Anna Laura Quinn - Open the Door (2022)

With a voice rightly praised as a “well-worked instrument” whose stylings and energy “bring new vitality to classic tunes by the likes of Cole Porter and Duke Ellington,” (Holly Devon, ANTIGRAVITY Magazine) vocalist and arranger Anna Laura Quinn steps forward boldly with Open the Door, a selection of nine deeply emotive, introspective, and textured arrangements that stand as landmark tributes to how music - and the musicians and experiences she has encountered - has profoundly shaped her into the person, musician, and creator that she is today.

Freshly energized by both the knowledge gained from her Master’s degree in Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans and the rich experiential history and tradition gained from consistently performing within the city itself, Quinn sought to chronicle the development of her musicianship up to this point while simultaneously paving a way for her to step through the threshold into a future of further creative brilliance. Soon enough, Open the Door took form. With the initial recordings made in February and March 2020 and three more arrangements completed and tracked between March and July 2021, the music presented on Open the Door provides a unique microcosm into the dynamic musical and empathetic growth of an artist.

The album’s title, Open the Door, comes from a featured track of the same name and stands to solidify the concept of paying homage to Quinn’s influences – in this case Betty Carter. For Quinn, however, the significance stretches beyond mere homage; Open the Door perfectly describes what music has done in a holistic sense for her life. “The title speaks to the way that performing music has truly opened doors for me,” Quinn says. “To greater self-understanding and empowerment; to personal connection; to community; and ultimately, to the creation and cultivation of tremendous joy in my life.” After the inimitable isolation experienced in the United States and the wider world due to the lockdowns that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic, music’s ability to open doors held an even greater magnitude. “Making music and art is what propels me forward, helping me channel my feelings, know myself better, and lean into the unknown, all while nurturing my deep sense of community here in New Orleans,” Quinn says. Through the careful and intentional curation of this album’s musicians, compositions, and lyrical content, Quinn has presented an artistic statement that is distinct to her and her vision, at the crux of which stands the album’s title track. In addition to bearing witness to the power of music in Quinn’s present and past, Open the Door also marks a hope for the future. “I have worked hard and passionately to bring this music to life, and I now want to give it the chance to be heard in circles beyond those that are my own,” explains Quinn. “In the spirit of the title, I want to use this record to ‘open the door’ to the next stage of my career.”