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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LATEST NEWS: APRIL '09 ~ Laurianne just appeared at the 11th Annual Science & Consciousness Conference in Santa Fe, along with such visionaries as Gregg Braden, Judith Orloff, Eric Pearl, Richard Bartlett and Freddy Silva. The concert was received with excitement and enthusiasm and concert footage soon to be posted. She's also re-released her CD "The Match" under a new title "Interview With The Planet" with a new cover and new song sequencing, making the CD seem like a whole new adventure. "Windhorse Rising" the flute & cello instrumental CD has also been re-released with new graphics AND THREE NEW CD's are about to be available to the public. Two collections of live recordings and studio explorations (with guest musicians) called "Homeland" and "Willy Nilly" AND a new flute & piano instrumental where Laurianne plays both piano & flute.
Search "Santa Fe Celebration Choir" on YouTube to see and hear this group's progress under Laurianne's directorship.
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BIOGRAPHY:
Santa Fe New Mexico’s Laurianne Fiorentino has been described as the “Georgia O’Keeffe of musicâ€. She "plays her guitar at once like a drum, a bass and a bell...she creates multi-layered rhythms with her music...her songs are concerned with driving forces...she sings with a broad, deep voice which at times sounds rough and ready, at others, soft and lush like a long velvet dress." Most of her work is “place oriented†though it is said that “Where Laurianne writes from has no address†- a message that is sparse and universal.
Upon planning the concert for the CD THE MATCH, Laurianne drew a parallel between supposed love songs or people-relationship songs, and a relationship one might have with Earth, Herself. She found that her songs and instrumental music could be viewed as coming from Earth, Herself and/or To Earth, Herself - that the correspondence could have interchangeable interpretations as such. And so the concert was titled "INTERVIEW WITH THE PLANET" which accompanies her published newspaper article called "LISTEN: THE EARTH MIGHT BE TELLING YOU SOMETHING", included here in the left-hand column of this page.
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With material written in the silence and solitude of an adobe hut 7000 feet above sea-level, in the outreaching hills of the Santa Fe, NM high desert Laurianne recorded a live solo concert at the Santuario De Guadalupe, a shrine to the Dark Goddess of Mexico in Santa Fe.
The stillness of the desert combined with an education in classical and jazz studies is at the foundation of Fiorentino's acoustic music. Originally based out of Northampton, MA Laurianne was playing the organ by age four and was self-taught on guitar and harmonica by age eleven. She toured Europe in a classical choir, earning a self-designed BA from UMASS on Right-Left Brain Studies (including three years of classical music and jazz studies). Fiorentino’s first professional work was as bassist/vocalist in commercial R&B and Blues bands.
She studied classical & jazz theory and history with avant-guarde saxaphone legend Archie Shepp, and voice with Mitch Chakour (keyboard & guitarist for Joe Cocker)
In addition to her skills as a musician, Laurianne Fiorentino has been a professional immuno-therapist (allergy technician), potter, graphic-artist-designer/photographer, Alaskan salmon fisherperson, leather-tooling artist and music/voice/bass/guitar teacher and resident songwriting instructor. She is also a published journalist, acrylic painter, tour-guide and Ortho-Bionomy Healing Arts Practitioner, and Choir Director.
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(SEE www.indiemusicforlife.org for a compilation CD "2008 Indie Music For Life to Fight Cancer" which includes Laurianne's song "Who Needs You" and many many other female songwriters....buy some and help support cancer research! Thanks.)
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“The young lady is splendid! She gets you to sing along in call & response and when that happens, the music is healing you. So, she’s a healer too, just in case you didn’t notice.â€
(ODETTA: May 31, 2008 after Laurianne’s 3 song support set)
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"Being part of a Laurianne Fiorentino performance is to be gently guided from the everyday to a plane of beauty and understanding that presents to us the possibilities of the psycho-spiritual worlds we all seek with our beings."
From Music Agent/Manager, SEAN LA ROCHE ....he continues to say: "My first professional job was as an apprentice at The Oakdale Musical Theater in Wallingford, CT. (Half-way between New Haven and Hartford). I was 20--turned 21 in the middle of the summer. That was 1958. So--fifty years now. I started in the music business in 1966 as a middle-agent in NYC...buying acts for colleges. And became a real booking agent in 1968 in NYC."
