"Laura Wolfe is a seasoned singer/actress/dancer who performs classic showtunes from composers that include Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and George Gershwin. She adds a light touch of jazz to each composition, making them unique and all her own. Wolfe's material choices are based not just on wanting to choose the big era numbers, but to showcase songs that were sung by dancers. Set favorite include "Too Darn Hot", where Wolfe shows off her flair for drama and "A Man Chases a Girl Until She Catches Him", a Berlin piece that nicely displays her vocal abilities.

Laura Wolfe is an accomplished vocalist and is talented enough to recruit top-notch colleagues. Her voice carries deep rich tones and has the dynamics to breathlessly croon a soft ballad -- and in the next instant belt out a powerhouse medley. Wolfe is backed up by "The Karen Hernandez Trio," which consists of Hernandez on piano, Lou Shoch on bass and Jack LeCompte on drums. The entire trio is made up of renowned musicians who specialize in jazz and have quite a following of their own. This group assists Wolfe by giving her showtune set its jazz/blues flavor.

Wolfe gave an engaging and nostalgic performance at Serra's nightclub. Tall, graceful, and dressed in dancer's attire, Wolfe told a story about each song she sang -- complete with pictures and charts -- and gave the compositions their own distinctive performance. The singer appeared very comfortable on stage and held a strong rapport with the backing trio as well as the very appreciative audience.

Laura Wolfe is an endearing artist and an example of a consummate performer with loads of talent. Anyone who enjoys the classic Hollywood musicals or is a jazz enthusiast should give this multi-talented chanteuse a listen. You won't be disappointed."
 - ANNE O'NEARY, MUSIC CONNECTION

"...a very charming performer...Wolfe sang classic tunes with a lot of zest, captivating the audience...she has a beautiful voice, sings the lyrics with a lot of conviction, with a good sense of phrasing, and a smooth delivery...delightful...she moves around as if the lyrics were dancing...I thoroughly enjoyed Wolfe's performance."
 - BOB COMDEN, L.A. JAZZ SCENE

" 'Can't act. Slightly bald. Also dances.' So goes the legend about RKO's reaction to Fred Astaire's screen test. A dancer since childhood, jazz vocalist Laura Wolfe turned this quote into the catalyst for her third CD and her newest show.

Wolfe is a warm presence with a bright, clear and colorful tone. She possesses a rich alto, expressive eyes, and the thoughtful phrasing of a seasoned jazz veteran. Standouts included an up-tempo and alluring 'Come Rain or Come Shine,' a sultry, Latin-infused 'Let's Misbehave' and a seamless medley of 'It Only Happens When I Dance with You' and 'The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing.'

After an introduction about her affinity for dance and movie musicals, her patter focused primarily on the back story about each movie and dancer. This was often interesting - for example, Cyd Charisse was originally cast in the Ann Miller role in Easter Parade - but it gave me little information about Wolfe. I view learning about a performer an essential part of the cabaret experience. A notable exception was 'It Ain't Necessarily So,' introduced with a moving story about a childhood chance to perform for Sammy Davis, Jr. You could sense her channeling Davis's versatility as she deftly traveled from jazz waltz to blues to rumba.

'Go' was an unexpected treat. A gutsy rejoinder to a deadbeat lover, it was written by Betty Garrett, who for ten years has been Wolfe's mentor. She said, 'I've saved the best for last,' before beginning a tribute to Garrett, which imbued the song with depth and meaning.

Credit producer Les Michaels for bringing this appealing singer to the Desert as part of his Summer Cabaret Series. Realizing the economics of cabaret, I would encourage him to find a way to bring her back with the rest of her ensemble so audiences can experience the full impact of her jazz style."
 - JEROME ELLIOTT, CABARET SCENES

"Laura Wolfe didn't have to search too far to come up with a theme for her show at Serra's in Studio City since it was a reflection of her passion for dance and the dancers who filled the silver screen with song and dance. While she presented many familiar songs, she held the crowd's attention with good stories about the context of the songs within films and biographical tidbits about the dancers. From Ruby Keeler's introduction of 'Too Marvelous for Words,' tap dancing on the keys of a giant typewriter, to Christopher Walken's dancing to 'Let's Misbehave' in Pennies from Heaven, Wolfe presented a rich platter of material. With strong support from the Karen Hernandez Trio, she ably exercised her jazz vocal chops in addition to a playful exhibition of tap dancing, responding to drummer Jack Lacompte's rhythmic challenges. A nice bonus for the evening was Wolfe's in-person introduction by her mentor, Betty Garrett."
 - LES TRAUB, CABARET SCENES

