Laura Ainsworth to Host NECESSARY EVIL CD Release Party Tonight at Stoney's Wine Lounge

Laura Ainsworth will host a "Necessary Evil" CD Release Party tonight, June 28, 2013, from 7pm to 11pm at Stoney's Wine Lounge, 6038 Oram Street, Dallas, TX. Call (214) 953-3067 for more information.

As the daughter of renowned saxophonist Billy Ainsworth, Laura Ainsworth grew up watching her dad accompany such legends as Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald. Her first album, "Keep It To Yourself," announced to the world that the sophisticated vocal style of the 1940s and '50s was still alive and well. Now, her second album, "Necessary Evil," extends that legacy of great music even further, and in new and exciting directions.

On the film noir-themed "Necessary Evil," Laura and her partner/producer/pianist Brian Piper (2011 Dallas Jazz Musician of the Year and leader of the Newport Jazz Beach Party spotlight group, the Brian Piper Trio) offer a collection of terrific songs from the 1920s to today, all about love. Not love as a happily-ever-after fairy tale, but love with a twist: songs of heartache, lust, infatuation, fantasy, self-delusion and all the other aspects that sometimes make it feel less like a beautiful dream than a "necessary evil." Love is presented in all its forms, from heartbreaking (Laura's gorgeous new rendition of "My Foolish Heart") to hilarious ("Just Give Me A Man").

Opening with a blast of cool, Vegas-style big band brass from a 13-piece horn section on the title cut, "Necessary Evil" runs the stylistic gamut. Snap your fingers to the irresistibly bopping "The Gentleman Is A Dope"...be enchanted by the lush, exotic world jazz reinvention of "Out Of This World"...be transported back in time with the lilting "Get Out And Get Under The Moon"...and raise a martini to the cynical AC-style anthem to female sexual empowerment, "The Lies Of Handsome Men." In the end, we realize that the only place you can always turn to for true, pure, eternal love is in the great old songs on the jukebox ("I'd Give A Dollar For A Dime").

The album concludes with the brilliant new tribute to the king of romantic standards, "Last Train To Mercerville." Accompanied by a swinging big band and Piper's genius arrangement, this track cleverly weaves together lyrical and musical references to dozens of timeless Johnny Mercer songs. It's a brand new Big Band classic for the 21st century, a natural for standards radio, and a song that Laura believes her late dad would've loved.

So hop on the train back to a time when men donned fedoras to take dames with dangerous curves to swank gin joints, to hear great music by a stunning flame-haired chanteuse who's earning worldwide airplay and gushing reviews. But don't take our word for it. Just check out what the critics had to say...

Laura Ainsworth "Necessary Evil"
(Eclectus Records ER-1002)
Street Date June 25, 2013

Brian Piper: All keyboards, John Adams: Bass, Steve Barnes: Drums and percussion, Chris McGuire: Sax solos on tracks 1, 4, 10, 12; clarinet on 5 & 8, Rodney Booth: Trumpet solo, tracks 2 & 11, Steven Story: Violin solo, track 6 , Pete Brewer: Flute solo, track 9, Big Band horns on Tracks 1 & 12: Trumpets: Jay Saunders, Keith Jourdan, Rodney Booth, Peter Clagett, Trombones: Carl Murr, Greg Waits, Simon Willate, Eric Swanson, Alto Sax: Randy Lee, Jim Pritchard Tenor Sax: Chris McGuire, Clay Pritchard Baritone Sax: Pete Brewer

1 Necessary Evil (4:06) Big Band/Jazz Radio Pick
2 One More Time (3:20) Sultry '30s jazz ballad
3 The Gentleman Is A Dope (4:17) Jazz Radio Pick
4 Just Give Me A Man (3:18) Funny cocktail jazz
5 Love Is A Dangerous Thing (3:23) Breezy swing/jazz
6 My Foolish Heart (4:34) Standards Radio Pick
7 The Lies Of Handsome Men (4:37) AC Radio Pick
8 Get Out And Get Under The Moon (3:22) '30s swing
9 Out Of This World (5:21) Exotic, Jazz Radio Pick
10 Hooray For Love (3:18) Jazz/Standards Radio Pick
11 I'd Give A Dollar For A Dime (3:28) Nostalgic ballad
12 Last Train To Mercerville (4:24) Standards Radio Pick

STREET DATE: JUNE 25, 2013 RADIO ADD DATE: JULY 1, 2013

TWITTER: @LauraAinsworth1

WEBSITE: www.lauraainsworth.com

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