Welcome to the website of vocalist Laura Hull
- Take Me Home
- Tracks
- Credits
- Reviews
- Awards
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- How Little We Know (Carolyn Leigh/Philip Springer) 3:09
- I've Never Been in Love Before (Frank Loesser) 3:35
- Day by Day (Alex Stordahl/Paul Weston/Sammy Cahn) 3:02
- But Beautiful (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke) 4:58
- Lullaby of the Leaves (Bernice Petkere/Joe Young) 2:26
- Call Me (Tony Hatch) 4:18
- Foolin’ Myself (Jack Lawrence/Peter Tinturin) 2:09
- I Keep Goin’ Back to Joe’s (Jack Segal/Marvin Fisher) 5:10
- How Little We Know (Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer) 3:57
- Take Me Home (Tom Waits) 2:43
Laura Hull: Vocals
Pat Firth: Piano
Jon Burr: Bass
Tony Jefferson: Drums
Gary Oleyar: Violin
Executive Producer: Laura Hull
Arranged and Produced by Laura Hull and Pat Firth
Recorded, Engineered and Mastered: Gary Oleyar, Sonoma Beach Recording, Clark, NJ
“Ms. Hull pays tribute to ten standards by adding subtle creativity, a real feel for the lyrics, and swing. Throughout this very pleasing set, Laura Hull both inhabits the songs and serves them well. All of the individual composers would be pleased with her tasteful treatments, as will listeners who enjoy superior material and classy singing."
— Scott Yanow, Jazz Critic and Author
An attractive vocalist with a very appealing voice, Laura Hull spent time as a versatile session and jingles singer while also developing her own fresh musical personality. In her successful one-woman show “No Regrets” and her many performances since, she has shown that she is a melodic jazz singer who has a real feel for the Great American Songbook. Laura had a strong success with her previous CD Hullabaloo and now continues on the same high level with Take Me Home.
Accompanied by a fine rhythm section (pianist Pat Firth, bassist Jon Burr and drummer Tony Jefferson), Ms. Hull pays tribute to ten standards by adding subtle creativity, a real feel for the lyrics, and swing. Among the highpoints are a 5/4 version of Day By Day, her tender vocal on But Beautiful (a duet with pianist Firth), a swinging rendition of Lullaby of The Leaves and her revival of one of the better pop song of the 1960s, Call Me. She puts plenty of feeling into I’ve Never Been in Love Before, features Jon Burr’s bass on Foolin’ Myself, and is warm and expressive on the heartbreaking I Keep Goin’ Back to Joe’s. In addition, there are two very different songs with the same title (How Little We Know) and a closing version of Tom Waits’ Take Me Home that effectively adds the violin of Gary Oleyar.
Throughout this very pleasing set, Laura Hull both inhabits the songs and serves them well. All of the individual composers would be pleased with her tasteful treatments, as will listeners who enjoy superior material and classy singing.
“Laura Hull sings with a sense of truth and reality — a rare talent indeed.”
— Stan Myers, Jazz Historian and Radio Host, WPSC 88.7 FM, Wayne, NJ
"Laura Hull's new CD Take Me Home, is an exquisite collection of old favorites made new again. She chose exciting selections and performs them in a tasteful style that enhances the work of each songwriter. Music buyers will not only want to take one home, but buy two to share this great album with a friend."
— John Russell Ghrist, Midwest Ballroom, WDCB Radio, Chicago, IL
"Laura Hull's dynamic new album is a solid mix of flawlessly arranged tunes sung with a contagious flair by a savvy jazz stylist who, like Daryl Sherman and her ilk, are passing the torch of the great American songbook."
— John Hoglund, Cabaret Scenes
"Laura Hull is a melodic singer who puts her heart in this album and it shows when you hear her sing. Trust me, take this one home with you and let Laura Hull's elegant style mesmerize you as she did me.”
— Edward Blanco, eJazzNews.com
Jazz vocalist Laura Hull follows up her impressive 2006 debut of Hullabaloo paying tribute to ten standards from the Great American Songbook with Take Me Home accompanied by a cast of New York-based first-call musicians including co-producer/arranger and pianist Pat Firth, bassist Jon Burr and drummer Tony Jefferson with Gary Oleyar's violin on the finale number, Tom Waits' Take Me Home. Laura Hull began her musical career as a club singer in and around the New York area, and then took a 24-year hiatus to pursue business interest when she returned in 2004 and later releasing her debut album.
