Laura Nyro -

Laura Nyro (Oct. 18, 1947 — April 8, 1997) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist from the Bronx. She debuted with the 1967 album More Than a New Discovery on Verve Folkways, then signed to Columbia for the 1968–70 albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, New York Tendaberry, and Christmas and the Beads of Sweat.

After her 1971 Labelle collaboration Gonna Take a Miracle, she paused for five years, then returned with the 1976–93 efforts Smile, Nested, Mother’s Spiritual, and Walk the Dog and Light the Light.

Multiple artists scored hits with Nyro’s songs during the late ’60s, including Blood, Sweat and Tears (“And When I Die”), The 5th Dimension (“Wedding Bell Blues”), and Three Dog Night (“Eli’s Coming”).

Background

Nyro was born Laura Nigro in the Bronx on October 18, 1947. Her father, Louis Nigro, was a piano tuner and jazz trumpeter. Her brother, Jan Nigro, became a children’s musician. As a child, she taught herself piano and was writing songs by age eight. Her earliest influences were the jazz singers and classical composers in her mother’s record collection, including Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy.

As a teenager, Laura attended Manhattan’s High School of Music & Art and sang in harmony groups on street corners. At age 19, her father introduced her to music executives Artie Mogull and Paul Barry, who took her under their managerial wing. After using several assumed surnames, she settled on Nyro just as Mogull secured her first recording contract.

More Than a New Discovery

Laura Nyro released her debut album, More Than a New Discovery, in February 1967 on Verve Folkways.

Nyro sings twelve originals on piano, guitar, and keyboards, backed by guitarists Jay Berliner and Stuart Scharf, pianist Stan Free, drummer Bill LaVorgna, harmonica player Buddy Lucas, double bassist Lou Mauro, French horn player James Sedlar, and flugelhorn/arranger Herb Bernstein.

More Than a New Discovery alternates between brisk, rhythm-driven pieces and slower, late-night torch settings. The faster tracks move with pronounced rhythmic accents, bursts of brass, and tightly framed vocal exchanges—most clearly in “And When I Die,” with its hectic motion and blasting horns, and “California Shoeshine Boys,” which pushes forward with pace, harmonica, and rising call-and-response figures. “Blowin’ Away” also sits on this side, carried by a sprightly tempo and layered vocal lines.

The slower material rests on spacious piano figures, brushed percussion, and subdued winds, giving songs like “Billy’s Blues,” “Lazy Susan,” “Buy and Sell,” “He’s a Runner,” and “I Never Meant to Hurt You” a drifting, nocturnal quality with deliberate pacing and sharp harmonic turns. Several pieces bridge the two poles—“Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoney End,” “Hands Off the Man,” and “Goodbye Joe” lean toward the rhythm-forward side yet keep the contoured vocal lines and tight structural shape that run through the entire album. Across the sequence, recurring piano introductions act as soft cues that thread the contrasting moods into a continuous flow.

A1. “Goodbye Joe” (2:38)
A2. “Billy’s Blues” (3:20)
A3. “And When I Die” (2:40) — originated as a 1966 side by Peter, Paul and Mary.
A4. “Stoney End” (2:46)
A5. “Lazy Susan” (3:53)
A6. “Hands Off the Man” (2:29)

B1. “Wedding Bell Blues” (2:44)
B2. “Buy and Sell” (3:38)
B3. “He’s a Runner” (3:40)
B4. “Blowin’ Away” (2:23)
B5. “I Never Meant to Hurt You” (2:52)
B6. “California Shoeshine Boys” (2:45)

Sessions occurred at Bell Sound studio in New York City with producer Milton Okun and engineer Harry Yarmark.

Verve Folkways promoted More Than a New Discovery with “Wedding Bell Blues” (b/w “Stoney End”), released September 17, 1966. “Goodbye Joe” followed February 25, 1967 (b/w “Billy’s Blues”). “Flim Flam Man (Hands Off the Man)” appeared April 29, 1967 (b/w “And When I Die”).

Blood, Sweat & Tears covered “And When I Die” in 1969. The 5th Dimension covered “Wedding Bell Blues” and “Blowin’ Away” in 1969. Barbra Streisand covered “Stoney End” in 1970 and “Flim Flam Man” in 1971.

