Press
Press Reviews
SKOPE Magazine
A white girl who can play funk? [+ Show]
Stephen Carradini
Song: Lay Me Down
Band: Laura Cheadle
Genre: Funk.
Album: Falling In
Label:
Website: www.lauracheadle.com
Bottom Line: Pretty white girl singing dirty funk. Heck yes.
So I didn't believe it either when I read about it- how in the world could a white girl play funk? Well, I heard it, and now I'm a believer. Laura Cheadle's voice is husky, soulful, and provocative as she demands her lover to "lay me, lay me, lay me down" over a bed of funky bass lines, organ, and funky guitar lines. It just works. It's a great song because of Cheadle's vocals- but other than her vocals, the song is pretty much a standard funk song. But it's a heck of a lot of fun, and it sounds great- so why knock it?
-Stephen Carradini
independentclauses@hotmail.com
Busted Knuckles Babe Of The Week [+ Show]
Beau Smith
Laura Cheadle
- singer / songwriter
Laura Cheadle is one of those singers that you have to see live in a club. There are some bands that can fill stadiums and big ol' concert halls, but there ain't nothing like a club date or a coffee house to really appreciate a talent that knows what they're doing. Laura Cheadle is one of those.
When Laura sings there is never a lack of soul and originality. She comes from a musical family, her dad has done videos forVH1 and MTV as well as created the "Appreciation Choir" for the Persian Gulf War Troops in the 90s. Her older twin brothers are also in the band. Laura's voice and music is a nice blend of soul/blues and just enough pop to keep you on your toes. She's got quite a following in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. If ya get the chance to hear her play you'll be glad ya did. Laura's got a nice website to check out more on her and her music. It's at http://www.lauracheadle.com.
Oh, and as you can tell by her photos, she is the Busted Knuckles Babe Of The Week.
Tell em' Beau sent ya.
Delaware Valley's talented lineup updates a John Lennon classic for charity [+ Show]
Out and About Magazine
Features a picture of Laura Cheadle in the studio singing with the caption "Singer-songwriter Laura Cheadle contributes vocals to a local remake of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" at Ken-Del Studios in Wilmington." underneath
Author: Michael PollockPrint Delaware Valley's talented lineup updates a John Lennon classic for charity
It's an unusually busy night at Wilmington's Ken-Del Studios, and the press has been invited. Producer Paul Janocha chats with a photographer while speed-walking down the hall on his way to a recording booth. Once inside, he sets up a microphone for the Pitman, N.J.-based singer-songwriter Laura Cheadle, who's preparing to contribute vocals to a version of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," John Lennon's 1971 peace anthem that will be included on an upcoming charity CD benefiting the Salvation Army's annual toy drive. The session, which will host a slate of other local artists, is the reason we're all here.
In the control room, Janocha and fellow producer Mario Padovani begin rolling takes. A drum machine beat pulses through the speakers as Cheadle's soaring voice makes the song's already memorable lines bend and weave to the new rhythm. Janocha stops her several times to adjust levels. In the corridor just outside the room, other local musicians gather while waiting to record their parts. The inevitable Lennon homage soon surfaces.
"Happy Xmas' is such a simple song," says Zack Slostad, bassist in Otispunk, a pop-rock band that can be found in the suburbs of Philadelphia. "It's only four or five chords."
"Two or three melodies," adds Brad McClain, singer and guitarist in the Wilmington band SOULoh.
"And it's very lyrically relevant right now," Slostad points out. Noting the presence of a reporter, or simply wishing not to turn the discussion to politics, he doesn't elaborate.
Cheadle has finished recording and is now listening to playback. Afterward, she joins the rest of us in the corridor, worrying about her performance as she exits the control room. She'll probably feel more comfortable when she records a cover of "Santa Baby" that is also scheduled for inclusion on the CD. The interpretation taps into Cheadle's smoky soul and blues roots, evidenced when she reels off names like Etta James and John Mayer as influences.
Mythica frontwoman and sometimes solo artist Melissa Cox goes next. As she lays down her vocals, veteran songwriter and Realize Records co-founder Paul Lewis arrives. It's not long before he's embroiled in conversation with McClain about a Police tribute album he's finishing, proceeds of which will benefit research for alternative methods of cancer healing.
The tribute album, titled S.O.S., includes renditions of bedrock tunes like "Roxanne" Ken-Del's Early Christmas—and "Every Breath You Take." Lewis, all colored hair and painted fingernails, was inspired after a close friend was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away, all within 47 days.