"Coming from a musical family, Laura Wolfe started dance studies at a very early age and naturally progressed forward. Early on, she also garnered a passion to sing as well. She has a special interest in being a keeper of the flame of the Great American Songbook, and is equally dedicated to bringing these great songs to young audiences with fresh interpretations of lyrics she considers timeless...backed by fabulous arranger/pianist Karen Hernandez and her trio with superb drummer Jack Le Compte and fine electric bassist Lou Shoch. Hernandez is one of the best in the business for backing vocalists. She and her trio have been together for a number of years and are an excellent part of Laura Wolfe's recently released CD, 'Laura Wolfe ..also dances' (A Tribute to the Great Dancers of Film), on the singer's Too Tall Productions label. Hernandez re-arranged several of the songs therein. The show at Serra's on January 17th was an illustrious one with Laura performing not only the music, but also presenting an array of photos and history of these great composers, singers and dancers of earlier decades (30s, 40s and 50s) along with the music. Her voice is soothing and convincing. She has the capability to belt out lyrics of certain show tunes, thus making her range invaluable as a performer. The Karen Hernandez Trio performed spectacularly throughout the evening. I had not seen a show like this before. For each selection, Laura gave some pertinent history and discussed the film, composers, dance and song, showing how music represents the culture of our times. There were too many numbers and artists presented to cover in one review, but here are a few random highlights: The George and Ira Gershwin gem, 'Fascinating Rhythm,' from the 1941 film Lady, Be Good, included a stellar performance by Eleanor Powell, one of the greatest dancers of the 30s and 40s. The 1951 film, An American in Paris with superb dancer, Gene Kelly, gave us 'Our Love Is Here to Stay.' Laura sang a vibrant 'Something's Gotta' Give' from Fred Astaire's 1955 film, Daddy Long Legs, also with Leslie Caron. Laura said her tribute would not be complete without Sammy Davis, Jr. and the celebrated Gershwin classic, 'It Ain't Necessarily So' from the 1959 film version of Porgy and Bess. These movie memories are from some wonderful times in American culture. Thinking about the show afterwards, I felt it would be a valuable contribution to our art form to have a DVD made of her entire presentation. Laura Wolfe's show and CD are highly recommended."
 - GLENN A. MITCHELL, JAZZ POLICE

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Reviews for "...also dances"
(A Tribute to the Great Dancers of Film) - released 9/08.

"On her debut release, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, songstress Laura Wolfe surprised the music world with a charming collection of standards. Her latest recording, ...also dances, is certain to raise even a few more eyebrows as more listeners discover the beautiful vocal stylings of Wolfe. On this, her third release (she also had a brief holiday EP), she gets rid of all of the traditional jazz encumbrances and delivers a soothing and moving collection of romantic serenades like "Love is Here to Stay." All themed around courtship of dancers in film, these tunes are terrific in the hands of Wolfe. Her sweet, breathy and tender voice is perfectly suited for this collection. There is a gentleness and grace to her approach that will define jazz vocals for years to come. This disc will have you wistfully gazing into the stars for many an evening, dreaming of your heartfelt desires. Perhaps you too will dance the night away."
 - GEORGE HARRIS, ALL MUSIC GUIDE

"...she is consistently pleasing...her roots as a cabaret singer serve her well...highlights are 'Too Darn Hot', 'Love is Here To Stay' and 'Let Yourself Go'. Our favorites: 'Something's Gotta Give' and 'It Ain't Necessarily So'"
 -D. OSCAR GROOMES, O'S PLACE JAZZ NEWSLETTER

"Laura Wolfe's newest CD '...also dances' celebrates the great dance numbers from Hollywood, but rather than making the listener want to get up and cut a rug, the cool, smooth jazz invites the audience to sit back and appreciate the song itself...Karen Hernandez's arrangements (as the credit officially calls them, 'adaptations') offer some very interesting new spins on the 12 classic songs...Wolfe's voice, the aural equivalent of cool cream blending with hot coffee, is perfect for jazz...the entire album is utterly enjoyable and quite intriguing...'...also dances' is ideal for anyone who appreciates the music behind the dances, or who just likes good jazz."
 - JENA TESSE FOX, CABARET SCENES

"...she brings new life to the vintage lyrics, conveys a wide variety of emotions while remaining cool, and is clearly inspired on her CD by the Los Angeles quartet (pianist Karen Hernandez, bassist Lou Shoch, drummer Jack LeCompte and tenor-saxophonist Damon Zick)...these versions are standouts and a bit different than one might expect."
 - SCOTT YANOW, L.A. JAZZ SCENE

"Fred Astaire is on tap again, a few times, on Laura Wolfe's CD. It's a generous clutch of songs heard in old musical films, sung by those known (perhaps primarily) as dancers. The album title of '...also dances' comes from the underwhelmed reaction to Fred Astaire's audition for a movie contract (some sources say the scribbled notes said 'dances a little'). Laura Wolfe sings more than a little, and a lot wonderfully - she has a big voice, but it's particularly warm - on her second full-length CD. Her first, 'He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not' reviewed here last December, was an auspicious and exciting recording. She's only gotten better and more confident. Rather than just focus on numbers that were big dance extravaganzas (they wouldn't necessarily translate to audio-only spectacular), Laura widens the net. Her criterion was just that a song was delivered by someone who, well, also dances. As in the album reviewed above, there are major songs by the Gershwins, Porter, Berlin.

Laura has rich tones and a versatile voice that can handle many different styles and attitudes. She can take on a big, almost bombastic showstopper and then pull back to an intimate and trembling ballad. She can handle the sizzle of "It's Too Darn Hot" and the playfulness of "A Man Chases a Girl 'Til She Catches Him," a refreshing choice recalling the Donald O'Connor performance of the Irving Berlin piece, where his "girl" was Marilyn Monroe.

