JUNO-Nominated Jazz Singer Laura Anglade Shares Breezy Version of 1930s Jazz Standard “April In Paris”

Today, the JUNO-nominated, French-born, NYC-via-Toronto jazz singer Laura Anglade returns with her breezy version of “April in Paris.” Laura opens the 1932 standard a capella, breathing new life into the classic. She takes inspiration from Blossom Dearie, Sarah Vaughan, Michel Legrand and Ella Fitzgerald but with her own twist for the modern era. Alongside artists like Laufey and RAYE, she breathes new life into the retro sound, exposing younger audiences to the style.

Laura explains: “I wanted to make a statement with the opening number April in Paris by starting things off a cappella, which sets the perfect tone for our protagonist’s journey ahead. Although the tune does not necessarily reflect my own story chronologically, I still wanted to incorporate my two cultural identities: a “clin d’oeil” (wink) to my French roots. It was important for me to have a degree of separation between our protagonist and my own life. We hear a young person’s innocence, hesitancy, regret, fear, yet when the rest of the band comes in with that steady swing feel, she is suddenly overwhelmed with support. The band provides a strong, grounding presence, picking her back up, propelling her forward. An underlying layer of maturity is now revealed, perhaps an instinctive sense of wanting to move on, a curiosity to navigate the unknown.”

Listen & Share “April in Paris” Here:

French and American singer Laura Anglade is a promising storyteller hailing from the idyllic town of Brousse-le-Château, France. She draws inspiration from Carmen McRae, Blossom Dearie, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, Billie Holiday, Michel Legrand and Barbra Streisand, among others.

Laura has made a mark in the music scenes of New York, Paris, London, Toronto and Montreal, collaborating with some of the world’s finest musicians, including Peter Bernstein, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ben Paterson, Ira Coleman, Reg Schwager, and Neil Swainson, to name a few.

In 2022, she joined singer Melody Gardot across the east and west coasts of the United States and Europe. Laura has performed in renowned venues such as Olympia (Paris), the Royal Festival Hall (London), Town Hall (New York City), the Ace Theatre Hotel (Los Angeles), and the main stage at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal.

Her debut album, ‘I’ve Got Just About Everything’ (Justin Time Records, 2019) was met with praise by critics and fans alike. Her second JUNO-nominated album, ‘Venez Donc Chez Moi’ (Justin Time Records, 2022) is a duo recording featuring Montreal guitarist Sam Kirmayer, with whom she was awarded the “Prix Opus” for Jazz Concert of the Year in 2023.

With her latest release, “April in Paris,” Anglade introduces a cappella – the young protagonist is alone, looking forward with both excitement and trepidation to a new life ahead. She inhabits the character in her vocal, breathing life into an experience she can relate to even if she hasn’t lived it exactly.

“I’ve been reflecting recently on the parallels between acting and singing,” she explains. “Each art form is an extension of the other. Singing, like acting, is rooted in human expression, in the power of a good story. I never pursued musical theater growing up, but I’ve found that the deeper I get into this music and grow as a person, the more each song feels like performing a role. I visualize each song as if it were a monologue in a film, and somehow shape-shift myself into the part. That led to this album having a distinct beginning, middle and end.”