Steve Ketterer, a baby-faced and extremely polite musician from Newark who recorded earlier in the evening, listens in. He offers to do a cover of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," but alas, the slot's been filled.
Ketterer isn't too upset. He already had a special moment when he recorded his part to "Happy Xmas" a couple of hours before. A version he did in 2003 played on the radio the weekend before Christmas as he drove his grandmother home for the holidays. It was the first time she had heard him sing.
A photographer manages to round everyone up for a group shot in an accompanying room. Once it's over, Paul Janocha stops by the snack table and grabs a sandwich wrap. He tries to eat while greeting the night's guests. "As soon as I have a free minute," he says to me, "I'd love to sit down and talk." With that, he takes a bite, turns, and goes back to work.
Fabric of Family Woven Strong [+ Show]
The Newtown Press
Fabric of Family Woven Strong
by Shared Passion for Music
SWEDESBORO -- This ain't no Partridge Family, this ain't no Brady Bunch, this family ain't fooling around. The Cheadle family of Swedesboro is serious about making music because they are personally responsible for all its aspects; from writing and performing, to recording, producing and distributing the finished product.
Thanks to the support and encouragement of their #1 critic and mother Sue and exposure since infancy to their multi-talented musician dad Jim, the three Cheadle children have grown up to be not only versatile musicians but close knit supportive siblings reared on Jazz and Blues.
The younger sister of 26-year-old identical twin brothers, 20-year-old Laura Cheadle has emerged as the "front woman" of this highly gifted crew.
Laura who describes herself "as a funky white girl who's got soul" credits her dad for exposing them all to the beauty of music from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power and John Coltrane.
JIM AND LAURA CHEADLE working together
in their South Productions Studio in Swedesboro.
She began singing and playing the piano when she was just five years old and at age 11 learned to play drums under the tutelage of her Dad.
From that point on, Laura and her brothers Nick and Jim began to perform together, calling their first band Sibling.
Four years ago, following a tough teenage break up, Laura chose to put down her drumsticks in favor of the guitar which she quickly taught herself to play. She explains, "The guitar allowed me to become more introspective and provided the perfect outlet for me to express my thoughts and feelings."
Because Laura taught herself to play she has highly unique chord progressions and finger positioning that allow her to create the jazzy unconventional guitar music that complement her smoky sultry voice and make her sound unique.
At 16 Laura released her first acoustic CD and earlier this year released her second full-length CD, "Falling In", this time accompanied by a full band that included Dad Jim on keyboards, guitar, and background vocals, brother Jim on guitar, and brother Nick on keyboards.
To complete the ensemble for the new disc, Laura, who once could only imagine playing with her family, attracted the talents of bassist Dave Sikorski, drummer Bill Grillo, and percussionsist Jim Hirsch. The result is a highly polished full-bodied sound that provides the perfect showcase for her vocal range and evocative lyrics.
With two CDs under her belt and the clever use of internet marketing, Laura has generated a large fan base both locally and internationally. She explains that a lot of her fans are from other parts of the world and as far away as India and Singapore.
"They would never get to hear my music if not for a vehicle like MySpace.com."
However, it is Laura's local fan base from Philadelphia and Delaware that she credits with keeping her dream of being a lifelong musician alive. "People who identify with me keep me going," she said as she recalls the emotion from one recent audience when a listener cried.
In July, Laura's CD release party was held at the prestigious World Café Live located at the nationally acclaimed WXPN studio in Philly. And during the same time frame, thanks to her fans, just slightly further south "Wrapped Up in You", a song Laura wrote at 16, won 10 days in a row in WSTW's "Two Song Throw Down", against nationally known bands such as the Fray, Staind and Hello Goodbye.
In fact Laura's large following of listeners prompted this Delaware Station to tap her as the opening act for Summerfest where she opened for The Spin Doctors and Sister Hazel.
While Laura has been approached by many different labels and has not ruled out a record deal, she continues to record under her fathers label, 9 South Productions. She explains that by maintaining her independence she can retain a better grasp on her music. "I don't want to sound like anyone but me."
She fondly recalls working closely with her dad to remix and master her recent CD. "I was almost sad when we were completely finished. I couldn't say c'mon Dad and drag him out to do one last remix."
