Press
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Quotes and Reviews:
"Celtic music wizard" -Minneapolis Star Tribune
"High priestess of Celtic music" -Minnesota Public Radio
"MacKenzie maintains the magic" - Sing Out!
"A performing artist of astonishing versatility, singing and playing with skill and emotion a splendid repertoire." -American Association of University Women
"Laura MacKenzie is a master of all things bellowed and blown." -Dirty Linen magazine
"MacKenzie's vocals - strong, clear and lilting - are another plus." -Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Attending a concert in which Laura appears is a treat for the ears and the eyes." -Upper Midwest Flute Association
"Laura MacKenzie is a jewel in the Twin Cities crown of Celtic players." -Irish Gazette
"MacKenzie plays an array of ancient pipes, whistles and concertina that add an unusual beauty and elegance." - Minneapolis Star Tribune
From Lifescapes (Target's in-house label), Introducing Laura....
"In my little black book of musicians and writers there's an entire page dedicated to Laura MacKenzie. Few musicians are persistent and talented enough to become accomplished at more than one instrument in a lifetime. It's common to find a great fiddle player that 'sort of" plays mandolin and guitar. Thus, 'multi-instrumentalist' has become a casual term for a musical jack-of-all-trades. Laura is a blinding exception to that trend. I have been blessed by her talents on many occasions. It doesn't seem to matter if she's playing penny whistles, wooden flutes, Scottish smallpipes, border pipes, concertina or singing; she's among the greatest talent my ears have ever heard. Through intense study her gentle spirit has gained mastery over some of the world's more difficult instruments to play. I am not alone in believing that when Laura plays she has a spirit that sings with such beauty that the audience, in the studio, in the music hall or at home listening to her CDs is blissfully kissed by enchantment." -Paul Frantzich, Executive Producer, Compass Productions
For the recordings:
"Experienced U.S. multi-instrumentalist steps out with a pair of releases...Wielding an array of whistles, pipes and concertina, she balances prodigious abilities with a maturity and overall expertise...Extremely worthwhile." -fROOTS (U.K.)
"MacKenzie maintains the magic. Her lovely soprano shines...and her piping, both Scottish smallpipes and the little heard French cornemuse, is deft. Taken together these recordings are a delight, and bring a remarkable musician to a wider audience." -Sing Out!
"On both discs the sound is crisp and the arrangements bright, and the versatile MacKenzie plays everything with grace and skill." -Dirty Linen magazine
"The sheer polish in her playing on these two recordings is very impressive....Laura and the Lads is the more lively while Evidence is the more lovely." -Green Man Review
For the CD "Laura and The Lads":
"A really enjoyable listen...it gets your feet moving from the outset - and, as with much great Celtic music, it makes you feel happy and uplifted." "A very impressive musician...an amazing array of instruments." "The input of the 'Lads' really does reinforce the excellence of MacKenzie's musicianship." -Rambles
For the CD "Evidence":
"The majority of the pieces are instrumental, showcasing MacKenzie's amazing command of a vast array of instruments. The playing and arrangements are very bright and cheery, in a calming way. They evoke images of a quiet, green forest with a waterfall....Her skill on this many instruments is staggering. This is the perfect CD to listen to on a rainy day, curled up with a nice cup of tea. It is an album that will lift the blues, calm you and transport you to a sunny, green forest. What more could you possibly want?" -Rambles
"Lovely lines and excellent wind playing." - Green Man Review
For the CD "Piper's Crow":
"This release is the premier album from Piper's Crow, a quartet that specializes in traditional material (plus sympathetic originals) from the breadth of the Celtic realm, stretching from Scotland and Ireland to Galicia and Cape Breton Island. The band's eponymous CD is a gorgeous collection of rich, haunting melodies, exhilarating jigs and reels played with rippling zeal, and songs featuring Laura MacKenzie's exquisite voice. Much of Piper's Crow's charm is derived from the sparkling interplay between the musicians, especially the exotic bagpipes and assorted wind instruments deftly wielded by MacKenzie and master piper Dick Hensold, while Zack Kline's fiddle weaves devilishly amongst them and Karen Mueller helps drive the entire business on guitar and bouzouki. This is wonderful stuff that's musically provocative while rarely failing to elicit a smile or an urge to bound about the room." -- City Pages
For the CD "The Pinery":
"A gem of a recording....this CD by master musician Dáithí Sproule and Laura MacKenzie is a beauty....some of the finest traditional music you'll hear" -- Irish American News
"Are you partial to Irish and Scottish music? Do you long for the days when great musicians and singers put out albums that were simply produced, but brilliantly played and sung? If so, you will love this recording and you'll listen to it for years to come. The selection of material is nothing short of wonderful, the vocal harmonies are perfect, and the musicianship is as good as it gets. There are no fancy effects or "Celtic" cliches to be found here, just two very talented and interesting musicians presenting great music with warmth and style." -- Randal Bays, on Amazon.com
Interview on Minnesota Public Radio, "Voices of Minnesota":
Laura was honored by Minnesota Public Radio with a feature on "Voices of Minnesota". The interview by MPR's Dan Olson, including musical interludes, can be heard right here.