Lora Mahaffey - At Last

Jazz singers come in all flavors with their own unique abilities. Billie Holiday delivered emotionally laden performances. Ella Fitzgerald had virtuosic control of intonation and rhythm. Keely Smith possessed a powerful voice and a commanding stage presence. Like these other singers, Lora Mahaffey has her own strengths and also shares some theirs. Lora knows the value of restraint. She knows the value of controlling her instrument, her voice. She knows that delicate balance of when to hold back and when to let go in a performance. Lora knows that at the heart of performance is the communication between the musician and the audience, and she is able to focus on that in every song. The payoff is big for the listeners. In At Last, we have the wonderfully sly and wry "In These Shoes," filled with a good-natured sense of play. We have the sinuous and sensual performance of "Black Coffee" that twists through the emotionally intricate lyrics and ends on a snake-like rattle. We have the mournful cry of "Stormy Weather," that presents an upbeat face over a dark and painful loss. We have the powerful and heartfelt "At Last," a blues- and gospel-tinged anthem to redemption and promise. Lora Mahaffey delivers the goods with this recording and we all benefit from that. Lora Mahaffey's life is as eclectic as her interests are. In addition to earning a degree in Art History with a minor in Medieval Studies, she's been a shepherd, a waitress, a nanny, a muralist, a storyteller, and an award-winning baker. But throughout her life there has been one constant-music. From Lora's childhood when she put on shows in her parents' garage to her travels in the British Isles exploring Celtic music and art to her ongoing role in the a capella Anchorage singing group, the Derry Aires, "There has always been music." Now she has the chance to share her life-long love of jazz and pop classics with At Last..

1) In These Shoes
2) Them There Eyes
3) I Wish You Love
4) Nature Boy
5) Black Coffee
6) Day By Day
7) Stormy Weather
8) Autumn Leaves
9) At Last
10) Sam You Made the Pants Too Long