wait their turn.
Though I’ve read DAWNS + DUSKS a number of times throughout these decades, this is the first time that I understood Laura a touch better through the words of Louise Nevelson. The passage above just happens to feel palpably like beautiful Laura. In life there were no dimensions that didn’t interest Laura and, like Louise, had another been found, it too would have been embraced, studied, absorbed and expressed.
Laura would now be 62 years of grace. Wish that it had happened so. I would still be saying, let her sing with the angels later….later…and later still.
Happy Birth Day, Laura. Thank you for sharing your creative life with everyone through your music. Thanks for the gift of "Louise's Church".
NEWS!
"American Dove": The Life and Music of Laura Nyro", is an 8 part original radio program which will be broadcast on WXOJ-LP
103.3, Northampton, MA on eight Saturday nights from 6-7 PM beginning on Oct 18, 2008, her birthday.
For those of us outside the area, it will be broadcast live on ValleyfreeRadio.org at the same times.
It is with the greatest pleasure that I tell you “Season of Lights” has been re-released, re-mastered from the original recordings, by ICONOCLASSIC RECORDS, in August.
For more information, click on the Iconoclassic Records link below:
Wonderful news!! "Nested" is re-released, and worth the wait. See below.
NESTED IS FINALLY BEING RELEASED ON CD!
Laura Nyro is arguably the single most important female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century. We, at Iconoclassic Records, have always felt that Laura’s brilliant later recordings have been under-valued and misunderstood to a large degree. In an attempt to begin a reassessment of this later work we have chosen Laura’s eighth album, Nested as the inaugural release for our label. This is an important collection of songs that is seen as the fulcrum on which her early and later career pivoted.
Nested sales have done wonderfully and the CD will enjoy an extended release starting Aug 12, 2008. This most personal and moving work has been mastered for CD release by Grammy-winning engineer Vic Anesini. All the original artwork from the LP has been faithfully recreated and an essay by Laura biographer, Michele Kort has been added to the release. We are honored and very proud to make this classic work our first release. We are also scheduling the complete version of Season of Lights for compact disc release later in 2008. Please click on either of the links below to order "Nested".
In 2008 fundraising will begin for the filming of “December’s Boudoir”, the cinematic work of Laura’s life and music. Maria Florio of Earthworks (website address) and I are eager to roll up our sleeves to create this visual homage to Laura Nyro, an American musical icon and human being second to none.
Still Available are the songbook, "Time & Love: the Art and Soul of Laura Nyro (item # 02500425) and "Laura Nyro: Lyrics & Reminiscences" (item # 02500567). Both from Hal.Leonard at 1.800.637.2852.
Also available is the biography by Michele Kort entitled "Soul Picnic, the Music and Passion of Laura Nyro".
For your pleasure, here is "Louise's Church"
The authorized Laura Nyro Web Site
All rights reserved. All media on the Laura Nyro web site is posted with the expressed permission of the various copyright holders. This includes, but is not limited to photographs, lyrics, sound files, and biographical material. This material may not, in whole or part, be copied, reproduced, photocopied, translated, recorded, or reduced to any electronic medium, machine readable format or mechanical means without the express consent, in writing, from the specific lawful copyright holders. March, 2003