Season of Lights
Encyclopedia
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
. Although the album had no strict producer, Nyro is credited as the "musical director." Dale Ashby was engineer and mixer, assisted by Don Pulse and Ken Robertson.
The album was originally intended to be a double-vinyl set consisting of 16 songs, and this version was sent to some outlets as a promotional copy. Instead, Columbia released a single vinyl set of ten songs, including music from her first six studio albums. Nyro played guitar, piano, and other keyboards, and was backed by a stellar cast of musicians including John Tropea
on guitar and Carter Collins on percussion.
The laidback, easygoing jazz atmosphere of the album, which was to be expected following the smooth Smile. The album was not a huge commercial success, peaking at #137 on the Billboard 200
chart, then known as the Pop Albums chart. It was Nyro's penultimate US chart entry after a run of seven successive charting albums stretching back to 1968's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
. Her final chart entry would come in 1984.
The atmosphere of the album is laidback, smooth, and jazz-inspired. It is musically similar to the explorations on Smile, and Nyro skillfully re-arranges many songs so that they fit her new band sound rather than copying album versions, such as slowing down "Sweet Blindness" considerably or making "And When I Die" funkier.
The original vinyl LP was planned to be a double-set but a single vinyl LP was released instead. There is a Japanese import version of the full album, which features 16 songs as opposed to the standard version's ten songs.
Reissue imprint Iconoclassic Records released a remastered version of Season of Lights, including all sixteen songs plus a bonus solo version of "Timer," on CD in August 2008.
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
by New York singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro
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...
.
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...
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
Smile (Laura Nyro album)
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...
. Although the album had no strict producer, Nyro is credited as the "musical director." Dale Ashby was engineer and mixer, assisted by Don Pulse and Ken Robertson.
The album was originally intended to be a double-vinyl set consisting of 16 songs, and this version was sent to some outlets as a promotional copy. Instead, Columbia released a single vinyl set of ten songs, including music from her first six studio albums. Nyro played guitar, piano, and other keyboards, and was backed by a stellar cast of musicians including John Tropea
John Tropea
John Tropea is a guitarist with extensive experience in the rock, pop, and jazz genres. Tropea has written for and played with major recording artists from around the world...
on guitar and Carter Collins on percussion.
The laidback, easygoing jazz atmosphere of the album, which was to be expected following the smooth Smile. The album was not a huge commercial success, peaking at #137 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...
chart, then known as the Pop Albums chart. It was Nyro's penultimate US chart entry after a run of seven successive charting albums stretching back to 1968's 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.]**...
. Her final chart entry would come in 1984.
Overview
The album was recorded during Nyro's 1976 tour in support of the Smile album, which had returned her to the American pop charts. The album documents Nyro's very first full-band tour, with esteemed backing musicians. Nyro accompanied her voice on guitar and piano.The atmosphere of the album is laidback, smooth, and jazz-inspired. It is musically similar to the explorations on Smile, and Nyro skillfully re-arranges many songs so that they fit her new band sound rather than copying album versions, such as slowing down "Sweet Blindness" considerably or making "And When I Die" funkier.
The original vinyl LP was planned to be a double-set but a single vinyl LP was released instead. There is a Japanese import version of the full album, which features 16 songs as opposed to the standard version's ten songs.
Reissue imprint Iconoclassic Records released a remastered version of Season of Lights, including all sixteen songs plus a bonus solo version of "Timer," on CD in August 2008.
Track Listing (Standard Single Vinyl Version)
All tracks composed by Laura Nyro| TITLE | TIME | ORIGINAL ALBUM |
|---|---|---|
| “The Confession” | 3:11 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “And When I Die” | 4:03 | More Than A New Discovery More Than a New Discovery More Than A New Discovery is the debut album by Bronx-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro. It was recorded during 1966 and released at the beginning of the following year on the Folkways imprint of the Verve label... (1967) |
| “Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp” | 4:56 | Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Christmas and the Beads of Sweat - Personnel :-References:Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External Links:... (1970) |
| “Sweet Blindness” | 3:47 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “Captain Saint Lucifer” | 5:55 | New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry is an album by New York-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro.It was released in the autumn of 1969 on the Columbia Records label, some 18 months after its predecessor, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession. It is generally considered by rock critics and Laura Nyro... (1969) |
| “Money” | 6:04 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “The Cat Song” | 4:22 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” | 3:42 | Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Christmas and the Beads of Sweat - Personnel :-References:Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External Links:... (1970) |
| “Timer” | 6:15 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “Emmie” | 3:56 | 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.]**... (1968) |
Track Listing (Original Double-Vinyl Version)
| TITLE | TIME | ORIGINAL ALBUM |
|---|---|---|
| “Money” | 6:04 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “Sweet Lovin' Baby” | 2:20 | New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry is an album by New York-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro.It was released in the autumn of 1969 on the Columbia Records label, some 18 months after its predecessor, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession. It is generally considered by rock critics and Laura Nyro... (1969) |
| “And When I Die” | 4:03 | More Than A New Discovery More Than a New Discovery More Than A New Discovery is the debut album by Bronx-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro. It was recorded during 1966 and released at the beginning of the following year on the Folkways imprint of the Verve label... (1967) |
| “The Morning News” | 2:32 | previously unreleased |
| “Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp” | 4:56 | Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Christmas and the Beads of Sweat - Personnel :-References:Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External Links:... (1970) |
| “I Am the Blues” | 7:00 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag” | 3:42 | Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Christmas and the Beads of Sweat - Personnel :-References:Michele Kort's biography Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro -External Links:... (1970) |
| “Captain Saint Lucifer” | 5:55 | New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry New York Tendaberry is an album by New York-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro.It was released in the autumn of 1969 on the Columbia Records label, some 18 months after its predecessor, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession. It is generally considered by rock critics and Laura Nyro... (1969) |
| “Smile” | 4:07 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “Mars” | 3:24 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) - coda to "Smile" |
| “Sweet Blindness” | 3:47 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “The Cat Song” | 4:22 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |
| “Emmie” | 3:56 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “The Confession” | 3:11 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “Timer” | 6:15 | 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.]**... (1968) |
| “Midnite Blue” | 4:05 | Smile Smile (Laura Nyro album) 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... (1976) |