Naomi LaViolette
Portland, Oregon, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Naomi LaViolette specializes in the kind of music that goes immediately for the heart strings. She tackles the rarely told tale of love not yet lost. LaViolette’s songs are prodded along by intensely intricate piano hooks, with the singer’s ethereal voice drifting overtop in a way that is both soothing and penetrating. - Forest Grove News Times
Naomi LaViolette celebrates the release of her new album - Wilsonville Spokesman
Discography
Words Or Not - Single
Naomi LaViolette - self-titled debut full-length album
Photos
Bio
Naomi LaViolette, songwriter, pianist, and vocalist, has found an acoustic niche between the worlds of folk singer-songwriters and jazz soulstresses. Her music takes two parts Sarah MacLachlan, one part Joni Mitchell, and adds a dash of Madeleine Peyroux’s understated elegance for a concoction that is extremely palatable, sweet, and soulful. LaViolette’s debut album, self-titled Naomi LaViolette (2012), features 10 original songs, as well her own arrangements of George Gershwin’s “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”.
SONGWRITING
As a songwriter, LaViolette composes from an authentic outpouring of life experiences. She writes songs about falling in love and staying in love. One song is a lullaby. She writes about heartbreak, life’s tough questions, and finding answers in surprising places. As one born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, her songs often contain inspiration from the natural world, reflecting a sort of wild, uncontained beauty. “In artistic expression,” says LaViolette, “we find places to stand in a world that is constantly changing. We discover what is most important in our lives, and understand our trials and joys at a deeper level.”
THE MUSIC
LaViolette’s music strikes a distinctive balance between soul-filled honesty and a variety of musical styles. Her roots are deep in classical music, with a master’s degree in classical piano performance. She’s immersed herself in jazz standards, folk songs, soul, pop and gospel music. All these influences weave in and throughout LaViolette’s songs, creating a musical vibe that is both vintage and current.
PERFORMANCE
LaViolette has performed in a diversity of venues, from jazz clubs to farmer’s markets and esteemed concert series. She often collaborates with guest artists at her shows, sharing the stage with both seasoned and emerging musicians. In each show her songs speak to the heart, and she wins audiences over with musicianship and vulnerability.
FULL-LENGTH ALBUM: "Naomi LaViolette"
LaViolette fronts her album at the piano, with lead vocal, background vocals, synth creations and harmonica. The album also features guitarist Tim Ellis (Kung Fu Bakery Owner/Producer, Craig Carothers, Aaron Meyer), bassist Bill Athens (Nancy King, Mary Kadderly, Trio SubTonic) and drummer Jeramy Burchett (Dirt Poor Robins, 5 O’Clock People). The album is produced and engineered by Dean Baskerville (Sheryl Crow, Everclear, Pink Martini).
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