La Roche has worked with the following artists:
Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, Led Zep, The Who, Three Dog Night, John Gorka, Cheryl Wheeler, Mary Gauthier, Joe Cocker, Mountain, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Tom Paxton, Livingston Taylor, Herman's Hermits, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, Grand Funk Railroad, Martin Sexton, Dan Bern, Patty Larkin, Greg Brown, Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, Ten Years After, Vance Gilbert, Ellis Paul, Cosy Sheridan, Humble Pie, Janis Ian, Bob Hillman, Jeremy Wallace, David Jacobs-Strain, Elliot Murphy, McKendree Spring, T-Rex, Long John Baldry, The Jefferson Airplane, Kelly Joe Phelps---------
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"Most people can't imagine soaring like an eagle through the hot lava steam of an erupting volcano but then, most people can't sing with a quiet that gently pushes the moon from big round to see you later."
(Jim Armenti, Lonesome Brothers, Young At Heart Chorus)
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"Remember, oh, a couple of bands back when I said no one can strum a solo guitar in any original way? Well, as usual, I’m full of shit because Santa Fe’s Laurianne Fiorentino is amazingly resonant and accomplished. This isn’t mope-dope singer-songwriter drivel but incredibly confident and more dynamic than many full bands. Her voice is rich and complex, quite strong enough for an a capella song although I could’ve done without the flute number (in the wrong hands, those things scare me). Fiorentino was by far the most original set of the night."
(Wig Wam Bam, Albuquerque’s zine of music and nepotism, Ignoring objectivity since 1998, Issue 43, November 2002, thewigwambam.com)
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"Most artists need a band to flesh out their material. In this case, a band might hide the substance. Very unusual for a solo artist to be so gripping"
(Showcase Judge)
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"Fiorentino has an un-orthodox voice that can go from a growl to a wail to a whisper. Her songs feature stunningly original lyrics, complex rhythms, honesty, and (surprisingly!) hilarity - almost all at once."
--(Memphis FolKrawl)
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“…one of the best performers on the scene…â€
--(The Lobby Bar, Cork, Ireland)
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"...a deep and old presence that reminds me of Leadbelly....more dynamics and power than some entire bands of talented musicians"
--(NM Band Contest Judge)
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Laurianne is "an artist unafraid to follow her instincts". Her bamboo flute playing "is spacious, very free while remaining true to the spirit of the Native traditions from which Fiorentino's instrument originated."
--(Dirty Linen Roots & World Music Magazine)
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CD RELEASES:
“The Match†– debut solo live concert
“Windhorse Rising†– Native Bamboo Flute & Cello Improvisational recording with Michael Kott
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STUDIO SESSIONS & FILM SOUNDTRACKS:
Native Bamboo Flute – For the film “Trail Of The Painted Poniesâ€, corporate fundraising art project narrated by Ali MacGraw, 2002
Native Bamboo Flute – With Michael Stearns (“Barakaâ€) – Waterford Ireland Youth Drama production, 2002
Harmonica – Paul David’s film “Timothy Leary’s Deadâ€, 1995
Bass – Erik Darling’s (“Walk Right Inâ€) come-back Folk Era CD, 1993
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NOMINATIONS & AWARDS:
Festival Honoree – Hobart, Tasmania Roots & Blues Festival
Semi-finalist in national Lilith Fair online talent search
Artist Of The Year for National Academy of Songwriters, Los Angeles
Best Live CD – New Mexico Music Industry Mic Awards
Second Round Finalist – New Mexico Battle of the Bands, as a solo artist
Critics Pick – Toronto NXNE Music Conference, Memphis FolKrawl Committee
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FESTIVALS & CONFERENCES:
11th Annual Science And Consciousness Conference, Santa Fe, March 2009
Santa Fe Women's Celebration, 2008
Thirsty Ear, Santa Fe New Mexico, 2008
Indie Girl Showcase, 2008
Tasmania Roots & Blues Festival, 2001
Port Fairy, Austalia, 2000
Canberra Folk Festival, Australia, 2000
