“Newfoundland Vinyl” LP Readies to Set Sail

Artwork and the track listing for “Newfoundland Vinyl”, Allison Crowe’s 11th release on Rubenesque Records Ltd., is ready. The album’s music sets sail worldwide next month.

As Musical Director for Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s production of “Newfoundland Vinyl: The Flip Side” at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival, Crowe’s active now curating and arranging songs for this Summer’s cast.

It’s a rich and varied collection harvested from the island region’s popular music and oral traditions – and from which she’s culled a selection for her vinyl LP. The album’s 10 tracks traverse parlour songs to country tunes and folk favourites, songs of land and sea that share the strength and the struggles, the heartbreaks and the humour, of a people.

Recognized as one of the great modern interpreters of song, Allison Crowe’s singular performances deliver familiar and much-loved songs afresh and with renewed joy.

Coming next month, then, is Allison Crowe’s take on these songs that, over 200 years, come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador – with ageless melodies and meaning:

Black Velvet Band – lively traditional song recorded on both sides of the Atlantic, including a version by the legendary Harry Hibbs

Easy – penned by Terry Skinner and made a classic radio hit by country star Eddie Eastman

Men Who Die for a Living – Gary O’Driscoll, award-winning songwriter and producer from St. Lawrence and the South coast, wrote this potent elegy “for the miners here and gone”

Cliffs of Baccalieu – Jack Withers' sea-faring song has previously been sailed by such distinct voices as Anita Best and Stan Rogers

Skipper Billy’s Wake – songwriter Ellis Coles’ jaunty mix of moonshine, Screech and more was well popularized by Dick Nolan

Sonny’s Dream – Newfoundland’s “Man of 1000 Songs”, Ron Hynes, created this anthem of the heart and home

Tiny Red Light – a traditional Newfoundland song revitalized in the vinyl era by The Dorymen (popular east-coast combo founded by John Drake and Tom Rose - a pair of lads out of Fortune Bay communities Belleoram and Bay du Nord)

The Mobile Goat Song – composed by St. John’s Tom Cahill, frequent collaborator with “Newfoundland’s First Lady of Song”, Joan Morrissey, who released this fun romp on her 1973 LP “Home Brew”

Seven Old Ladies – a bawdy song which musically plumbs a 1700s nursery rhyme, ("Johnny's So Long at the Fair") – and a tune also recorded by the great Joan Morrissey

Sweet Forget Me Not - first published in 1877, this tender tune by Bobby Newcomb was the first single, and a vinyl hit on the mainland as well, for Cape Shore’s Eddie Coffey

Allison Crowe’s “Newfoundland Vinyl” album launches June 25, 2013.

Allison Crowe - New, Vinyl, Album This Summer

Allison Crowe has completed recording her newest album - to debut June 25, 2013. This new release, the 11th from Crowe's Rubenesque Records, is the first to be available as a vinyl LP.

Crowe reveals her inspiration - working with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, which celebrates the 18th Annual Gros Morne Theatre Festival when its season runs this year from May - September.

"I am so grateful to have been asked two years in a row to put together songs and musically direct for a show called 'Newfoundland Vinyl'. I get to work with extremely talented and fun people each Summer in a gorgeous setting - Cow Head, NL," says Allison from her home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. "From the vast and encyclopaedic sea of beautiful music to come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador, here is a collection of some of the songs from this year's show."

Music and comedy come together in this theatre production, written and directed by TNL's Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher. TNL announces: "On the heels of last year's runaway hit we present the all new 'Newfoundland Vinyl - The Flip Side!' ...the cast returns with more hits than a bagful of hammers!"

Nail more on this show and other GMTF events online now @ http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/play_Vinyl.html (and related pages). Full details on Allison Crowe's new album coming in May.

Northern Lights over Gros Morne - photo by Allison Crowe

Tonight Will Be Fine

Combining heart, soul and vision - in words, music and images - Allan Showalter, the much-loved Leonard Cohen+ blogger, presents this video:


Tonight Will Be Fine (Leonard Cohen) - Allison... by rimbaud22ca

Allison Crowe performs Leonard Cohen's song, "Tonight Will Be Fine", accompanied by images from the fabulous and free-spirited photog Billie Woods, a painting by Vienna's boki.b and pics of posters by dedicated German concert promoter "Andreas" - and North American rock poster legend Bob Masse.

And, there be a related DrHGuy blog post as well @ http://drhguy.com/2013/04/03/ten-women-singing-leonard-cohen-songs

Curtain Rises on "The Pardon"

Makers of "The Pardon" movie are rolling with news of a series of screenings slated this month for Louisiana, the location of the film's historic action.

The World Premiere happens March 13, 2013 in the Theatres at Canal Place in New Orleans. This night will be a benefit for The Eden House - a charity devoted to helping women who've been victims of human trafficking. After this special showing, the film opens on screens in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Lafayette, and Shreveport, LA on March 22, 2013. (Additional release dates tba)

"The Pardon" stars Jaime King (Sin City, Pearl Harbor and Hart of Dixie), as Toni Jo Henry, at the centre of a sensational murder trial; Academy Award nominee John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone, The Sessions, and Lincoln) as Henry’s partner-in-crime; Jason Lewis (Sex and the City and Mr. Brooks) as her husband; M.C. Gainey (Lost and Con Air) as the jailer; and T. J. Thyne (Bones) as the priest, Father Richard.

Allison Crowe's "Tidings" recording of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is heard in the film's dynamic trailer @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9yC13crc0

Curtains rising as well on a facebook page for the movie @ http://www.facebook.com/thepardonmovie

A Case of You's Blue Stroke of Genius

"Oh I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints" writes Joni Mitchell in "A Case of You" - a song reflecting on her relationship with fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen. Portugal's "reriz" is inspired to frame this cover, by yet another Canuck, with a dozen paintings of Kirk Hughey, Sante Fe, New Mexico artist now living in Paris, France.

In a palette rich with interpretations, as well as brilliant originals, here's another favourite from Allison Crowe. The original is on Joni's album "Blue". Allison's interpretation is on "This Little Bird"

No Matter the Battle + Le Voyage dans la Lune (Excerpt II)

A sequel of sorts, part deux, of Allison Crowe’s other-worldly musical adventures aboard the S.S. Méliès. Happy Valentine’s, Happy V-Day, everyone! May there be peace and love – to the Moon and back.

Going Home Tonight + Le Voyage dans la Lune (Excerpt I)

Next in our romantic double-bill, home is wherever the heart is – for musician Allison Crowe, orchestrator Kayla Schmah, and movie magician Georges Méliès and all of us aboard for the ride.