Laura Perrudin Featured In The Checkout
REPOST FROM frenchculture.org
In the fall of 2019, the American producer and journalist Simon Rentner invited Laura Perrudin, the French singer-songwriter breaking ground with her chromatic electric harp to his show The CheckOut from WGBO. Describing herself as belonging to “several networks and ecosystems at the same time” while having “one foot in the world of jazz, one foot in indie pop, one foot in the electronic world or in the world of contemporary music”, the jazz artist discussed the subtleties of her latest album Perspectives & Avatars and her previous album, Poisons & Antidotes with the journalist. Although their conversation took place last fall, the artist and the journalist decided to hold its publication until now, after the recent release of Perspectives & Avatars in October.
Singer, harpist, composer, producer, and author, Laura Perrudin has been surrounded by jazz since her childhood. She studied classical music at an early age and became interested in electronic music, soul, and hip-hop. She trained with many musicians in her native Brittany before her life led her to other encounters in Paris and New York. Laura Perrudin was noticed in 2015 after the release of her first album “Impressions” and praised by several musical media outlets including Le Monde, the BBC, FiP, and the Inrocks. In 2017, with the release of “Poisons & Antidotes”, she introduced the electric chromatic harp to her musical repertoire. This instrument, which was specially designed for her, broadened the boundaries of her creative development. With the support of this instrument, she has developed a unique universe that comes to life in her concerts where her voice, her effect pedals, her computer, and her multitrack looper simultaneously create an impressive musical atmosphere. After having performed on numerous French and international stages, as well as in independent pop scenes, in the past several years she has taken part in the prestigious jazz scenes of the Antique Jazz Theater in Vienna, Winterjazz Fest NYC, and the EFG London Jazz fest.
Last October, she released her new solo album Perspectives and Avatars with new experimental pop gems. In this third project, she explores several genres of music including electric, and dance-pop. Her music is sometimes close to poetry, creating characters, and points of view. In this new album, each song is a character, an avatar linked to a writing concept. Her melodies embody the existential considerations and obsessions of a wolf, a cloud, a song, a satisfaction survey, or a witch about to be burned alive.
Laura Perrudin is a 2020 Grantee of Jazz & New music, a program of the FACE Foundation and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
For over 15 years, Simon Rentner has worked as a host, producer, broadcaster, web journalist, and music presenter in New York City. His career has given him the opportunity to cover a wide range of subjects, including history and culture in Africa, South America, and Europe. In particular, he is host and producer of The Checkout, a show dedicated to showcasing new music on the jazz scene in order to explore some of the best artists on the planet “from the other side of jazz.” In addition to his work in the media, he is a curator and concert producer for several New York institutions such as the Beacon Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Town Hall, and Le Poisson Rouge. In addition to The Checkout, Rentner has hosted and produced content for NPR, PRI, WGBH, and WNYC. He has also won PRINDI awards for his reporting on the WBGO Journal.
