From the London's MONTHLY HERALD, October 2004 Issue

 

SOFIA LAITI OR WHAT AUTHENTIC EUROPEAN CABARET SHOULD BE

American chanteuse, Sofia Laiti's new CD "You Don't Know Me" is making a big buzz in the United States. Finally,  the American cabaret found an authentic  Cabaret Noire singer who can really portray what authentic cabaret is. The voice of Ms Laiti is the roaring whispers of an early Berlin Kabaret and 1930s Parisian Cafe-Boite. She has the feelings, style and aroma of early Paris "Annees Folles" and the drama of its artistes-coquettes. You could sense in her singing style, a story-telling genre, an intimate dialogue with the audience and a nostalgic  ambiance of a cozy but stormy French boite. Perhaps, she is the only American cabaret chanteuse who imbibes her voice with an intellectual sensuality, the flair of the risqué, and a humanistic classicism. Few performers could deliver intimacy and remain refined and  eloquently distant. Ms Laiti has this talent. Is this ability a sign of  performance excellence or  an artist dramatic-theatrical attitude. Who knows? Except Ms Laiti herself and those who try to comfort themselves  with evasive memories and  gone-with-the-wind fantasies...only to be found in the voice of this mysterious diva.  If you enjoy traditional European cabaret a La Americaine Jazz, get copy of her CD. You would treasure it for years to come. What is so special about Laiti's voice? Ask Jean Cocteau, Sacha Guitry, Piaf, Mistinguet and Josephine Baker. They know! Unfortunately, they are all dead.  But you don't have to be a Cocteau or a Guitry to realize that "You Don't Know Me"  is the pure projection and teasing mirage of what the real Parisian cabaret used to be in the twenties and the thirties. This woman is pure magic. Yet, she is not French! But, she has the intoxicating and superb  dramatic talent of a real Parisian "Grande Chanteuse". Ms Laiti projects two images: On the front face of the coin, Ms Laiti appears to us as a classy lady. On the back side of the coin, with a sensual, almost unforgivable erotically intelligent voice, she teases us and implants in our childish and troubled minds, beautiful sins and daring thoughts. For, that extremely inviting voice of hers is sinfully  captivating and simplistically melodramatic. Such vocal virtuosity could only come from a woman who knows life and  understands how a song should echo life's sorrow and happiness. Sofia Laiti is a world-class singer. And "You Don't Know Me" is a sublime cabaret music gift. Buy it.

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READ WHAT: WHAT THE CRITICS WROTE AND SAID ABOUT SOFIA LAITI.