Woodford Folk Festival, Australia, 2000
Wine Festival, New Zealand, 2000
Spraio Festival, Ireland, 2001
National Association of Women Artists Conference on Spirituality & Art, San Antonio, TX
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CO-BILLS:
Odetta (2008), Chris Smither, Susan Werner, Tish Hinajosa, John Spillane, Clive Barnes, Jeff Lang, Greg Brown, Louise Taylor, Richard Shindell, Linq, Bill Morrissey, Barbara Kessler, Don Conescenti, Chain, Lil Fi, iOTA, Harry Lyon
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COUNTRIES TOURED:
USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, England
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PROMOTER, PRODUCER, FOH SOUND TECHNICIAN:
Chirgilchin Champion Throat Singers, Tuva
Sloane Wainwright, USA
Yair Dalal, Israel
Girls Rock Benefit Concert, USA
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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE:
United World College, Montezuma, NM
Hyde School, Bath, ME
Hyde School, Putnam, CT
Performing Arts College, Aukland, NZ
Hobart University, Tasmania, Australia
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"Confidence - 100 points. ...there's a deep and old presence that reminds me of Leadbelly's most rootsy stuff. More dynamic presence then I've heard in entire bands of talented musicians. Sounds like true gospel to me especially the acapella. Brave. Impressive for a singer-songwriter to be so gripping. Most desparately need bands ro flesh out the songs. A band here might distract from the substance." (Battle of the Bands Contest Judge, LaF won the first round in a BAND contest as a SOLO artist)
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A second CD release entitled “WINDHORSE RISING†(pure and improvised) features Fiorentino on Native American Bamboo Flute (exquisitely hand-crafted with East Indian Chakra intentions, and alignments with equinoxes and solstices by Ingrid Burg of Albuquerque, NM) accompanied by Michael Kott.
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ONSTAGE TONIGHT - TORONTO
Every once in a while, one comes across a "different" artist, and I wanted to start your day by recommending you discover Laurianne Fiorentino. She's from New Mexico, she's just finished a lengthy Australian tour, and she's coming through Toronto on her way to Ireland, where she's taking on her second tour in the last nine months. Laurianne's a tough, commited singer-songwriter with some particularly powerful material; she's not an angry feminist (a la Ani di Franco, for instance), but she's positive and strong, and well worth bringing to the attention of festival bookers. As those of you who know me well ought to know by now, I don't hype people needlessly - especially when they don't pay me to do so!
I first heard Laurianne a year ago at NXNE; now she's back again, with her performance skills well enhanced by her continual work in Oz. I think she's a special artist, and I'd love it if more people could discover her. She's scheduled for 10 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Oasis on College near Spadina in Toronto. Last time I heard from her she'd started the drive from Maine, where she was staying overnight with her folks; it's a long drive for a 40-minute showcase, and it would be nice if those within hailing distance came to hear her! NXNE showcases usually run on time, and if Laurianne and her beat-up truck get across the border in the wee hours tonight (and it's 2:30 a.m. as I'm writing this, and I'm still waiting to hear from her!), she'll be on form and on-stage by 10 p.m. Cheers, Richard
Above From Richard Flohil, Publicist (k.d.Lang, Loreena McKennitt, Bruce Coburn, Daniel Lanois) Toronto, ON
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I have enjoyed the CD's tremendously. The voice- the range, drama, DICTION (thank you so much, I can UNDERSTAND the words!). The lyrics- imaginative, thought provoking, image encouraging. I love particularly the a capella stuff, and Woman's Word ( I"m very partial to drones), and Simple as the Sun-- not because I don't like guitar or harmonica (or flute-how moving my gosh), but because your voice is so compelling, I want to hear it by itself. And there are so few who can do that well, musically, subtly. Fantastic, especially from a live concert! And of course improv is close to my heart. Thanks for the artistry!
