Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro Paperback – May 14, 2003

This is definitely a book for fans, so buy it for the Laura Nyro fan in your life

I have been a fan of the writing of Michele Kort in The Advocate magazine for years. I share at least some of her same passions---the imperial Dusty Springfield and the fiery Aretha Franklin to name just two. Now Kort has turned her perfect prose to one of the most gifted musician/composers of the last 40 years, Laura Nyro. This book, like Nyro, is soulful and searing and honest and breathtaking. Also like Laura, Kort hits all the right notes. The section dealing with Nyro almost leaving Clive Davis and Columbia Records for David Geffen's newly-hatched Asylum is hypnotic and ultimately sad. This book is insightful not just about Laura Nyro but also what the biz part of the music industry was like for a strong-willed, supremely-gifted female. I know that right now Laura is smiling up there in that great nightclub in the sky. I can just see her happily passing the single red rose from her piano top to the richly-deserving author of this book.

A lifelong fan of Nyro, I had only seen her perform once--in a small venue on Miami Beach in the '90s, a few years before her death from cancer. The slim woman with long dark hair who dressed in black and emanated spunky New York soul had grown much larger in size, but her talent and ability to express real and deep emotion had not diminished one iota. The feeling in the room was that of being on sacred ground.My love of Laura Nyro's music and curiosity about her life and persona were recently triggered by a PBS special on the prolific music, stage and film producer, David Geffin, her first manager with whom she parted ways. I decided it was time to learn more about her and was very happy to have found Michele Kort's very well-written and well-researched book.Laura was a complex women of contrasts: strong-willed, stubborn, and perfectionistic, yet quiet, humble, sensitive, vulnerable, generous, well-loved, and giving...and great fun! ("Soft" and "loved" were the adjectives most applied to her in the book.) Immensely talented, her music only topped the charts when covered by others like the Fifth Dimension, Streisand, Three Dog Night and Blood, Sweat and Tears. She did, however, have quite a large following during and after her lifetime of those who loved and appreciated her for her truth and uniqueness. Known for her impassioned, articulate and penetrating style, she was a self-trained musician who grew up in the Bronx amidst a loving family that included a generous musician father and a strong, supportive mother. Her musical signature favored a very original approach towards chords, a flair for smart poetic lyrics and metaphors, and an ability to combine elements of jazz, soul and blues with bouncey rock rhythms. She also broke new ground for female songwriters who were simultaneously performing artists, which colleagues such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Melissa Manchester greatly valued. She paved her way through the music profession "her way" and, because of their enjoyment of and respect for her great talent, her personal likeability, and the love of her devoted fans, her colleagues allowed her to do it. She had friendships, relationships and associations with many who were influential in the rock world, and a great deal of information is gleaned in this book about that era of rock ('70s through '90s)and its personalities.The author undertook much detailed research and executed many interviews with close relatives, friends, teachers, and business associates in order to manifest a real flesh and blood human being (no easy task since Ms. Kort never had the opportunity to meet her). This is an excellent piece of work and a wonderful read for anyone who has ever appreciated and cared about Laura Nyro and her music and/or was curious about her life, loves and progeny (she left "one child to carry on").

Timely delivery

I loved the details about Laura from her tuna salad recipe to all the stories of each album project. Also the histories of her friends and associates. I didnt want it to end.

Great read

In my opinion, Laura Nyro continues to be one of the most underrated songsmiths in the history of American Music. While some record stores still file her under "Folk Music", Nyro's primary musical inspirations were pop, jazz and the vocal R & B and doo-wop stylings of the 50's. She also had an affinity for show music and her circle of friends included Broadway Icons Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Her poetry was unique, as well. No woman before her had explored so many controversial and personal issues in their lyrics as Nyro did. Since little has been written about this Great American Artist, Kort's book is a welcome read and fills in alot of the spaces that fans have been wondering about regarding this very private person. The book is a little light on depth, however, and it reveals itself as more of a record of rememberings by people that were part of her personal and music business worlds, either fleetingly or for long periods of time. Kort treats her subject with great respect and reverance, however, and her affection for Nyro as an artist and as a person is reflected throughout this book. Although this book will, mainly, be of interest to Nyro's longtime supporters, hopefully people who are curious about who this woman was, and the art that she created, will go out and buy her music. If you have never heard her before, nothing can prepare you for CD's like New York Tendaberry or Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. She was a shining star, a visionary, and a pure artist who paid dearly for her musical vision. We will never see the likes of her again. Love you, Laura, RIP.

This book is one I have had on my wish list forever and I received it with much joy. Having been a fan of hers for the past few years (yep, I'm a newbie Laura fan), this gives me great insight into the beauty and spirit of Laura and her music. While it does not go into some of the stories you may have read about her elsewhere, there are some great stories of her life here and I an so grateful to hold this in my hands.

I bought this book for my nephew who is a great fan of Laura. He is thoroughly enjoying it, so thank you very much

Firstly, just want to praise the seller- unbelievably speedy service, received within 2 days of ordering on a Sunday! Book's condition exactly as described and well packaged. Really pleased with the book, found out so much about Laura Nyro- this really is the only such biographical source of a brilliant and very sadly-missed musician available, and indeed sad in so many ways. Very thoroughly reseached and greatly enjoyed especially reading about the music business in the US during the 60s and 70s, but the more personal details are very touching as well. Highly recommended.

If you love Laura Nyro & her incredible singing & songwriting ability this book is very insightful. I couldn't put it down. I had the opportunity to see her live at Indiana University at the beginning of her career. She's a goddess of the music industry.

Excellent

I read it a while ago, she is my fav singer, i prefer her over Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and Joan Baez