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| Lianne La Havas Returns to North America for 18-City Spring Headlining Tour London-based singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas returns to North America this spring for 18 headlining shows in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, and Nashville. The dates are in support of her highly praised debut album Is Your Love Big Enough?, out now on Nonesuch Records. Produced by Matt Hales (Aqualung), the album was recorded in Los Angeles and Brooklyn during the summer of 2011. La Havas recently made her debut performances on the Late Show with David Letterman and on Conan. La Havas' live show has been described by the New Yorker as "stunning" and GQ noted of a recent concert, "Her voice was like velvet, so beautiful and filled with such soul and emotion... a totally original singer; playing her guitar, singing her own songs that transported the room." "I feel like we've made a very eclectic-sounding record, " says La Havas of Is Your Love Big Enough?. "I'm really pleased about that, because I love the idea of creating something you can't put into one box. My voice and guitar-playing tie all the songs together. I'm very influenced by jazz, as well as soul, blues, and folk music, because of the storytelling elements. I'm singing about my life and am drawn to writing about the complications of love and being in love. The album is like a map of the route I have taken through life and love over the past three years." The daughter of a Greek father and a Jamaican mother, La Havas fell in love with music at a young age and cites her parents' tastes as a huge influence. Her dad, who played accordion, piano, and guitar, favored jazz artists like Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker, while her mother loved female soul-R&B singers like Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and Mary J. Blige. La Havas's acclaim has been steadily growing over the last two-and-a-half years. Before Is Your Love Big Enough?, she released two critically praised EPs; performed a series of sold-out concerts around the UK, US, and Europe; and made a handful of high-profile media appearances, including a performance on the BBC's Later with Jools Holland on a bill with Bon Iver, which led to the opening slot on that group's US tour last winter. In addition to Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Alicia Keys, many of La Havas' musical heroes have come to hear her perform, asked her to open for them, or invited her to collaborate, including Prince, Stevie Wonder, Robert Plant, and Erykah Badu. write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |