About

You should be able to trust the opinion of a man, who has not only shaped the world  of Jazz on and off  the stage but who has also, as a  producer, propelled Michael Jackson “The King of Pop“ to fame. Quincy Jones says about Laura, “This young woman doesn‘t need to worry about her career, she is amazing and I am sure we will be hearing more from her in the future.“   When they met for the first time at the Stuttgart Jazz Open in 2017, what appeared to be a  prophecy about the 21 year old singer Laura Kipp, has today been confirmed.   She has launched her debut album “Quiet Land“ under the Label LAURA.  This debut album is a showcase introducing us to her talents.   Despite there being many excellent Jazz musicians out there today, who span a wide range of music genre and styles, it is rare and surprising to find such a charismatic and understated maturity beneath such refreshing youthfulness. She also expresses the freedom and complexity of Jazz together with the instant emotional power of Pop, Soul and Chanson.   The opposing elements that she draws on really create a certain tension while also blending them beautifully.   

As a hardened Jazz Critic who has heard and seen hundreds of singers over the years, it unfortunately becomes harder and harder  to impress .  However, Laura Kipp doesn‘t fail to impress from the outset.   Despite her age she is so mature, well travelled and charismatic and this comes across in her voice. Her far reaching travels from her homeland in Swabia Germany to Paris,  from New York to Los Angeles are  also reflected in her broad range of styles, from  brilliant songwriter ballads to punchy jazz vocalese, from soulful blues to string saturated glamorous  Hollywood sounds .  She has already internalised that unique power of jazz which she combines with her own individual expression together with collaborative creativity.   She builds on this with an inner confidence in her wonderful voice, her songwriting as well as the combined skills of her band members, the arrangements of both her mentor and bassist Jens Loh along with the expertise of Cornelius Claudio Kreusch as the producer and distributer.   The result is irresistible and rare in the German Jazz scene.  Young jazz musicians can become obsessed with experimental style jazz but Laura has gone beyond this with what can only be described in the best sense of the term “old fashioned“ with a modern twist. It is simply pure musical pleasure for those who love a bit of sophistication.

As is the case for all great singers, LAURA is not only about the voice and technique she is, above all, about capturing the art of storytelling.   Quiet land tells the story of Laura‘s  journey so far in her career, capturing emotions, encounters and experiences  gathered along the way.  Beginning with her entry into the Stuttgart Jazz scene with the brilliant input from both Anne Czichowsky and Fola Dada as her teachers, to the start of her musical career in the State Jazz Orchester (BuJazzo), then on to her studies in Paris. “Quiet Land“ represents her roots in her homeland, for the solid, stable base that everyone needs in life.  Laura‘s hommage to her past in Swabia  encompasses the inspiration, the magic of the city,  the journey of discovery and overcoming hurdles along the way.  All tied up in her poetic and original lyrics.

Finding the right partner is also key for every talented artist.  As such “Quiet Land“, and the project as a whole,  is also down to  the perfect collaboration between Laura and the bassist and composer Jens Loh. Jens is currently one of the best and multi-faceted experts in his field in Germany today, working alongside the likes of Nils Peter Molvaer, Max Mutzke and Nils Landgren.  The connection between this 25 and 50 year old came about by chance through invitations to both to perform at a gig in 2017 on a Chet -Baker project.   Laura had previously heard Jens and his band “Hippie“ play the beautiful ballad, “I‘ll be around“.  The piece moved Laura so much that she immediately wrote lyrics to accompany the ballad.  “When we eventually met  at the gig I was very nervous about  asking Jens if it was ok to use his composition“.    

As it turned out Laura was welcomed with open arms, “with Hippie I played Funk Soul Jazz in the style of Eddie Harris,“ explains Loh, “the pieces that I wrote were evolving more and more into songs which I really hoped and imagined someone would create lyrics for and sing to but I never got around to following this up. I was all the more happy when Laura, just before our first gig said: “Jens, there is a piece you have written that I would like to write the lyrics for“. This was what I had been waiting for and when I heard it I was blown away. The timbre of her voice was exactly the sound that I had in my head when I composed the piece because Laura can really sing Jazz but also has that folk vibe to her voice like Rickie Lee Jones“.

So this was how these two met and who compliment each other perfectly. Whatever Jens composes, Laura creates the lyrics, then Jens arranges the piece sensitively.  “Quiet Land“ has thus evolved into a thoughtful and colourful collection. From classical swing with saxophone as harmony in “On My way Home“, subtle chanson jazz (“Jardin du luxembourg“) in the style of Laura‘s much admired Michel Legrand, and („Même si tu dors“) more in the new chanson style, to the business of Bebop with scatting and vocals (“Mr P‘s Blues“). From the fast paced Pop (“Sassy“) and black Soulpop („Little Stevie“) through psychadelic Guitarfunk (“Speed of Schall“ ) and the mysterious and dramatic Hymn anthem “S´goed, niet goed“ to the mesmerizing ballad “All we ever tried“ and to of course,  the title piece, a real “Torch Song“ full of passion.  All formed naturally from the unmistakable sound and expression which can only be Laura‘s voice.   “We have got to know each other through music in a way that I have never experienced with any other person,“ said LAURA about Jens Loh.  To this Jens Loh returns the compliment with: “Our understanding of what is a beautiful sound is completely aligned.

The last pieces of this jigsaw puzzle that finish off the whole picture are the Band, guest performers and the Producer. To achieve the perfect tone, French Pianist William Lecomte, a Bill Evans student, performs on Piano, keyboards and organ. Lecomte has worked with Jean-luc Ponty, Via con Dios and Nigel Kennedy along with many other great names.  “How he manages to wrap you up in his sound is something so special“ gushes LAURA. Sitting comfortably in the saddle, laying down the beat and controlling the tempo on drums is Eckhard Stromer.  Stromer has played with the likes of Cornell Dupree, Ian Anderson and Randy Brecker.  Joo Kraus steps up for the trumpet parts who can masterfully jump from Krautrock, through Latin and Hip-Hop to Elektro-Jazz. Other good friends from the scene in Baden Wurttemberg include the Guitarist Christoph Neuhaus and the saxophonist Markus Harm.

As for the Producer and Mentor for the project and a pianist himself, Cornelius Claudio Kreusch and his Production company MUSICJUSTMUSIC®, so impressed by LAURA, enthusiastically took on the many roles of producing LAURA and the business side of production. The Album was finalized with the help of the highly acclaimed Grammy award winner and New York sound engineer, Ed Reed on mixing desks.  Everyone pulled together to create this superb debut album for this incredible voice that is so moving, enticing and fascinating. Through Quiet Land, LAURA delivers not only an irresistible album, but also a promising artist to watch out for in the future.