Situated outside her back door, 9 South Productions is a state-of-the-art sound proof, private recording studio that utilizes the latest digital hardware and software. There the Cheadle's offer a full range of music production services including arranging, mastering, design and duplication, as well as a professional environment to instruct aspiring musicians.
Father Jim who taught Growth and Development of Jazz at Rowan for many years, offers lessons on piano and drums, while Brother Jim teaches guitar and bass.
Brother Nick who according to Laura prefers staying "behind the scenes" to performing will be filming Laura's next music video. In this family the apples truly don't fall far from the tree, as Dad has produced and created videos that have aired on VH1 and MTV.
So what's next for this burgeoning star? Laura recently contributed vocals to a version of "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" John Lennon's 1971 peace anthem, and she will perform a cover of "Santa Baby" both to be included on an upcoming charity CD benefiting the Salvation Army.
Laura will also be performing at the Underground at 40th and Spruce in Philly on Nov. 10, and our very own Swedes Inn on Nov. 24 at 9 p.m. Mark Beltz owner of Swede's Inn is one fan in particular who is excited by the upcoming performance.
Beltz says the date is a natural for her. "Loyal fans and former musical students love to come out and watch Laura and her family perform. It should be a great Thanksgiving homecoming for all of us."
So whether you liked the Partridge Family or not, "C'mon get happy". But don't worry, there is not a lip-syncher in the bunch. The Cheadle's know how to make music.
For more information on Laura Cheadle visit www.lauracheadle.com
For more information on 9 SouthProductions visit www.9southproductions.com
Swedes Inn Books Local Pop Funk Star [+ Show]
Swedesborowoolwich.com
Swedesboro, November 16th, 2006: You may have seen her opening up for the Spin Doctors, or on Vh1's "Save the Music" Benefit Concert. Or perhaps heard her song "Wrapped Up in You" which beat out national bands by listener votes in a recent WSTW Radio Station "Two Song Throwdown". Wherever you may have first heard or seen Laura Cheadle, remember the name, this local Swedesboro resident is destined to make a national impact on the pop funk music scene.
This twenty-year-old artist writes about love, lust, and everything in-between. From beneath her graceful lyrics and sensual sound emerges Laura's soul, which enraptures her listeners as she effortlessly commands their attention. She calls herself a "funky white girl who's got soul." However, Laura sells her self short with this description, as she blends many genres both within and among her songs. Laura creates her own unique style of song-writing by giving rock/pop a soulful twist with a splash of blues.
Laura taught herself to play guitar at age 16, "I was heartbroken at the time, and the guitar was a perfect outlet for me to express my thoughts and ideas. At this age, I became more independent musically, and the guitar allowed me to become more introspective and relay my feelings to the world." What resulted was an entirely unique set of chord progressions, which gives Laura's music it's own, distinct sound.
It wasn't long before Laura exploded into the local coffeehouse scene, then opening up for national acts. Her acoustic sets would pack each and every house that she played. She released her acoustic CD, Maybe One Day in 2003, which was produced and recorded at her father James Cheadle's studio, 9 South Productions.
The Swedes Inn has long been a regional destination for music lovers. The Café style setting is a favorite for Blues, Rock and Jazz bands and features an intimate setting for guests to experience the music. The Swedes new menu highlights an American Contemporary cuisine prepared by Chef Brad Smith.
For more info contact Toni Beltz at the Swedes Inn, 1301 Kings Highway, Swedesboro NJ 08085, (856) 467-2052
Laura Cheadle starts at 9:00 PM, seating is limited, and you are encouraged to arrive early.
For more information on Laura Cheadle or the Swedes Inn, please visit:
www.lauracheadle.com
Laura Cheadle: Winner of many awards [+ Show]
93.7 WSTW
Wrapped Up in You [most requested, best funky/sultry Jersey chick, best MySpace video]
Laura Cheadle has been voted an award for being the most requested, funky/ sultry girl from New Jersey on this major radio station. Laura also got awarded the best MySpace music video.
Laura's song, "Wrapped Up In You" won 10 days in a row in a "Two Song Throw Down" beating national acts such as Staind, The Fray and Hello Goodbye.
The sound of South Jersey [+ Show]
Impulse Magazine
LAURA CHEADLE
roots: Pitman/Swedesboro
sound: Funky soul with blues and jazz
members: Laura Cheadle, rhythm guitar and vocals; James Cheadle, keyboard; Jimmy Lee Cheadle, lead guitar
label: None
Web sites: lauracheadle.com; myspace.com/lauracheadle
"I bring the funk and soul back. I don't just sit on my chair with an acoustic guitar," says Laura.