A graceful singer, Hull draws upon rich vocals to express the warmness of soft ballad-like songs such as in the Van Heusen/Burke But Beautiful, or Marvin Fisher's I Keep Goin’ Back to Joe's and the classic Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer How Little We Know, which by the way has an exceptional piano solo from Firth. Of course Hull does have another swinging side where she demonstrates her assertive and expressive vocals belting out the lyrics in tasteful fashion. Just listen to the lady's interpretation of Frank Loesser's burner I've Never Been In Love Before to sample the singer's reach. There are wonderful renditions of such immortal songs like Day By Day, the Sinatra staple Call Me, and the lively Foolin' Myself.
If you favor music from the Great American Songbook, then you will be more than pleased with Take Me Home. Laura Hull is a melodic singer who puts her heart in this album and it shows when you hear her sing. Trust me, take this one home with you and let Laura Hull's elegant style mesmerize you as she did me.
"...once you have heard it, take it home is exactly what you will want to do."
— Joe Lang, Compact Views, Jersey Jazz, New Jersey Jazz Society
Laura Hull has chosen to name her new CD after a song from the unique Mr. Tom Waits, Take Me Home (Hullarious – 5016), and once you have heard it, take it home is exactly what you will want to do.
Hull has also opted to avoid over done material, but stays close to the path of songs that will be immediately recognizable. She wisely bookends her program with two very different songs with the same title, How Little We Know, opening with the Carolyn Leigh/Philip Springer ditty and turning to the more familiar piece by Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer just prior to closing the album with the title song. In between, she explores I’ve Never Been in Love Before, Day By Day, But Beautiful, Lullaby of the Leaves, Call Me, Foolin’ Myself and I Keep Goin’ Back to Joe’s.
Laura has an immediately engaging voice, and a nice jazz feeling, with a steady sense of swing always present. She is aided by strong backing from pianist Pat Firth, violinist Gary Oleyar, bassist Jon Burr and drummer Tony Jefferson. This is Laura Hull’s first full album of standards, and it should be the first of many.
“Laura Hull has a new CD out, Take Me Home, and it's a delight. Her thoughtful interpretations of songs from the Great American Songbook are most welcome. You can hear the melody, understand the words, and feel the emotions of love and romance. We're lucky to have a performer such as Laura Hull who has the style and grace to keep this great American music alive. So, add Take Me Home to your collection and enjoy. I did.”
— John Bohannon, WRHU Radio, New York
"[Take Me Home] is one of the high points of the 10-track album. Using her clear voice, crisp delivery, and understated style, Hull delivers a warm and compelling version of the ballad. The song lingers after the last note is played. It’s a perfect ending to the album."
— Donna Kimura, JazzReview.com
Vocalist Laura Hull’s new CD, Take Me Home, gets its title from the Tom Waits composition that closes the collection.
The song is one of the high points of the 10-track album. Using her clear voice, crisp delivery, and understated style, Hull delivers a warm and compelling version of the ballad. The song lingers after the last note is played. It’s a perfect ending to the album.
While her 2004 release, Hullabaloo, featured original music, Take Me Home focuses on jazz standards. In the liner notes, Hull explains that the CD comes out of her desire to record the music that she loves to perform — songs of love and relationships.
The heart of the CD rests in its middle when Hull offers her renditions of three standards, Day by Day, But Beautiful, and Lullaby of the Leaves.
Instead of trying to overhaul the classics, she wisely chooses to find the nuances in the songs. She gently draws the meaning out of each song. Hull arranged and produced the CD with Pat Firth, who plays piano on the album.
A native of New York City, Hull began singing at a young age. Through her formative years, she learned to sing a variety of styles and genres in upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains. She also worked as a session and jingle singer and sang in clubs in and around New York City. Hull then stepped away from singing for 24 years to pursue a business career, returning to live performance in 2004.
All these steps have led her to this point and Take Me Home.
