Search - Lora Mahaffey :: At Last

Lora Mahaffey s At Last is both a poignantly aching and vibrantly alive recording of jazz standards that achieves the near impossible it makes these classic songs sound fresh and new again. Evocative and expressive, At Last is a stunning achievement in a debut album. 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.