Laura Cortese digs deep and aims high, she grew up in San Francisco and moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, immersing herself in the city’s vibrant indie music scene and enjoying a busy touring-and-studio-sidekick career which included appearances with Band of Horses at Carnegie Hall and Pete Seeger at Newport Folk Festival.
But, it’s been with her band, The Dance Cards that she has made the biggest impact. Served up with panache and zing, it’s bold and elegant fare, schooled in the lyrical rituals of folk music and backed by grooves that alternately inspire Cajun two-stepping and rock ‘n’ roll swagger.
With each UK visit, they are met with the same exuberance from fans and press alike. Songlines magazine declared “This was a celebration of American string playing par excellence.” Since then, the 4-piece has taken both Shetland and Orkney Folk Festivals by storm, and return here with a new album, California Calling, on Compass Records (6th October), that has been winning them even more attention. Watch their new video for Stockholm below:
A band that can truly be described as “well travelled,” they have also toured as far afield as Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Italy, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Montenegro, Greece, Ukraine and Estonia. Now’s your chance to see them:
Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards UK Tour Dates
September
Thurs 28: Jumpin Hot Club, Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
Fri 29: St Cuthbert’s, Seahouses
Sat 30: The Carlile Institute, Meltham, Huddersfield
October
Sun 1: The Assembly Rooms, Presteigne
Wed 4: St John’s Church Room, Farncombe
Thurs 5: The Ropewalk, Barton on Humber
Sat 7: Square & Compass, Worth Matravers
Sun 8: Square & Compass, Worth Matravers
Tues 10: Archspace, Acton Mews, London
Thurs 12: Café #9, Sheffield
Fri 13: The Haining, Selkirk
Sat 14: The Spiegeltent, Spree Festival, Paisley
Order California Calling via Amazon
http://www.thisislauracortese.com
Photo Credit: Louise Bichan