Eli and the Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro released her second album, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, on March 13, 1968, on Columbia.

The album presents a denser, more urgent sound built around sharp-turn horn lines, layered harmonies, and piano figures that shift from clipped phrases to sustained runs.

Nyro sings thirteen originals on piano, backed by percussionist Dave Carey and multiple players on bass (Chet Amsterdam, Chuck Rainey), guitar (Ralph Casale, Hugh McCracken), drums (Buddy Saltzman, Artie Schroeck), reeds (George Young, Zoot Sims, Joe Farrell), trumpet (Bernie Glow, Pat Calello, Ernie Royal), and trombone (Wayne Andre, Jimmy Cleveland, Ray DeSio).

Eli and the Thirteenth Confession unfolds as a dynamic exploration of tempo, texture, and vocal intensity. It opens with “Luckie” and “Lu,” bright, brisk tracks layered with horns, harmonies, and buoyant piano runs with sudden rhythmic shifts. “Sweet Blindness” continues this energetic approach with abrupt metric variations and punctuated piano and brass supporting Nyro’s phrasing. The album deepens in tonal complexity with “Poverty Train,” moving through a measured 6/8 shuffle into shadowy, suspenseful passages with eerie flute; “Lonely Women” alternates between hushed verses and brassy bursts, its sax counterpoint adding tension; and “Eli’s Comin’” rides a gospel-inflected rhythm with shifting tempo and intensity toward a climactic close.

The second half blends dreamy passages with sharp, unpredictable turns. “Timer” accelerates and decelerates in sudden waves, while “Stoned Soul Picnic” drifts on a subtly shifting Latin-inspired pulse. “Emmie” uses harp, vibes, brass, and strings to emphasize pauses before accelerating near the end. “Woman’s Blues” and “Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)” stop and start with irregular momentum, layering multiple ideas in compact bursts. “December’s Boudoir” slows to an intimate, tension-filled space with unconventional chord intervals, and the album concludes with “The Confession,” an up-tempo piece combining vocal intensity and instrumental interplay in a climactic release.

A1. “Luckie” (3:00)
A2. “Lu” (2:44)
A3. “Sweet Blindness” (2:37)
A4. “Poverty Train” (4:16)
A5. “Lonely Women” (3:32)
A6. “Eli’s Comin’” (3:58)

B1. “Timer” (3:22)
B2. “Stoned Soul Picnic” (3:47)
B3. “Emmie” (4:20)
B4. “Woman’s Blues” (3:46)
B5. “Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)” (2:58)
B6. “December’s Boudoir” (5:05)
B7. “The Confession” (2:50)

Sessions occurred in New York City with producers Laura Nyro and Charlie Calello and engineers Roy Segal and Stan Tonkel.

Columbia promoted Eli and the Thirteenth Confession with “Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)” (b/w “Lu”), released April 1968. “Eli’s Comin’” followed June 1968 (b/w “Sweet Blindness”). “Stoned Soul Picnic” appeared October 1968 (b/w “Sweet Blindness”).

Three Dog Night covered “Eli’s Comin’” in 1969. The 5th Dimension covered “Stoned Soul Picnic” and “Sweet Blindness” in 1968.

New York Tendaberry

Laura Nyro released her third album, New York Tendaberry, on September 24, 1969, on Columbia.

The album hinges on stark piano-voice settings that open into sudden crescendos, with dynamic contrasts that frame Nyro’s phrasing in near-solo space. She performs piano and vocals with minimal accompaniment by drummer Gary Chester. Nyro wrote all eleven songs.

New York Tendaberry navigates extremes of silence and intensity over its twelve tracks, anchored by Nyro’s piano and vocals. She moves between hushed, intimate passages—like the spacious, oboe-accented “The Man Who Sends Me Home” and the rolling, restrained choruses of “Sweet Lovin’ Baby”—and sudden eruptions of force, as on the wailing, jagged “Tom Cat Goodbye” or the horn-driven crescendos of “Gibsom Street.” Songs often shift tempo and dynamic mid-phrase: “You Don’t Love Me When I Cry” begins in a soft murmur before expanding into emphatic piano strikes and vocal bellowing, while “Captain Saint Lucifer” rides stop-start piano lines into jubilant horn interjections.

“Mercy on Broadway” fractures jaunty motifs into theatrical bursts, and “Save the Country” extends a gospel-tinged coda with layered horns. Nyro balances deliberate, slow builds—”Captain for Dark Mornings”—with fast, youthful momentum in tracks like “Captain Saint Lucifer.” The title track, “New York Tendaberry,” distills the album’s contrasts into a reflective ode, pairing understated piano with lyrical snapshots of urban life. Throughout, sparse instrumentation and sudden orchestral or brassy accents create tension and release, while Nyro’s voice alternates between whisper, wail, and full-throated projection, emphasizing the emotional arc of each composition.

A1. “You Don’t Love Me When I Cry” (4:24)
A2. “Captain for Dark Mornings” (4:38)
A3. “Tom Cat Goodbye” (5:32)
A4. “Mercy on Broadway” (2:18)
A5. “Save the Country” (4:36)

B1. “Gibsom Street” (4:47)
B2. “Time and Love” (4:24)
B3. “The Man Who Sends Me Home” (2:52)
B4. “Sweet Lovin’ Baby” (3:55)
B5. “Captain Saint Lucifer” (3:17)
B6. “New York Tendaberry” (5:33)

Sessions occurred in New York City with producers Laura Nyro and Roy Halee and engineer Roy Halee.

Columbia promoted New York Tendaberry with “Time and Love” (b/w “The Man Who Sends Me Home”), released October 1969. “Save the Country” followed January 1970 (b/w “New York Tendaberry”).

The 5th Dimension covered “Save the Country” in 1970.

Christmas and the Beads of Sweat

Laura Nyro released her fourth album, Christmas and the Beads of Sweat, on November 25, 1970, on Columbia.

The album layers organ, electric guitar, reeds, and percussion around Nyro’s piano and voice, shaping broader dynamic peaks than her prior release. She supplies piano, vocals, and arrangements.

Nyro sings nine originals, backed by vibraphonist Barry Beckett, organist Felix Cavaliere, and multiple bassists (David Hood, Richard Davis, Chuck Rainey), drummers (Roger Hawkins, Dino Danelli), guitarists (Eddie Hinton, Stuart Scharf, Duane Allman, Cornell Dupree), and percussionists (Jack Jennings, Ralph MacDonald), plus reedist Joe Farrell, oudist player Ashod Garabedian, and cimbalonist Michael Szittai.

Christmas and the Beads of Sweat balances exuberant, rhythmically varied soul-pop with expansive, piano-driven epics. The opening tracks, led by the Muscle Shoals Swampers, feature warm, syncopated grooves and buoyant piano lines: “Brown Earth” builds from hushed verses into layered, multi-tracked vocal choruses, while “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” rides jaunty piano and punchy percussion through a playful, up-tempo pace. “Blackpatch” shifts mid-phrase with Latin-inflected rhythms, accented horns, and congas, blending everyday imagery with angular vocal contours. “Up on the Roof” softens the tone with airy, reflective phrasing, maintaining a spacious, undulating feel.

Side two opens with a more exotic, dreamlike palette. “Upstairs By a Chinese Lamp” weaves whispering vocals around Oriental-inspired piano patterns and conga textures. “Map to the Treasure” extends to eight minutes, alternating delicate, watery harp passages with eruptive piano runs, gradually accelerating into intense climaxes before retreating to hushed sections. “Beads of Sweat” begins sparsely with piano and soft vocals, then surges into a driving, hard-edged intensity, propelled by Duane Allman’s slide guitar and syncopated percussion. The closing “Christmas in My Soul” sustains high-register vocals over layered instrumentation, combining deliberate tempo shifts with resonant, bell-like accents to underscore its epic, declarative mood.

A1. “Brown Earth” (4:09)
A2. “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” (2:42)
A3. “Blackpatch” (3:33)
A4. “Been on a Train” (5:49)
A5. “Up on the Roof” (3:13) — originated as a 1962 side by The Drifters, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

B1. “Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp” (5:34)
B2. “Map to the Treasure” (8:08)
B3. “Beads of Sweat” (4:47)
B4. “Christmas in My Soul” (7:00)

Sessions occurred in New York City with producers Felix Cavaliere and Arif Mardin and engineer Roy Segal.

