Live at North Sea Jazz

Rating:
Summary: Love Laura At North Sea Jazz
Review: Laura best and most widely acclaimed work is represented incredibly well in this magical performance. Live she exuded more sheer presence than any other performance. The high standard of this stage performance, especially in the strings and percussion sections, completely captures the audiences' hearts, while, at the same time, this live recording by Laura offers a driven and magisterial interpretation which a set a new standard in recording excellence that remains unmatched.

The theory is proved here on the live 18-track DVD recording of North Sea Jazz Festival, on which some new interpretation have been published for the first time. Such outstanding performances include `Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend', `The Nearness Of You' and the encore `I Get A Kick'.

On this live recording, Laura not only captures the gentle, quiet elegance of the seldom heard `Just One Of Those Things', she also performs `That Old Feeling', `Bewitched', `Let There Be Love', `Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue', `Guess Who I Saw Today', `I Will Wait For You' and `The First Time'.

The depth of feeling that Laura portrays in the concert alternates unmistakably between the lyrical and the passionate. All the greats are here, and it's interesting to see the difference between the Portuguese bossa nova tunes, `Triste' and `Corcovado' (Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars), Spanish evergreen `Como Fué' and French chanson, `For me Formidable' and `Les Feuilles Mortes' (Autumn Leaves)'. It's easy to imagine yourself not only right there at the concert North Sea but on tour to the whole world.

Laura is not only one of the best, but one of the most successful jazz female vocalist in the jazz world today. She is a thoughtful, talent artist and an arresting, involved performer. All of these qualities are reflected in this live recording.

Technical difficulties do not exist. Even the finale of `Almost Like Being In Love' and the wild romp of `Rhythm Is Our Business' are dispatched with perfect clarity and consummate effortless ease. Altogether, this is another most impressive remarkable achievement of Laura since her last live recording `Live' recorded at the Theatre Carre in Amsterdam back in 1998.

To my super admirable greatest Dutch Jazz Goddess - Laura, I love you!