It's nice to see a young, female artist who's not singing about lady lumps or manufactured punk subjects. Like she said, Laura's got funk, soul, and a little bit of the blues in the vein of Janis Joplin or Joss Stone and that's a rare commodity in this country, let alone South Jersey.
Laura's playing at World Cafe Live on Friday, April 27, and she's up and down the East Coast all the time.
"I frequent the Swede's Inn in Swedesboro, too. It's right down the street from me," she said, "and the owners are great."
Laura Cheadle Review [+ Show]
Jersey Beat Magazine. Robert Barry Francos
Knowing it's a cliché, judging a book – or in this case an artist – by her "cover" is a pleasant surprise. LAURA CHEADLE is a young white woman with a big guitar, and on her self-released "Falling In" (lauracheadle.com) she shows that she has just a big a voice, with a solid R&B, bluesy, jazzy, soulful sound. She applies her voice well, in a way that would makes the likes of Bill Withers or the Reverend Al Green smile. Very '70s blue eyed soul with sexy inflections, soaring from a blast on one cut to a breathy whisper in another. Now that the cover has been removed, I now think, of course, Laura is playing what is natural to her, and a pleasure to listen. -- Robert Barry Francos/Jersey Beat Magazine
Live NYC Show Review: Laura Cheadle [+ Show]
Time Out NY
"Laura Cheadle is a young, jeans-wearing singer & multi-instrumentalist who writes songs in the coffeeshop-love-song tradition & renders them in a smooth-funky, B3 kind of way".
Funky Fresh Jersey Girl [+ Show]
One Note Ahead
How to describe the music of Laura Cheadle? It's probably best understood as a rich stew—or, in the sweltering heat in which I am writing this, a summer salad—the recipe for which goes something like this: two cups of old-school soul; one and a half cups of acoustic singer/songwriter; one cup of classic pop; one tablespoon of rock 'n' roll; jazz and blues to taste. Best served funky.
The 21-year-old songstress grew up in a heavily musical family, which put her in a position to either love music or hate music. Fortunately, she took the former course: "Music is my life and is so natural and medicating to me," she explains. "I need it just the same as I need air to breathe. I can't imagine living without it and I am thrilled to have grown up in such a musical environment." Laura's comments on the making of her current studio album, Falling In, reveal that music is still largely a family affair for this Jersey girl: "The main musicians [on Falling In] are myself on rhythm guitar and vocals, my father James S. Cheadle on keyboards, my brother Jimmy Lee Cheadle on lead guitar, Dave Sikorski on bass, Bill Grillo on drums and Justin Hirsch on percussion. […] I wrote all of the music originally on my acoustic guitar so it was a blast making this album with a live band."
The songs on Falling In deal with the usual themes of love, lust, infatuation, and separation, but there is no mistaking this for a typical "been there, done that" affair by yet another pretty girl with a guitar. First off, there's Laura's smoky voice, which veers from a sultry, seductive whisper to an electrifying gospel-tinged shout. Then there's her songcraft, based on ringing, textured guitar chords with jazzy chromatics, often employing tempo changes and slightly unorthodox chord sequences. "I taught myself how to play the guitar at age 15 and I don't really have a conventional way of writing or playing," she says with some amusement. "I wrote all of these songs during different times of my life and just developed a style that felt like me." Indeed, that style carries over to her lyrics, which often contain stream-of-consciousness musings related in a strangely poetic manner. For example, "Perfect Design" offers pairings like "I take you in my lips, devourin' every inch/Your charm and your mind, your whole perfect design"—phrases so pure and delicate I hesitate to apply such a stark label as "sexually explicit" to them. "Midst Of Your Mystery" is even more hauntingly down-to-earth: "It was kinda scary when the car said check engine/You just smiled and reassured we'd be just fine […] Deep down I wish we woulda got stranded, just to spend another moment with you."