Columbia promoted Christmas and the Beads of Sweat with “Up on the Roof” (b/w “Captain Saint Lucifer”), released August 1970. “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” followed January 1971 (b/w “Been on a Train”).

Gonna Take a Miracle

Laura Nyro employed the R&B vocal trio Labelle for her fifth album, Gonna Take a Miracle, released as a joint effort on November 17, 1971, on Columbia.

The album presents Nyro interpreting 1950s and 1960s R&B and soul standards through the lens of Philadelphia soul, doo-wop, and gospel-infused pop, with Labelle providing harmonized backing vocals that complement Nyro’s expressive piano and vocal delivery. This is Nyro’s only all-covers album, reflecting her early influences and her affinity for rhythm-and-blues classics.

Nyro selected all material for the album, covering songs originally performed by The Shirelles (“I Met Him on a Sunday”), The Originals (“The Bells”), Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”), Ben E. King (“Spanish Harlem”), The Charts (“Desiree”), Major Lance (“The Monkey Time”), and The Royalettes (“It’s Gonna Take a Miracle”). Producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff contributed Philadelphia soul arrangements but Nyro retained creative control.

The album alternates between upbeat, swing-driven tracks and gentle, ethereal ballads. “I Met Him on a Sunday” restores the simplicity of street-corner doo-wop with unadorned vocal rounds. “Monkey Time/Dancing in the Street” combines bass-heavy swing with playful call-and-response phrasing. “Nowhere to Run” features interplay between horns and piano, while “Spanish Harlem” and “The Wind” explore a softer, contemplative soul tone. The title track, “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle,” closes the album with bright strings and joyous vocal layers.

A1. “I Met Him on a Sunday” (1:55) — Jackson, McPherson, Lee, Reeves; classic Shirelles doo-wop, round-style vocals
A2. “The Bells” (2:56) — emotive interpretation of The Originals’ soul ballad, co-written by Marvin Gaye
A3. “Monkey Time/Dancing in the Street” (4:57) — the 1962 Major Lance hit (written by Curtis Mayfield) paired with the 1964 Martha & The Vandellas evergreen (co-written by Gaye and William Stevenson); rhythmic, playful swing with call-and-response
A4. “Désiree” (1:52) — Cooper, Johnson; sultry, intimate soul ballad
A5. “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” (4:07) — Robinson; Motown-inspired vocal expressiveness

B1. “Spanish Harlem” (2:52) — Leiber, Spector; slow-burn ballad with contoured phrasing
B2. “Jimmy Mack” (2:56) — Holland–Dozier–Holland; upbeat R&B with layered vocal dynamics
B3. “The Wind” (2:58) — Brown, Edwards, Strong; airy, ethereal soul
B4. “Nowhere to Run” (5:08) — Holland–Dozier–Holland; horn-piano interplay over buoyant rhythm
B5. “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” (3:24) — Randazzo, Weinstein, Stallman; bright strings and celebratory vocal harmonies

Laura Nyro provides piano and lead vocals, with Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash on backing vocals. Core musicians include Norman Harris and Roland Chambers (guitar), Ronnie Baker (bass), Lenny Pakula (organ), Jim Helmer (drums), Vincent Montana Jr. (percussion), and Larry Washington (bongos), with Nydia “Liberty” Mata on congas. String and horn arrangements were contributed by Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Thom Bell.

Sessions occurred at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, in May and June 1971, with producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and engineer Tim Geelan.

The album’s arrangements emphasize interplay between horns, piano, bass, and layered vocals, giving each track clarity and rhythmic variation. Labelle’s harmonies complement Nyro’s expressive lead lines, enhancing the interpretations of each classic R&B and soul number.

Gonna Take a Miracle remains one of Nyro’s most celebrated works for its joyous reinterpretation of classic material, enduring vocal chemistry with Labelle, and Philadelphia soul production. Later artists such as Nelly and others have sampled or covered tracks from this album, reflecting its influence on 1970s and 1980s R&B and pop.

