Naomi LaViolette Pianist from Portland, OR

Portland, Oregon-based songwriter, pianist and vocalist Naomi LaViolette has found her niche between retro-style grooves and cool pop. Whether it be as a solo musician or with her band, she can make you want to groove and dance, or provide the right vibe for listening, relaxing and mingling with friends. She plays and sings everything from classical to R&B, so she just may be the PERFECT fit for your next event. LaViolette's smooth vocals span the sultry blues of Norah Jones to the ambience of Sarah McLachlan, and her inclusion of both vintage and current keyboard sounds are reminiscent of both the funky rhythms of Billy Preston and classic folk-rock of Carole King. Her songs tell stories of falling in love, life lessons and heartbreak, while striking a distinctive balance between sweet flirtation, soul-searching and gratitude. Her artistic and authentic live performance, whether solo or with a band, is an intimate and inspiring experience. LaViolette released her first solo record, self-titled Naomi LaViolette in March 2012, a holiday single Noel in December 2012, and an EP entitled You've Got Me in October 2013. LaViolette's music has received great review and critical acclaim from media including Oregon Music News, The Oregonian, The Portland Tribune, Willamette Week, KATU's AM Northwest, KINK.fm, and KMHD.fm. She is praised for her original music and balanced combination of chops and lyricism. LaViolette has opened for national and international artists, performed at esteemed venues and festivals including the Portland Jazz Festival, Jimmy Mak's, the Doug Fir Lounge, the Alberta Rose Theater, and The Bite of Oregon, and is the pianist for the Oregon Repertory Singers. LaViolette's roots are deep in classical music—she has a master's degree in classical piano performance—but she has also immersed herself in jazz standards, folk songs, soul, pop and gospel. All these influences give her music a variety of moods and styles for listeners to enjoy. LaViolette is often commissioned to write songs for various outlets, provide arrangements of her music for other musical groups, and is an in-demand session player and performer. Testimonials: "We had Naomi play a house party recently and she was fantastic! She seamlessly blended original music, with Jazz classics and original music in her signature style. For those who wanted to sit and enjoy the music, it was entertaining and engaging. And for those elsewhere in the house enjoying other activities or conversations, it served as very rich background music. Naomi s a gem and it won't be long before her talents become known on a national level, so book your event with her now, while you still can!" Jen Davis, Private house party client "Portland songstress Naomi LaViolette populates the same region as piano-soulsters Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones. She hones a lovelorn voice that is at once ethereal and grounded. It's a style not often heard in the realm of indie rock, making hers a rare breed of songwriting." AP Kryza, Willamette Week "Her voice is HER VOICE. Warm, lush, and perfectly delicious. Classically trained, and at the same time real and down to earth." Alaya Wyndham-Price, Oregon Music News "Amazingly powerful with a subtlety that really soars." Steve Pringle, KINK.fm "Naomi's music is intimate, welcoming, and cozy. In the moment. This debut album is full of unexpected textures and turns. Both in the instrumentation (strings!) and dynamics..The lyrics evoke one's own experience but through a Naomi-lense. Which is a wonderful way to view life. Familiar somehow, because we've all been there, in relationship, and small moments of life. Naomi often suggests in her songs, to love her for who she is. To make a commitment. I do!" Inessa, KINK.fm "Pianist-vocalist Naomi LaViolette is a lyrical musician who knows how to string together the perfect run of notes, just enough to show you she's got chops, on the keys or in her voice, but not so many that she overwhelms the beauty of a melody." Rob Cullivan, The Portland Tribune "Saying Naomi is a good musician doesn't mean that it stops at being a great singer, or skilled at her instrument. She understands how the 'nuts and bolts' of music fit together. It made communicating creative ideas easier with everyone involved, as well as stretching our imaginations for where the production might land. She came to me without 'fences' around her songs, and loved experimenting with 'new colors' of sound. Her songwriting is 'in the moment', personal in a way that makes you feel like you've been there before too. If Sarah McLachlan and Madeleine Peyroux took a road trip down the rocky shores of the Oregon Coast, they'd come back with songs like this." Dean Baskerville, Fringe Creative Group