When combined with the musicianship of her band and her father's production, Laura's songs get transformed into intriguing sonic collages. "Bright and Beautiful" combines the funk of a vintage Stevie Wonder track with a summery breeziness reminiscent of Malo's "Suavecito." And that's only part of the story. Laura: "For 'Bright and Beautiful,' we kept my music how it was written on the guitar but randomly decided to put a 'jazz break' in the middle of the song. I LOVE how it turned out." The album's title track starts off like the greatest ballad that Dionne Warwick never recorded, only to jump into a hip-swaying dance groove along the lines of War on happy juice. "Midst Of Your Mystery" marries the ethereal atmosphere of Rachael Yamagata's gentler songs to the down-and-dirty sound of a bluesy bar band, while "Love Map" brings in a country flavor on its swinging choruses. According to Laura, "that was not intentional. My acoustic version of ["Love Map"] does not sound country at all. My brother Jimmy Lee enjoys country music and he was playing that guitar riff on the album."
Two of the selections on Falling In differ so notably from the rest of the album that they deserve special mention. The ominous, minor-keyed "Replaying" is a quietly dramatic pop opus whose sound exists out of place and time, and Laura told me that it strikes a special chord with her: "I wrote 'Replaying' a few years ago and it's about a love that I had to let go of. I enjoy how this song came out because the music matches my emotion at the time. It's one of my favorite tracks on my CD because I was actually crying during the vocal." Equally eerie is the acoustic "Surrounded," whose lyrics are atypically abstract: "Affection takes over my world/All is surrounded by a single girl. Will she wander to an escape?/Cluttered with worries, there's no steps to take." Naturally, Laura can account for the singularity of this particular tune: "I wrote 'Surrounded' after my album was finished and about to be released. I went back in the studio to lay it down just to have it. I then decided to make it a bonus track. Many of my songs are love songs, but I wrote 'Surrounded' completely about life. I woke up with it in my head and wrote it down. It's really about figuring out different parts of your life and trying not to worry about what happens next."
So that's Laura Cheadle as an in-studio recording artist. But Laura Cheadle is more than just an in-studio recording artist; she's a personality. For one thing, she is an eccentric free spirit. Friend her on MySpace and it'll be just a matter of time before she fills your message center with random bulletins informing you of her latest road trip or the last Tower of Power concert she attended. She even poses all sorts of—you guessed it—random questions to her fans and shares photos and drawings in her bulletins and blogs. It's clear that she believes strongly in being connected to her fans, which the internet allows her to do with some semblance of ease. However, it is in person that Laura gets to make the ultimate connection with her funky followers.
Whether you see Laura acoustically or with her live band (also featuring her dad and her bro), she is sure to get wrapped up in a world of her own, letting each song take her and propel her into a realm understandable only by those who truly feel the power of her music. In an acoustic setting, she lets the raw emotion of her songs do the talking. With a full band behind her, she takes control of the stage, shaking and swaying every inch of her dancer's form to every single beat of the music. Either way, she banters freely with the audience, displaying a natural charm and a quirky sense of humor—both hard to resist. And in that moment when she looks out into the crowd and sees you dancing or singing along to her music and she engages your eyes, lingers for a moment, and winks, it is far beyond a mere connection. It is a genuine spiritual exchange. Or at least that's my perspective as a fan. Happily, Laura's perspective as the artist is similar: "Live performances are my favorite! The rush from the crowd is incredible and you get to be so spontaneous with the arrangements of music and performance. I live to perform. Acoustic shows are a great intimate setting where you can tell the crowd where [and] when each song was written. Full band shows are amazing because I get to dance and really stretch out vocally. I also love having that musical connection with all of my bandmates where we don't have to say a single word during a performance, yet we know exactly what each other is thinking."
What's next on the horizon for this rising young star? "I finished my brand new song '10 Weeks of Immortality' and that is up on my MySpace page for a listen. I am working on a new album, which will probably be finished by next year or so. I have been writing like crazy and feel like I just keep growing and growing. I went away on vacation last week and wrote four more songs." She adds, smiling, "It's hard to say how each song will turn out because I am getting inspired more and more every single day."
In the meantime, Falling In is readily available in CD form and on iTunes, and Laura also has a fun(ky) live CD which you can order directly from her. At the time of this writing, there are also some highly entertaining videos on her MySpace profile ("The MySpace Funk" has to be seen to be believed). It is fortunate that Laura Cheadle's music can be accessed so easily in this high-tech digital world, for she is an artist who has it all: the looks, the moves, the charisma, and the TALENT to back it all up.
Or, to put it more simply: Laura Cheadle is bright and beautiful.
For music and more information: www.lauracheadle.com
http://www.myspace.com/lauracheadle
Many thanks to Laura Cheadle for the interview.
Copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
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