Smile

Laura Nyro released her sixth album, Smile, in February 1976 on Columbia.

The album centers on soul-leaned jazz-pop with clipped rhythm patterns, light Latin touches, and piano-guided turns across eight tracks.

Nyro sings seven originals on piano, guitar, and wood block, backed by multiple guitarists (Joe Beck, Hugh McCracken, John Tropea), bassists (Bob Babbitt, Richard Davis, Will Lee), and drummers (Rick Marotta, Chris Parker, Allan Schwartzberg), with percussionists Jimmy Maelen (tambourine, wood block), Carter C.C. Collins and Nydia Mata (congas), and Rubens Bassini (shaker), vibraphonist David Friedman, saxophonists Michael Brecker, Joe Farrell, and George Young, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and koto players Reiko Kamota and Nisako Yoshida.

Smile trades the intense, piano-driven drama of Nyro’s earlier work for a gentler, folk-tinged sound punctuated by soft jazz instrumentation. The album opens with “Sexy Mama,” where brass accents and subtle rhythmic shifts frame Nyro’s warm, cooing vocals. “Money” moves at a measured pace, layering saxophone flourishes over restrained percussion while Nyro’s voice alternates between understated phrasing and pointed emphasis on key lines. “I Am the Blues” centers on sparse accompaniment, highlighting her fragile, high-register delivery over sustained trumpet and flute lines, building a sense of quiet anguish.

“Stormy Love” and “Midnite Blue” slow the tempo further, employing delicate piano motifs and hushed textures that emphasize Nyro’s shifting vocal contours. “The Cat Song” introduces a playful, staccato rhythm with light piano accents, contrasting the more contemplative tracks while maintaining an intimate, personal tone. The title track, “Smile,” stretches gently over languid piano and subtle horn interjections, with phrasing that bends and arches in an introspective, almost conversational flow.

A1. “Sexy Mama” (2:41) — originated as a 1973 side by The Sweet Inspirations, written by Al Goodman, Sylvia Robinson, and Harry Ray.
A2. “Children of the Junks” (2:49)
A3. “Money” (4:59)
A4. “I Am the Blues” (5:44)

B1. “Stormy Love” (4:29)
B2. “The Cat Song” (2:34)
B3. “Midnite Blue” (3:05)
B4. “Smile” (5:36)

Sessions occurred at CBS 30th Street Studio in New York City with producers Laura Nyro and Charlie Calello and engineers Don Puluse and Tim Geelan.

Season of Lights

In 1977, Columbia issued Season of Lights… Laura Nyro in Concert, a document of her recent tour.

The album presents jazz-shaped arrangements of earlier material with expanded phrasing and extended rhythmic figures. Nyro handles vocals and piano. Guitarist John Tropea, bassist Richard Davis, drummer Andy Newmark, percussionists Carter C.C. Collins and Nydia Mata (congas), Mike Mainieri (clavinet, marimba, vibraphone), and saxophonists Jean Fineberg and Jeff King back Nyro. Nyro wrote all songs performed.

A1. “Money” (6:04)
A2. “Sweet Lovin’ Baby” (2:20)
A3. “And When I Die” (4:03)
A4. “The Morning News” (2:32)
A5. “Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp” (4:56)
A6. “I Am the Blues” (7:00)
B1. “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” (3:42)
B2. “Captain Saint Lucifer” (5:55)
B3. “Smile” (4:07)
B4. “Mars” (3:24)
C1. “Sweet Blindness” (3:47)
C2. “The Cat Song” (4:22)
C3. “Emmie” (3:56)
C4. “The Confession” (3:11)
D1. “Timer” (6:15)
D2. “Midnite Blue” (4:05)

The performances draw from multiple concert locations in 1976 with engineer Dale Ashby.

Nested

Laura Nyro released her seventh studio album, Nested, in June 1978 on Columbia.

The album draws on folk-soul textures with warm electric-piano voicings, subtle rhythm shifts, and acoustic passages shaped around Nyro’s phrasing.

Nyro sings ten originals on electric and acoustic piano, church organ, and guitar, backed by bassists Will Lee and Cyril Cianflone, drummers Andy Newmark, guitarists Vinnie Cusano and John Tropea, percussionist Nydia Mata, harmonica player John Sebastian, bassist Tony Levin, and Felix Cavaliere on electric piano and organ.

