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Laura Nyro
Spread Your Wings and Fly
Live - Fillmore East 1971
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Laura Nyro (piano/vocals) is far more than a singer/songwriter, although she does excel at both. Perhaps best known for writing significant sides for others -- including “And When I Die” (Blood, Sweat & Tears), “Stoned Soul Picnic” (5th Dimension) and “Eli’s Comin’” (Three Dog Night) -- Nyro was distinct. Unlike the majority of her lovelorn, weepy and introspective contemporaries, Nyro’s undeniable penchant for beautiful melodies contrasted with equally stark and scathingly honest imagery.
Her late ‘60s and early ‘70s output boasted masterworks such as Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968) and New York Tendaberry (1969). Nyro was between albums when she arrived at the stage of Bill Graham’s Fillmore East on May 30, 1971 for what was to be the last of her eight respective appearances at the venerable venue, where she had shared the bill with Miles Davis, Jackson Browne and Spencer Davis at one time or another. Christmas and the Beads of Sweat (1970) had been issued the previous November, while her upcoming collaboration with the soul vocal trio LaBelle, titled Gonna Take a Miracle (1971) was still five month away.
The intimacy of the 2,600 seat theatre perfectly captures Nyro’s dark, yet optimistically lyrical music. The repertoire draws on the classics “Save The Country,” “Christmas In My Soul,” “Emmie” and “Lu”. It is also heavily infused with some of her favourite R&B covers such as the powerful medleys pairing “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” and “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” as well as “Walk On By” with “Dancin’ In The Streets”. Nyro even couples her own “Timer” alongside “Ooh, Child” and “Up On The Roof.” The poignant “American Dove” -- from which the album’s moniker is derived -- and “Mother Earth” mark their debut release here.
In the case of the former, recent world events drive home her timeless message in an almost eerily premonitory sense. The sentiments of the aforementioned “Save The Country,” and “Christmas In My Soul” ring hauntingly true in the days of post 9/11. While there are a few additional live Nyro discs available, this is the earliest complete concert available and the only one that doesn’t feature a backing band. Spread Your Wings And Fly (2004) is highly recommended for the long-time enthusiast and burgeoning listener alike, as it aptly encapsulates Laura Nyro’s passion and brilliance.
Release Date: June 15, 2004
Tracks: 12 - Time: 65:21
Produced by: Al Quaglieri
Format: CD
Website: www.lauranyro.com
Track Listing:
American Dove / Medley: Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing - (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman - Spanish Harlem / I Am The Blues / Medley: Walk on By - Dancing in the Street - Emmie - Map to the Treasure - Christmas in my Soul - Save the Country / Medley: Timer - O-o-h Child - Up On the Roof / Medley: Lu - Flim Flam Man - Mother Earth.
Laura Nyro:
Laura Nyro - Vocals / Piano
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