Smile (Laura Nyro album)
Encyclopedia
Smile is the sixth music album by New York singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro
.
The album was released in early 1976 following a four-year hiatus from the music industry during which time Nyro both married and divorced and lived away from the spotlight. Her return came at a time when her chief musical rival Joni Mitchell
had ascended into the public eye with a series of successful jazz-pop albums, and as a result Nyro's popularity had waned.
The music of Smile is smooth jazz
-pop
, and Nyro was reunited with producer and arranger Charlie Calello
, who had worked with Nyro on her 1968 opus Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
.
Musically, Smile finds Nyro exploring Japanese culture
with traditional Oriental instrumentation and lyric allusions, particularly on the mildly controversial "Children of the Junks." Elsewhere, Nyro rails against the music industry ("Money") and sings of her new laidback lifestyle away from the glare of the media.
Despite her long absence, Columbia Records
had re-signed Nyro and the album became a small chart success during 1976, peaking at #60 on the Billboard 200
, then known as the Pop Albums chart. It produced Nyro's first full-band tour in 1976, which was documented the following year on the live album Season of Lights
.
Nyro married Vietnam War
veteran David Bianchini in 1972 after a whirlwind romance and spent the next three years living with him in a small town in Massachusetts
. The marriage ended after three years, during which time Nyro grew accustomed to the country life as opposed to the city life where she had recorded her first five records.
In 1975, she split from Bianchini and also suffered the trauma of the death of her mother Gilda Nigro to ovarian cancer
at the age of 49 — Nyro herself died from the same disease at the same age two decades later. She consoled herself largely by recording a new album, enlisting arranger and producer Charlie Calello
, with whom she had collaborated on Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
.
Musically, Smile begins the "mellow period" that Nyro stayed with on her studio albums for the rest of her career, although it continues her fascination with mysticism with various exotic instruments and arrangements. The title track, particularly, explores a deep flirtation with Japanese music.
The Japanese Remastered version with Bonus Tracks
Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
.
The album was released in early 1976 following a four-year hiatus from the music industry during which time Nyro both married and divorced and lived away from the spotlight. Her return came at a time when her chief musical rival Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
had ascended into the public eye with a series of successful jazz-pop albums, and as a result Nyro's popularity had waned.
The music of Smile is smooth jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, and Nyro was reunited with producer and arranger Charlie Calello
Charlie Calello
Charlie Calello is an American, singer, composer, conductor, arranger, accordionist and record producer born in Newark, New Jersey.Calello attended Newark Arts High School. and Manhattan School of Music, in New York City....
, who had worked with Nyro on her 1968 opus Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
-References:*Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External links:*[ Allmusic Laura Nyro biography entry.]**...
.
Musically, Smile finds Nyro exploring Japanese culture
Culture of Japan
The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America...
with traditional Oriental instrumentation and lyric allusions, particularly on the mildly controversial "Children of the Junks." Elsewhere, Nyro rails against the music industry ("Money") and sings of her new laidback lifestyle away from the glare of the media.
Despite her long absence, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
had re-signed Nyro and the album became a small chart success during 1976, peaking at #60 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, then known as the Pop Albums chart. It produced Nyro's first full-band tour in 1976, which was documented the following year on the live album Season of Lights
Season of Lights
Season of Lights is the first live album by New York singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro.Columbia Records issued the album in the summer of 1977, taking the songs from various locations on Nyro's 1976 tour in support of her most recent studio album, Smile...
.
Overview
After Nyro's huge burst of creativity between 1966 and 1971, when she recorded five well-received albums and well over 40 original songs, she retreated from the limelight, partly stung by her lack of major commercial success in her own right but also because of the lure of love.Nyro married Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran David Bianchini in 1972 after a whirlwind romance and spent the next three years living with him in a small town in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The marriage ended after three years, during which time Nyro grew accustomed to the country life as opposed to the city life where she had recorded her first five records.
In 1975, she split from Bianchini and also suffered the trauma of the death of her mother Gilda Nigro to ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
at the age of 49 — Nyro herself died from the same disease at the same age two decades later. She consoled herself largely by recording a new album, enlisting arranger and producer Charlie Calello
Charlie Calello
Charlie Calello is an American, singer, composer, conductor, arranger, accordionist and record producer born in Newark, New Jersey.Calello attended Newark Arts High School. and Manhattan School of Music, in New York City....
, with whom she had collaborated on Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
-References:*Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External links:*[ Allmusic Laura Nyro biography entry.]**...
.
Musically, Smile begins the "mellow period" that Nyro stayed with on her studio albums for the rest of her career, although it continues her fascination with mysticism with various exotic instruments and arrangements. The title track, particularly, explores a deep flirtation with Japanese music.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Laura Nyro; except where indicated| Title | Time |
|---|---|
| "Sexy Mama" (Al Goodman, Sylvia Robinson Sylvia Robinson Sylvia Robinson was an American singer, musician, record producer, and record label executive, most notably known for her work as founder/CEO of the hip hop label Sugar Hill Records. She is credited as the driving force behind two landmark singles in the genre... , Harry Ray) | 2:41 |
| "Children of the Junks" | 2:49 |
| "Money" | 4:59 |
| "I Am the Blues" | 5:44 |
| "Stormy Love" | 4:29 |
| "The Cat Song" | 2:34 |
| "Midnite Blue" | 3:05 |
| "Smile" | 5:36 |
The Japanese Remastered version with Bonus Tracks
- "Sexy Mama"
- "Children of the Junks"
- "Money"
- "I Am the Blues"
- "Stormy Love"
- "Cat Song"
- "Midnite Blue"
- "Smile"
- "Someone Loves You" [demo] Bonus track
- "Get Me My Cap" [demo] Bonus track
- "Coffee Morning" [demo] Bonus track
External links
- [ Allmusic Laura Nyro biography entry.]
- Laura Nyro official web site.