Laura Izibor at World Cafe Live
Laura Izibor returned to World Cafe Live on Tuesday night - on the main stage downstairs this time - to deliver an invigorating performance full of soul, with an international twist. Having been compared with Alicia Keys and opened shows for John Legend, the Roots and Aretha Franklin, the Irish-born Izibor spun tunes of unrequited, misplaced, and adoring love into a 13-song performance full of piano-built feel-good music, slow melodies, and lush coos.
Laura Izibor returned to World Cafe Live on Tuesday night - on the main stage downstairs this time - to deliver an invigorating performance full of soul, with an international twist. Having been compared with Alicia Keys and opened shows for John Legend, the Roots and Aretha Franklin, the Irish-born Izibor spun tunes of unrequited, misplaced, and adoring love into a 13-song performance full of piano-built feel-good music, slow melodies, and lush coos.
Letting the audience know that "all my songs are stories," Izibor sang hits from her pop-friendly June debut Let the Truth Be Told (currently No. 21 on Billboard's R&B/Hop-Hop chart) with an experienced fervor beyond her 22 years. Leaping into "What Would You Do?" with a razor-sharp five-piece band in tow, Izibor took a song about questioning the infinite limits of love and gave it lethal injections of bass and thump.
With delectable string arrangements by Philadelphia's own Larry Gold, Izibor blended a creamy jazz riff into "I Don't Want You Back," anchoring its a cappella ending with gentle hand claps. Influences from folk, reggae, hip-hop, and soul were perfectly woven into "Perfect World" and "Gracefully," a song not featured on the album. And the feverish delivery of "Don't Stay," dedicated to "anyone who has gone through a breakup," included all the emotional vocal intonations of a woman singing from experience.
The audience favorite "Shine," played on Grey's Anatomy, featured melodic piano-driven glides that gave new meaning to its impassioned lyrics. The moving ballad "Mmm" was lightened with a breathy delivery and finger snaps.
Once the band brought up the groove of the love anthem "From My Heart to Yours," fans were on their feet. Pausing mid-song to blend Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" into the already popular tune was a refreshing turn that demonstrated an edgy vocal prowess with a dash of the familiar.
As she dedicated the encore to the historical soulful sounds of Philadelphia with an untitled song created on the road to Philly, Izibor fans were treated to a night loaded with a melange of hits given a funky makeover, international style.