"Jersey-based, jazz-influenced singer Laura Hull has a capacious alto voice: She can nail any note with good pitch and air. Her style is part jazz — in her rhythm and melodic phrasing — part Broadway and classic pop..."
— Zan Stewart, Newark Star-Ledger, February 14, 2009
SONGS WITH PIZZAZZ
Take Me Home Laura Hull (Hullarious)
Jersey-based, jazz-influenced singer Laura Hull has a capacious alto voice: She can nail any note with good pitch and air. Her style is part jazz — in her rhythm and melodic phrasing — part Broadway and classic pop: via her power and her occasional penchant to overdramatize. This appealing approach might be more so if she cut back on the flair.
On her third CD, she has solid company in pianist Pat Firth, bassist Jon Burr, drummer Tony Jefferson and guest violinist Gary Oleyar. Hull is at her best when she lets the song tell itself, as on a relaxed, motor-along version of Lullaby of the Leaves. Or her mostly to-the-point But Beautiful, where she keeps her vibrato to a minimum, and her volume soft — save an overdone pivotal phrase. I've Never Been in Love Before is also first-rate, with a short but superlative solo from Burr.
Take Me Home, Laura's latest CD of jazz standards was chosen Winner: Female Jazz Debut CD of 2008, by cabaret writer/reviewer John Hoglund, for Cabaret Hotline Online "CDs for the Holidays" showcase event.
- Hullabaloo
- Tracks
- Credits
- Reviews
- Awards
- Spell Remains (Laura Hull) 3:53
- Crescent Moon (Laura Hull) 3:08
- It's Only Me (Laura Hull) 3:15
- Being By Myself (Laura Hull) 4:17
- Without A Word (Laura Hull) 4:31
- Spin I'm In (Laura Hull) 4:18
- Distant Shores (Laura Hull) 4:17
- Reckless Heart (Laura Hull) 3:45
- October Blue (Laura Hull) 3:22
- Vacancy In My Heart (Laura Hull) 3:02
- Living Out Loud (Laura Hull) 3:06
Laura Hull: Lead, Background Vocals
Pat Firth: Piano, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Dan Hindman: Acoustic, Electric Guitar
Brian Killeen: Acoustic, Electric Bass
Josh Dion: Drums, Percussion, Guest Vocalist (Reckless Heart)
Rob Paparozzi: Harmonica
Dave Rimelis: Violin
Jim Saltzman: Saxophone
Chris Connor: Vibraphone
Executive produced by Laura Hull for Hullarious Records
Co-produced by Laura Hull and Pat Firth
Arranged and conducted by Pat Firth
Vocal arrangements by Laura Hull
Recorded and mixed by Eddie Kish at Morningstar Music, Haledon, NJ
Mastered by Scott Hull, Scott Hull Mastering, NYC
“Laura Hull is a feast for your ears. She sings to you and not at you. She swings, she’s comfy with a ballad, and she’s here to stay. Her current CD, Hullabaloo, is a delight.”
— John Bohannon, WRHU Radio, Jazz Café, Hempstead, NY
"...a tasty entrée of colorful textures and an expressive vocal presentation."
— Carmel DeSoto, JazzPolice.com
Hull’s sophomore release Hullabaloo showcases her compositional skills coupled with a smooth and silky vocal presentation of jazz, smooth jazz and flavors of adult contemporary mixed into a tasty entrée of colorful textures and expressive vocal presentation. The first cut, The Spell Remains, is a smooth jazz delight that is catchy and filled with impressive musical hooks. Hull’s voice is captivating and relaxing, her lyric abilities really shine through on several cuts including: Spin I’m In and Vacancy in My Heart. Hull’s program ranges from track to track creating a varied ride. Her cabaret roots are prevalent in each track but especially on Living Out Loud. Overall, Hullabaloo is prefect for fans that enjoy a texture change from track to track with a Jazz, Adult Contemporary flavor. Hull has certainly set the stage as an artist with many talents ranging from vocalist, composer to lyricist — a welcome release among any collection.
