The song most frequently requested by my live audiences – Laura Lawton
Laura Lawton’s thoughtful reading of Kenneth Laub’s ‘You Again’, due later this month, suggests a singer moving into new territory in the studio while responding to known positive reaction from the public who go to see her.
One of the recurring pleasures of following jazz is discovering how much talent remains just beyond view. However familiar you think you are with the scene, there are always musicians quietly building audiences away from the spotlight.
English singer Lawton as current proof. “I sing three or four times weekly at jazz clubs, restaurants, festivals and private events across the South East,” she told marlbank earlier this week.
With relatively little digital presence, that side of her work is not immediately apparent unless you have happened to catch her live in Kent and Surrey. I haven’t, so for now the recording is the only way to assess her approach.
The song in question is ‘You Again’, written by New York inspired songwriter Kenneth Laub and released by Lawton at the end of the month. I first came across the twisting heart tugs of this quietly devastating song that explores the feeling of doom that is willing self sacrifice through Veronica Swift’s intense version – the American singer appears with the DR Big Band at Sweden’s Ystad Jazz Festival tomorrow – and it is reportedly the song most often requested by Lawton’s own live audiences.
I’ll share Lawton’s version when it arrives. For now, it is worth revisiting the song itself through Swift’s interpretation, delivered in classic torch-song style.
I keep pretending all the lies are true and run back to you again
– Kenneth Laub song lyric
The song explores the familiar territory of returning to an old love despite knowing the damage that has already been done.
Produced by James McMillan, Lawton’s drummerless rendition takes a more understated and nuanced route than Swift’s bravura reading, with guitarist Stuart Jackaman’s sound setting the scene from the opening bars and Terry Pack providing the bass foundation.
The song is about thinking you have moved on to someone new but go back to your earlier love even when you know what hell you have been put through.
- Hear Laura at the Grapevine, Tenterden on 16 August, the Gosling, Woking on the 21st and Gurkha Fire, Chatham on the 22nd. ‘You Again’ is out on the 28th – and later that day accompanied by Jackaman she returns to the Grapevine. Pre-save via this link
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