Nested opens with “Mr. Blue (The Song of Communications),” a gentle, slow-turning piece built on softly strummed guitar and airy vibes, where Nyro’s voice moves through rich, multi-tracked harmonies. “Rhythm and Blues” shifts into a light, breezy pace, juxtaposing her piano with country-inflected harmonica and sprightly percussion, while “My Innocence” pairs warm acoustic strumming with a sensual, propulsive rhythm and a brief electric guitar flourish. Solo piano drives “Crazy Love,” highlighting Nyro’s expressive chord work and controlled, belting delivery. The first side closes with “American Dreamer,” featuring relaxed electric piano and subtly wry phrasing.

The second side explores slightly more expansive textures: “Springblown” presents rudimentary guitar and wordless, sultry vocals with Oriental-tinged instrumentation, “The Sweet Sky” bounces with jaunty rhythms and multi-tracked coda, and “Light – Pop’s Principle” pulses with fast, hypnotic patterns. Themes of impending motherhood emerge on “Child in a Universe,” which builds softly around piano and voice after a synth-laden intro, and the closer, “The Nest,” offers a simple, majestic melody with gentle piano chords, softening Nyro’s vocal tone into warmth and serenity.

A1. “Mr. Blue (Song of Communications)” (5:01)
A2. “Rhythm and Blues” (2:57)
A3. “My Innocence” (3:24)
A4. “Crazy Love” (4:18)
A5. “American Dreamer” (4:08)

B1. “Springblown” (4:24)
B2. “The Sweet Sky” (3:32)
B3. “Light” (2:53)
B4. “Child in a Universe” (4:09)
B5. “The Nest” (2:27)

Sessions occurred in Danbury, Connecticut, with producers Laura Nyro and Roscoe Harring and engineers Dale Ashby and Frank Koenig.

Mother’s Spiritual

Laura Nyro released her eighth studio album, Mother’s Spiritual, in January 1984 on Columbia.

The album presents a calm, spacious set that leans on soft piano figures, hushed rhythmic motion, and diurnal shifts in tone that move between reflective ballads and lightly pulsed vignettes. Nyro performs fourteen originals on acoustic and electric pianos and dulcimer, shaping each piece around close-focus phrasing.

She’s backed by guitarist John K. Briston, bassist Lisa Sunshine, drummer Terry Silverlight, percussionist Nydia Mata, guitarist Jan Nigro, and violinist Julie Lyonn Lieberman. Her longtime admirer Todd Rundgren contributes synthesizer in select passages.

Mother’s Spiritual unfolds with a mostly slow, soft pace, emphasizing gentle, spacious arrangements and subdued, soulful textures. “A Wilderness” pairs sparse piano and light percussion with exaggerated bird-call effects, while “Trees of the Ages” mirrors its structure but stretches into a more composed, reflective ballad. “The Right to Vote” rides a deliberate rhythm beneath Nyro’s articulate vocal lines, and “Talk to a Green Tree” balances a flowing, thoughtful pace against subtle harmonic shifts. “Sophia” contrasts with bouncy, upbeat phrasing, while “Melody in the Sky” layers soft strings and restrained chorus effects over a steady pulse.

Mid-album tracks such as “A Free Thinker” and “The Brighter Song” employ gently varied tempos with airy textures and occasional electric guitar shimmer. Nyro’s piano often anchors the arrangements, her voice moving between tender warmth and controlled projection, with occasional vocal layering to enrich phrasing. Across the album, arrangements favor spacious interplay and subtle dynamics, supporting lyrics rooted in reflection, social awareness, and personal experience, giving the work a contemplative and intimate character.

A1. “To a Child” (3:53)
A2. “The Right to Vote” (3:02)
A3. “A Wilderness” (2:56)
A4. “Melody in the Sky” (3:45)
A5. “Late for Love” (2:57)
A6. “A Free Thinker” (3:15)
A7. “Man in the Moon” (2:55)

B1. “Talk to a Green Tree” (3:44)
B2. “Trees of the Ages” (3:39)
B3. “The Brighter Song” (2:30)
B4. “Roadnotes” (3:18)
B5. “Sophia” (4:39)
B6. “Mother’s Spiritual” (3:12)
B7. “Refrain” (1:08)

Sessions occurred in Danbury with producer Laura Nyro and engineer Roscoe Harring.