Starry eyed songstress Laura Hull turns in a terrific brand of adult contemporary jazz vocals. Swayed with sweeping vocal harmonies and curving verb usage, Hull’s lyrical twists have earned her Honorable Mentions in the 13th Annual Billboard World Songwriting Contest and a 7th Annual Great American Song Contest Honor award. Good songwriting combined with fantastic session musicians equals a dynamite AC album.
— J. Sin, Smother Magazine
"…these songs are presented in a bouncy, midtempo setting and serve as reminders of a time when quality songwriters like Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne were composing material. It is relatively easy to foresee that these compositions could easily have musical longevity...”
— Micheal Gladstone, AllAboutJazz.com
After two listenings, my opinion is that the judges of the songwriting organizations mentioned above got it right. The three songs selected for awards are the best of the bunch. The first, Spell Remains, a winning up-tempo composition by Laura Hull, plays out in the smooth jazz genre. Spin I’m In and Vacancy in My Heart are both good pop songs. Both of these songs are presented in a bouncy, mid-tempo setting and serve as reminders of a time when quality songwriters like Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne were composing material. It is relatively easy to foresee that these compositions could easily have musical longevity and appear in the repertoire of any numbers of cabaret artists set lists. Spin I’m In is further buoyed by Chris Connor’s vibes solo.
"Laura Hull has a lot of energy and you can hear it in her music. Hullabaloo is a nice way to showcase her vocal talents."
— Bruce Von Steirs, BVS Reviews
There are eleven songs on this jazz album. The songs have a good mix of pop and jazz music that provide an excellent backdrop for Laura’s vocals. Spell Remains is the first song on the album. The song has some really good sax music and melodic vocals from Laura. There is a terrific backing vocal on the song as well. Crescent Moon begins slow and picks up speed ever so gingerly. She’s thinking about his “kisses sweet.’ You can almost picture ethe smile on Laura’s face as she sings this song. It’s Only Me begins in an almost old style Country feel. The song moves into more of a pop mode, at times even coming into a girl’s do-wop style. But throughout the song, the violin is prevalent, giving the song a pseudo Country styling. Without a Word breings you to the world of smoke filled clubs. Laura’s vocals will remind you of the torch singer in a side alley backroom jazz club. Spin I’m In brings things back to the light and breezy side. Reckless Heart finds Laura sharing the vocals with Josh Dion. It’s a nice piece that finds Dion in a light James Ingram vocal styling. I liked Vacancy in My Heart the best. It had an angelic styled chorus, great piano and really good vocals from Laura. Laura Hull has a lot of energy and you can hear it in her music. Hullabaloo is a nice way to showcase her vocal talents.
:...with this effort, vocalist Laura Hull transmits a strong compositional pen, spanning various genres yet firmly rooted within the jazz realm.
— Glen Artarita, eJazzNews.com
She’s a New York City investment banker and a cabaret actress to complement her ongoing music career. And with this effort, vocalist Laura Hull transmits a strong compositional pen, spanning various genres yet firmly rooted within the jazz realm. With appealing arrangements consisting of breezy, contemporary jazz opuses with traces of pop and a harmonica-tinged country and western motif, Ms. Hull paints an uplifting state of affairs. Her vocal delivery is sweet, straight-forward and lyrically rich in scope. Moreover, she sings with conviction while often conveying childlike passion, whether singing atop rock/soul grooves or blithely swinging jazz vamps. Here, Ms. Hull conveys an honest to goodness homespun muse during the preponderance of these laregely agreeable works.
Unlike most of the dozens of Jazz vocalists we have heard recently, Laura Hull co-producers her music. However, her new album, Hullabaloo (2006) is composed of all new materials. No remakes, covers or even aspirations to Jazz of the past. Though comparatively ambitious to other recent (and indie) projects, Miss Hull can obviously sing.
— Nicholas Sheffo, Fulvue-Drive In
Laura presents a pleasant program of eleven ballads. They are all originals. It feels more like pop than jazz at times but never gimmicky. Laura’s cabaret style comes through with clear articulation. We liked Spin I’m In for its romantic lyrics, the harmonized background and the vibe solo from Chris Connor. It’s good music. 3/3 Stars
— D. Oscar Groomes, O’s Place Jazz Newsletter
The multi talented Hull brings us a fresh new style and interpretation of a song. Listening to her Hullabaloo CD I noticed two things immediately... .her wonderful originality and sincerity. Plus, not only is she a fabulous singer, she writes all her own material. It's exactly what we have been waiting for.