Jane Buttars, Music For People Instructor, Princeton NJ
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DIRTY LINEN Magazine CD REVIEW -Folk & World Music (below)
Two recent releases from newcomer Laurianne Fiorentino show diverse sides of a very talented artist. On THE MATCH, Fiorentino displays her considerable talents as a singer/songwriter and solo acoustic performer. Her vocals, whether rising high or reaching deep, whether spoken, whispered, or sung, convey emotion and passion with a sense of urgency. The album was recorded live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and reveals an artist who is unafraid to follow her instincts. In stark contrast is the more recent WINDHORSE RISING, an instrumental offering featuring Fiorentino playing Native American Flute with accompaniment from cellist Michael Kott. The two complement one another with occasional lead changes (though the flute provides the primary voice) and eerily eerily effective percussion from Kott's cello. The result is a spacious recording that sounds very free and improvised while remaining true to the spirit of the Native traditions from which Fiorentino's instrument originated - ACE
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"Laurianne holds the mountains in both hands and rolls in the melody of the high desert. These songs carry the grit of Earth and the heady flow of the tidal basin of human experience."
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SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA
The Match
Laurianne Fiorentino
Concert/CD Sydney University
In my office on Monday, and I get a call from a friend:
"There's this woman playing the most beautiful song, I think you'd like her, come over and review it."
A ten minute walk across Sydney Uni to get to Laurianne Fiorentino's Wentworth Week gig, and, unfortunately for me, she's not that self-indulgent as to still be playing that song. However, I catch the end of her set and am impressed enough to want to write something, so I grab a copy of her CD.
Spontaneous concert experiences can be deceiving, a folk singer on stage at a free barbecue, on a beautiful sunny day, in the middle of winter, and I should be in my office - of course I'm going to be impressed. Surprisingly enough when I go back to the office, put on the CD, and continue drudging through my day, I find that it isn't such a drudge any more, and I can't concentrate on work because of this wonderful CD deserves more of my attention. Daggy, huh?
Still.
Laurianne Fiorentino, by the looks of her bio, has a complex musical background. She plays bass, guitar, organ, Native American bamboo flute, Mexican ocarina and harmonica and her history includes choral work, playing jazz, blues, classical, folk and doing soundtracks. Her CD, The Match, is a showcase of all these talents, yet avoids being some kind of ad-hoc, junction of work.
The album has a wonderful sense of completion, and her songs have been sensibly chosen, giving a good sense of who she is and what she can achieve. Bearing in mind that her styles are so mixed as to appeal to multiple audiences, Fiorentino has maintained a basic pop or folk theme, and worked through it some of her other genres, a tactic which works well to create a very accessible album.
Fiorentino’s bass playing and choral backgrounds are perhaps the most apparent here. She enjoys a simple guitar-tapping pattern or bass-line over which she hangs her seamless and mellow vocal style. Her lyrics are at once dramatic and elegant, and she is true to her singer-songwriter role with some suitably angst-ridden pieces. What appeals is her capacity to deliver these words with a deceptive amount of frankness and lucidity à she could be pouring her blood into a vase and handing it to you, or she could just be commenting on the weather.
There are probably three tracks that are "stand-outs" on the CD à though it must be noted that there are nÕt any songs on this album that disappoint, an achievement in itself à "Simple as the Sun", "Following Tomas" and the last track, which is unlisted and presumably gives the CD its name.
"Simple as the Sun" was the last song that she sang at the Sydney Uni gig, and despite being distracted by her flagrant refusal to rhyme the word "heart" with "fart" during the many opportunities that the song creates, it was the real clincher as far as I was concerned. It might as well be her theme song, a very basic rhythm tapped out on the guitar while she distills her complex lyrics with her smooth vocal treatment.
"Following Tomas" is the one bamboo flute instrumental on the album and would tempt even the greatest cynic to start visiting new age bookshops.
The final track is a collaboration with John Bartlit, who provides the music, while Fiorentino tells a weird old dream story over the top. You can add storytelling to list.
As far as I know Laurianne Fiorentino is touring about Australia til September. Keep your eye out in the press, and head to her website if you want more details.
By Melanie Parkinson, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
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"No list of attributes does justice to the music of Laurianne Fiorentino. One might as well say: the river, the pond, the lake the mountain stream, the glacial runoff, trees in autumn like the fireworks of the last gasping empire of summer, mountains of hills on mesas of ocean bottom in canyons through deserts who's ceiling reaches the farthest galaxy still visible on a clear, moonless, wilderness midnight."
Jim Armenti of The Lonesome Brothers Band and The Young At Heart Chorus
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