I've been playing this CD more than most this autumn, and unlike many that I keep on rotation and repeat over a period of time, my favorite track doesn't change. It is the under-recorded, under-appreciated "It Happens Every Time" (Burton Lane/ Ira Gershwin) from Give a Girl a Break. Laura is at her most romantic and disarming here. Musical settings are generally creative and fresh ...there's some fine playing on the album, and it's not a cheap, gimmicky kind of "dance along" record by any means (not that there's anything wrong with that). A feast for fans of movie musicals, or just great songs, or just impressive vocalists, Laura Wolfe's work is recommended."
 - ROB LESTER, TALKIN' BROADWAY

Laura with Betty Garrett

"Laura has a naturally charming, engaging voice...the album is fun, with accomplished and controlled pop-jazz vocals."
 - www.girl.com.au

"Laura has that rare ability to thrill you with the music of her voice and at the same time make you fully understand the meaning of the lyrics"
 - BETTY GARRETT

"She sings, she acts AND she 'also dances!' Her new CD, cleverly entitled Laura Wolfe '...also dances' (A Tribute to the Great Dancers of Film) proves she is, indeed, a 'triple threat!'!! She should soon find herself on radio playlists all around the country!"
 - LYNN DI MENNA / JEFFREY C. WILLIAMS, HOSTS OF AT THE RITZ

"With every word Laura sings...out comes emotion and warmth. Her interpretations of the lyrics brings these classics up to date and is the perfect balance between singer and song."
 - JIM STONE, HOST OF BIG BAND SWING, WLNZ 89.7FM LANSING

"...Laura Wolfe is a breath of fresh air. Laura's new CD, '...also dances' has 15 keepers well worth listening to again, and again."
 - BILL MILLER, HOST OF THE BILL MILLER SHOW, RWPR.NET

"With her new CD, Laura skillfully delivers. Her style, as always, inventive and distinguished -- a mixture of jazz and musical theatre that she's able to combine into a unique interpretation that's all her own...Up until recently, Laura has been America's best kept secret. With the release of "...also dances", that will no longer be the case."
 - LOU POWERS, WBCB 1490 AM PHILADELPHIA

"Laura Wolfe is back with a great new CD, "...also dances." This is a concept album, a gem with many brilliant facets showcasing the dazzling voice of Laura Wolfe ...she is one of America’s best new jazz singers and interpreters of the Great American Songbook, and she’s here to stay. Add "...also dances" to your collection."
- JOHN BOHANNON, WRHU 88.7 FM NEW YORK

"Laura Wolfe is engaging, refreshing, and a pure joy to listen to. Her newest release '...also dances' makes you want to get up and dance -- with her."
- DON WOLFF, WFUO 99.1 FM ST. LOUIS

"There is musical magic in Laura Wolfe’s vocal delivery - - she has the impeccable power to deliver a lush song into the hearts of those of us who enjoy the American Song Book of the standards. She can take you on a wonderful musical nostalgic journey..."
- FRANK E. DEE, GMMY RADIO

"...Laura Wolfe could be a real contender. Her first album is a winner. Taking on a dozen old standards, she sings them with zip on the up-tempo numbers and wistfulness on the ballads. She's very well supported by a quartet led by pianist/ arranger Ron Snyder. He provides some interesting touches like incorporating strains of 'These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)' in the vocal of 'Where Can I Go Without You?' and doing the same with a bit of 'Moonglow' in the sultry-smooth 'East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)' that also features tasty flute work by Damon Zick, who is on sax elsewhere. ...she generally has a very good handle on the melodies and sense of the lyrics, as demonstrated in her lovely a capella first few lines of 'My One and Only Love.' Another strength is avoiding melodrama, for even though she sings with real passion it's thoughtful consideration of situations that comes across, rather than wallowing in puddles of emotion. This is especially true in 'I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good.' Her phrasing is quite fresh in the very often recorded and performed classics. Laura wins points for often including the neglected verses to these great old songs. The California-based singer, with some experience in cabaret, theatre and dance, is someone I'd like to hear more from soon. She sounds invested in the material, projects intelligence, and has a very attractive sound."
 - ROB LESTER, TALKIN' BROADWAY

"When I first heard Laura Wolfe's new album, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not," I knew that my listeners would love it too. Here is a rare collection of fresh and beautiful love songs that are passionately recorded with fine instrumentation. This album is just what is needed to acquaint all generations with these great tunes from the American Songbook. However, these are just old songs. Even people who have heard them before will think that they are new again, when they hear Laura's unique interpretations of these timeless lyrics. She truly is a song stylist and not just a performer. Laura successfully places herself in the role of the writers of these classic love songs and then gently communicates their message of adoration or heartbreak to the listener. She really knows how to sell a song. In fact, I was sold just after hearing just a few bars of her pleasing and talented voice.
- JOHN RUSSELL GHRIST, HOST OF MIDWEST BALLROOM, WDCB 90.9 FM CHICAGO