— Jim Stone, Big Band Swing, WLNZ Radio, Lansing, MI
Laura Hull’s vibrant and heartfelt song stylings are a refreshing new sound on today’s music scene. New Tunes, great musicians, and her wonderful voice, make her new Hullabaloo album an exciting addition to our play list. Laura is a great singer, songwriter and performer. Her songs go right from her heart to yours.
— John Russell Ghrist, Midwest Ballroom, WDCB Radio, Chicago, IL
A jazz-oriented pop singer in the Marlene VerPlanck mode.
— Alan Bargebuh, Cadence Magazine
On her sophomore album, she provides an entire set of original compositions, a couple of which received honorable mentioned from the various songwriting contests. Along with the nice compositions, in the middle of her range Hull really has her chops at full capacity. The style is definitely influenced by the cabaret style.
— Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide (AMG)
Hullabaloo, marked Laura's debut as a songwriter, and three of her tunes won awards:
Spin I'm In, Spell Remains, and Without A Word won Honorable Mention Awards in the Billboard Songwriting Contest.
"...our congratulations on your songs' success by placing in the honorable mention category. This is quite an accomplishment considering the quality of this year's entries. You are obviously writing at a high level. We strongly recommend you enter the contest again."
— Mark Furnas, Director, Billboard World Song Contest
"Only the highest quality songs make it to the top.This honor represents the talent and dedication it takes to write a 'Hit Song.''
— Jim Halsey, President, Billboard World Song Contest
Vacancy In My Heart won an Honor Award in the Great American Song Contest. - LauRio Live!
- Tracks
- Credits
- South Pacific Medley (Rodgers, Hammerstein II) 10:15
- Getting to Know You / Day by Day (Rodgers, Hammerstein II/Stordahl, Weston, Sammy Cahn) 2:03
- I Could Write a Book (Rodgers, Hart) 2:37
- Where or When (Rodgers, Hart) 3:45
- You’re Driving Me Crazy (Walter Donaldson) 1:48
- Isn’t it a Pity (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) 6:36
- My Fair Lady Medley (Lerner, Loewe) 8:19
- I Told Ya I Love Ya (Frigo, Ellis, Carter) 6:02
- That’s Him Over There (Spence, Keith-Bergman) 6:36
- Wonderful Day / Brotherhood of Man (Newley, Bricusse / Frank Loesser) 5:57
- Spin I’m In (Laura Hull) 5:01
- Allegria (Clemente, Marckmann) 3:31
- Patriotic Finale (Ward, Bates / Irving Berlin) 6:04
Rio Clemente: Piano
Laura Hull: Vocals
Tracks 1-6 Produced by Laura Hull and Rio Clemente. Recorded at Metropolitan Room, New York, NY, June 22, 2008. Featuring Steve LaSpina on bass.
Tracks 7-10 Produced by Laura Hull and Rio Clemente. Recorded at The Bickford Theatre, Morristown, NJ, September 24, 2007. Featuring Steve LaSpina on bass.
Tracks 11-13 Produced by John and Virginia Bell. Recorded at Gettysburg Festival, Gettysburg, PA, June 27, 2008. Featuring Ed Wise on bass and Brooks Tegler on drums.
LauRio Live! Executive Produced by Laura Hull and Rio Clemente for Hullarious Productions/Etnemelc Music Productions.
Is Your Collection Complete?
Laura also contributed songs to these CD box set compilations:
In Love With Jazz. 3-disc set. Distributed by Sony BMG exclusively in Poland!
More info >>
Sweethearts, Volume One. 2-disc set. With Randy Brecker, Johnny Rodgers, Freddy Cole, and many others. Featured in the upcoming film, The Marconi Bros.
More info >>
Mailing List
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Bookings
Laura Hull | Hullarious Productions
P.O. Box 771 | Morris Plains, NJ 07950
973-229-4275 | Book Laura Hull >>
Media Contact
Don Jay Smith | LKS Associates
4 Ridge Road | Lebanon, NJ 08833
908-832-1020 | don@lksassociates.com