Laurel MacDonald

The cousin of Mary Jane Lamond, Toronto-based singer and composer Laurel MacDonald has increasingly garnered acclaim on her own. MacDonald's albums -- Kiss Closed My Eyes, released in 1995, and Chroma, released in 1999, have been critical successes. While Billboard praised her songs as "densely textured and exquisitely woven", Venue Magazine claimed that MacDonald's "range is enormous, drifting to and fro between crystal clear whispers and heart-wrenching wails". According to "Earwaves", MacDonald's "music merges intelligence with intensity, melody with ambiance and universality of vision". While her vocals have inspired comparisons to Bjork and Laurie Anderson, MacDonald's songwriting skills have led to a wide variety of projects. In addition to being featured on the soundtrack of the film, The Hanging Garden, MacDonald's compositions have been used by ballet and modern dance troupes including Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Ballet British Columbia, the Bill T. Jones Dance Company of New York and the Ballet Of Opera National De Paris. Together with her creative partner Philip Strong, MacDonald co-produced Lamont's album, Suas E!. During 1998, she toured Canada and the United States with Lamont andAshley MacIsaac. Shortly after the release of Chroma, MacDonald teamed with remix masters including Bill Laswell of Transatlantic Underground for a six track album of remixes based on her single, "A Wing And A Prayer." ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide