Hoewel onder meer The 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night en Barbra Streisand grote hits scoorden met haar composities, heeft het veel te lang geduurd voordat Laura Nyro de brede erkenning kreeg die ze verdiende. Nog steeds wordt ze niet in één adem genoemd met collega's als Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush en Elton John, terwijl die toch allen aan haar schatplichtig zijn. Gelukkig is het tij de laatste jaren aan het keren, niet in de laatste plaats omdat ook allerlei hedendaagse artiesten, van St Vincent tot Jenny Lewis, haar als inspiratiebron noemen. Hoe ver haar invloed op de popmuziek reikt blijkt ook wel uit het feit dat ook rockers als Alice Cooper en Paul Stanley regelmatig haar lof bezingen. Tussen 1966 en haar voortijdig overlijden in 1997 nam Laura Nyro tien studioalbums op, waaronder inmiddels erkende meesterwerken als Eli And The Thirteenth Confession en New York Tendaberry. Niet al haar albums zijn makkelijk te vinden en dat is jammer, want deze werkelijk schitterende en zeer omvangrijke box onderstreept weer eens hoeveel moois deze volstrekt unieke artiest nog meer heeft gemaakt, tot en met haar laatste albums toe. De 19 schijven bevatten haar complete oeuvre, aangevuld met niet eerder verschenen live-albums en rarities, plus een liefdevol boekwerkje. Misschien wat veel voor de beginner, maar geen enkele schijf in deze box is overbodig. (Marco van Ravenhorst)
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Goodbye Joe (Mono)
2. Billy's Blues (Mono)
3. And When I Die (Mono)
4. Stoney End (Mono)
5. Lazy Susan (Mono)
6. Hands Off The Man (Mono)
7. Wedding Bell Blues (Mono)
8. Buy And Sell (Mono)
9. He's A Runner (Mono)
10. Blowin' Away (Mono)
11. I Never Meant To Hurt You (Mono)
12. California Shoe-Shine Boys (Mono)
13. Goodbye Joe (Stereo)
14. Billy's Blues (Stereo)
15. And When I Die (Stereo)
16. Stoney End (Stereo)
17. Lazy Susan (Stereo)
18. Hands Off The Man (Stereo)
19. Wadding Bells Blues (Stereo)
20. Buy And Sell (Stereo)
21. He's A Runner (Stereo)
22. Blowing Away (Stereo)
23. I Never Meant To Hurt You (Stereo)
24. California Shoe-Shine Boys (Stereo)
Disc 2
1. Luckie (Mono)
2. Lu (Mono)
3. Sweet Blindness (Mono)
4. Poverty Train (Mono)
5. Lonely Woman (Mono)
6. Eli's Coming' (Mono)
7. Timer (Mono)
8. Stoned Soul Picnic (Mono)
9. Emmie (Mono)
10. Woman's Blues (Mono)
11. Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe) (Mono)
12. December's Boudoir (Mono)
13. The Confession (Mono)
Disc 3
1. Luckie (Stereo)
2. Lu (Stereo)
3. Sweet Blindness (Stereo)
4. Poverty Train (Stereo)
5. Lonely Woman (Stereo)
6. Eli's Comin' (Stereo)
7. Timer (Stereo)
8. Stoned Soul Picnic (Stereo)
9. Emmie (Stereo)
10. Woman's Blues (Stereo)
11. Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe) (Stereo)
12. December's Boudoir (Stereo)
13. The Confession (Stereo)
Disc 4
1. You Don't Love Me When I Cry
2. Captain For Dark Mornings
3. Tom Cat Goodby
4. Mercy On Broadway
5. Save The Country
6. Gibsom Street
7. Time And Love
8. The Man Who Sends Me Home
9. Sweet Lovin' Baby
10. Captain Saint Lucifer
11. New York Tendaberry
Disc 5
1. Brown Earth
2. When I Was A Freeport And You Were The Main Drag
3. Blackpatch
4. Been On A Train
5. Up On The Roof
6. Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp
7. Map To The Treasure
8. Beads Of Sweat
9. Christmas In My Soul
Disc 6
1. I Met Him On A Sunday
2. The Bells
3. Monkey Time / Dancing In The Street
4. Desiree
5. You've Really Got A Hold On Me
6. Spanish Harlem
7. Jimmy Mack
8. Wind
9. Nowhere To Run
10. It's Gonna Take A Miracle
Disc 7
1. Sexy Mama
2. Children Of The Junks
3. Money
4. I Am The Blues
5. Stormy Love
6. The Cat-Song
7. Midnite Blue
8. Smile
Disc 8
1. Mr. Blue (The Song Of Communications)
2. Rhythm & Blues
3. My Innocence
4. Crazy Love
5. American Dreamer
6. Springblown
7. The Sweet Sky
8. Light-Pop's Principle
9. Child In A Universe
10. The Nest
11. Emmie / The Nest
Disc 9
1. To A Child...
2. The Right To Vote
3. A Wilderness
4. Melody In The Sky
5. Late For Love
6. A Free Thinker
7. Man In The Moon
8. Talk To A Green Tree
9. Trees Of The Ages
10. The Brighter Song
11. Roadnotes
12. Sophia
13. Mother's Spiritual
14. Refrain
Disc 10
1. Oh Yeah Maybe Baby (The Heebie Jeebies)
2. A Woman Of The World
3. The Descent Of Luna Rose
4. Art Of Love
5. Lite A Flame (The Animal Rights Song)
6. Louise's Church
7. Broken Rainbow
8. Walk The Dog & Light The Light (Song Of The Road)
9. To A Child
10. I'm So Proud / Dedicated To The One I Love
Disc 11
1. Angel In The Dark
2. Triple Goddess Twilight
3. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
4. He Was Too Good To Me
5. Sweet Dream Fade
6. Serious Playground
7. Be Aware
8. Let It Be Me
9. Gardenia Talk
10. Ooh Baby, Baby
11. Embraceable You
12. La La Means I Love You
13. Walk On By
14. Animal Grace
15. Don't Hurt Child
16. Coda / Come And Get These Memories
Disc 12
1. American Dove
2. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing / A Natural Woman
3. Spanish Harlem
4. I Am The Blues
5. Walk On By / Dancing In The Street
6. Emmie
7. Map To The Treasure
8. Christmas In My Soul
9. Save The Country
10. Timer / O-O-H Child / Up On The Roof
11. Lu / Flim Flam Man
12. Mother Earth
Disc 13
1. Money
2. Sweet Lovin' Baby
3. And When I Die
4. The Morning News
5. Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp
6. I Am The Blues
7. When I Was A Freeport And You Were The Main Drag
8. Captain St. Lucifer
9. Smile
10. Mars
11. Sweet Blindness
12. The Cat-Song
13. Emmie
14. The Confession
15. Timer
16. Midnite Blue
17. Timer
18. Emmie
Disc 14
1. Oh Yeah Maybe Baby (The Heebie Jeebies)
2. Dedicated To The One I Love
3. The Wind
4. Lite A Flame (The Animal Rights Song)
5. Walk The Dog & Light The Light (Song Of The Road)
6. To A Child
7. And When I Die
8. Japanese Restaurant Song
9. My Innocence / Sophia
10. Wedding Bell Blues
11. Art Of Love
12. Emmie
13. Let It Be Me
Disc 15
1. Dedicated To The One I Love (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
2. A Woman Of The World (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
3. Gardenia Talk (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
4. Save The Country (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
5. Oh Yeah Maybe Baby (The Heebie Jeebies) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
6. Lite A Flame (The Animal Rights Song) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
7. Walk The Dog & Light The Light (Song Of The Road) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th Ap
8. Japanese Restaurant (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
9. To A Child (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
10. The Descent Of Luna Rosie (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
11. Broken Rainbow (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
12. And When I Die (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
13. The Wild World (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
14. Louise's Church (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
15. The Wind (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
16. Blowin' Away (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
17. Trees Of The Ages (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
18. Emmie (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
19. It's Gonna Take A Miracle / O00 Baby Baby (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994
20. Let It Be Me (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 28Th April 1994)
Disc 16
1. Dedicated To The One I Love (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
2. A Woman Of The World (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
3. Gardenia Talk (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
4. Save The Country (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
5. Oh Yeah Maybe Baby (The Heebie Jeebies) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
6. Lite A Flame (The Animal Rights Song) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
7. Walk The Dog & Light The Light (Song Of The Road) (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May
8. Japanese Restaurant (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
9. To A Child (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
10. The Descent Of Luna Rose (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
11. Broken Rainbow (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
12. The Wild World (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
13. Louise's Church (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
14. The Wind (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
15. Blowin' Away / Wedding Bell Blues (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
16. Trees Of Ages / Emmie (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
17. It's Gonna Take A Miracle / Ooo Baby Baby (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
18. Let It Be Me (Live In San Francisco Fairmont Hotel 7Th May 1994)
Disc 17
1. Angel In The Dark (Live The Loom's Desire)
2. Gardenia Talk (Live The Loom's Desire)
3. Save The Country (Live The Loom's Desire)
4. Louise's Church (Live The Loom's Desire)
5. Wild World (Live The Loom's Desire)
6. A Woman Of The World (Live The Loom's Desire)
7. The Descent Of Luna Rose (Live The Loom's Desire)
8. Broken Rainbow (Live The Loom's Desire)
9. Blowin' Away / Wedding Bell Blues (Live The Loom's Desire)
10. Trees Of The Ages / Emmie (Live The Loom's Desire)
11. Ooh Baby, Baby (Live The Loom's Desire)
Disc 18
1. And When I Die
2. Lazy Susan (False Start)
3. Enough Of You
4. In And Out
5. Go Find The Moon
6. Luckie (Studio Talk)
7. When Sunny Gets Blue (Fragment) / Kansas City (Fragment) / I Only Want To Be With You (Fragment
