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The lovely entertainer Laura Wolfe embodies the description "triple threat," a handle defining her equal abilities as an actor, singer and dancer. It's an accurate description, though it doesn't sufficiently explain what happens when all aspects of a talented performer's training and discipline come to bear, as they do in Laura's work. Her distinctive style derives from a life's worth of dedication. Listening to her CD, Laura Wolfe/He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, you're treated to a layered and intelligent take on a dozen gems of the American Songbook delivered by an authentic stylist. In performance, Laura is so natural she pulls the wool over your eyes. Engaging and warm, her voice is confident and assured, each gesture and emotion, organic.
Laura comes from a family of music lovers, and she has been steeped in music and rhythm all her life. Her mom was a professional dancer/singer, who now acts as a solid sounding board during Laura's pre-production and show rehearsals. Laura began studying ballet at age three, followed by tap at five, and not long after, jazz. At thirteen she was honored with a scholarship from the Professional Dancer's Society. Soon after she was invited as one of only four scholarship recipients to perform at their annual Gypsy Awards Gala in a production number set by renowned choreographer Alex Romero. By that time, Laura had decided performing was her career path. While attending California State University, Northridge, she put dancing on a back burner to focus on her other passion--singing. The summer after Laura received her degree in Theatre Arts, she created and produced her first cabaret show, Old Beginnings. It debuted at Tom Rolla's Gardenia (Hollywood, CA) to excellent reviews and an invitation for a return engagement. Soon after, Laura joined the repertory company Theatre West, drawn to the well-reputed musical theatre class taught by founding member Betty Garrett. Through Theater West, Laura met the late lyricist Marshall Barer who featured her in his staged reading of Happy Lot starring Betty Garrett and Michael Feinstein.
After a brief move to New York City, Laura was offered a nine-month world tour by Cunard Cruise Lines before she had unpacked her belongings. Laura eventually returned to Los Angeles and began to study with Kerrie Keane, an acting teacher she credits with a real shift in her approach to learning and performing music. Says Laura, "I began to understand the emotional connection to the lyric and the audience more deeply with Kerrie's help." Laura continued to perform in Los Angeles cabarets, culling her repertoire from theatrical composers including The Gershwins, Cole Porter, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim. An audition for Swingin' SophistiCats, an L.A. based swing band, led to a stint as the 'girl singer' for the group''s many Southern California engagements. In May 2005, Laura stepped back on the boards, debuting the character of Swoozie Blessed in White Buffalo's premier production of Fool Am I. Laura received wonderful reviews for her portrayal of a desperately struggling singer "on the edge" in the production at the Mark Taper/NoHo. For many years, from university through her early professional life, Broadway and musical theater was Laura's principal influence and concentration as she moved between the theater and cabaret stage.
Recording a CD was a natural step for an artist who lives and breathes music as Laura does. The delightful surprise is the decidedly jazz influenced repertoire and style Laura explores with commitment and sophistication on He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Too Tall Productions, 2007). Laura explains, "Many elements brought me to the place where I started exploring more jazz: my background as a dancer and a natural feel for rhythm, musicians who kept teaching and inspiring me and my growth from those experiences, the desire to constantly challenge myself and explore uncharted territory where my music is concerned." Laura has an eclectic list when she mentions the music she listens to - among others, Broadway scores, 80's rock, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Basia, Barry Manilow, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Eydie Gorme, and Tony Bennett. Laura says, "When I saw Tony Bennett, I understood the power in really interpreting a song and making it your own." She saw Bennett perform several times and says they were some of her all time favorite concerts. As a keeper of the flame for the Great American Songbook, Laura is determined to keep bringing the material to young audiences with fresh interpretations of lyrics she considers timeless. Laura is drawn to beautiful melodies, never mind their difficulty, and lyrics she can get her acting chops into. "I think of a piece of music as a little story, a slice of someone's life that if interpreted well, can impact a person or a crowd. I love performing because it allows me to engage peoples' emotions."
The 2007 release of Laura Wolfe/He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not was met with universal critical praise for her skillful phrasing, her beautiful, versatile voice, and imaginative and passionate interpretations. The CD is receiving national attention on radio stations across the U.S. through continuing airplay and the many on-air interviews Laura has given. She has recently made two winning appearances on the nationally syndicated show The Dennis Bono Show from Las Vegas. Her fan base has spread to Europe and Japan where He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not has met with tremendous success via iTunes and other major outlets.
As Laura was considering ideas for her follow-up album, the concept of "...also dances" (A Tribute to the Great Dancers of Film) came about quite quickly. Given her background and passion for dance, coupled with her love of musicals, the theme created itself: a tribute to great dancers from film, utilizing music from some of their better known dances on the screen. The album's title originated from the studio review of Fred Astaire's initial screen test in 1933: "Can't act. Slightly bald. Also dances." With Laura's second album release reaching equal notoriety and acclaim, she decided to create a one woman show and is currently touring the U.S. Laura has also recorded the holiday album What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?, with the title track recently reaching the #2 spot of top ten selling songs at CD Baby, an international website which promotes independent artists and their music.
Having recently opened for legendary jazz great Jack Sheldon at Cafe 322, Laura continues to perform at jazz clubs in the Los Angeles area with The Karen Hernandez Trio. Laura is currently in pre-production for her next CD, which will be released in the upcoming year. She will also be appearing as Diane Walker in the new musical Music Out of Nowhere, opening July 2010.
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