Laura: Live at the Bottom Line

In October 1989, Cypress Records issued Laura: Live at the Bottom Line, a showcase of new and pre-existing material performed in the summer of 1988 at the New York venue.

Nyro delivers voice and keyboards in stripped-back arrangements that emphasize phrasing, cadence, and the room’s intimate acoustics. Guitarist Jimmy Vivino (mandolin), bassist David Wofford, drummer Frank Pagano, and percussionist Nydia Mata back Nyro.

Nyro wrote all songs except covers. The album covers songs by Tommy Tucker (“High-Heeled Sneakers”), The Delfonics (“La La Means I Love You”), The Impressions (“I’m So Proud”), and The “5” Royales (“Dedicated to the One I Love”).

A1. “The Confession” (2:49)
A2. “High-Heeled Sneakers” (3:59) — originated as a 1963 side by Tommy Tucker, written by Robert Higginbottom.
A3. “Roll of the Ocean” (4:11)
A4. “Companion” (3:43)
A5. “The Wild World” (2:50)
A6. “My Innocence/Sophia” (4:35)
A7. “To a Child” (3:27)
A8. “And When I Die” (2:45)

B1. “Park Song” (4:02)
B2. “Broken Rainbow” (4:16)
B3. “Women of the One World” (2:23)
B4. “Emmie” (4:10)
B5. “Wedding Bell Blues” (3:00)
B6. “The Japanese Restaurant Song” (4:47)
B7. “Stoned Soul Picnic” (2:59)
B8. “La La Means I Love You / Trees of the Ages / Up on the Roof” (8:01) — “La La Means I Love You” originated as a 1968 side by The Delfonics, written by Thom Bell and William Hart; “Up on the Roof” originated as a 1962 side by The Drifters, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

Sessions occurred at The Bottom Line in New York City with producers Laura Nyro and Jimmy Vivino.

Walk the Dog and Light the Light

Laura Nyro released her ninth studio album, Walk the Dog and Light the Light, on August 17, 1993, on Columbia.

The album delivers a warm, steady set built on rounded keyboard textures, layered harmonies, and mid-paced rhythmic accents that shift between understated soul patterns and luminous pop inflections. Nyro performs eight originals and three covers on piano and keyboards, anchoring the arrangements with her unhurried vocal lines.

She’s backed by drummer Bernard Purdie, bassists Freddie Washington and Jerry Jemmott, guitarists Elliott Randall, Michael Landau, and Ira Siegel, percussionists Bashiri Johnson and Erik McKain, harpist Ellen Uryevick, thirteen string players, four horn players (Lou Marini, Roger Rosenberg, Randy Brecker, Lawrence Feldman), and saxophonist Michael Brecker.

Nyro wrote eight songs. The album covers songs by The Palms (“Oh Yeah Maybe Baby”), The Impressions (“I’m So Proud”), and The “5” Royales (“Dedicated to the One I Love”).

A1. “Oh Yeah Maybe Baby (The Heebie Jeebies)” (3:18) — originated as a 1964 side by The Palms, written by Hank Hunter and Phil Spector.
A2. “A Woman of the World” (4:13)
A3. “The Descent of Luna Rose” (3:37)
A4. “Art of Love” (3:41)
A5. “Lite a Flame (The Animal Rights Song)” (3:22)

B1. “Louise’s Church” (3:37)
B2. “Broken Rainbow” (3:57)
B3. “Walk the Dog and Light the Light (Song of the Road)” (3:48)
B4. “To a Child” (3:32)
B5. “I’m So Proud / Dedicated to the One I Love” (3:40) — “I’m So Proud” originated as a 1963 side by The Impressions, written by Curtis Mayfield; “Dedicated to the One I Love” originated as a 1957 side by The “5” Royales, written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass.

Sessions occurred at River Sound in New York with producers Gary Katz and Laura Nyro.

Discography: