The Water Witch

From Corner Brooker Allison Crowe's upcoming album, "Newfoundland Vinyl II", comes this stirring song of a shipwreck and brave rescue efforts that occurred on November 29, 1875.

The Water Witch, a Brigus Schooner, was heading for its home port of Cupids, Newfoundland, (the birthplace of English Canada), when it ran aground near Pouch Cove, NL in a blinding snow-storm.

The historical facts, (which flow loosely in the song on certain points), can be found online thanks to a number of resources, including:

The Pouch Cove Heritage Committee site @ http://www.pouchcoveheritage.org/waterwitch.html

“The Disaster Song Tradition” webpage @ http://disastersongs.ca/1870s-water-witch

And, with more musical history, the ever-deep riches of Gery Deugaw’s “GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador” - http://wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/01/witch.htm

“View of Pouch Cove” ca. 1900, the photograph accompanying this music, is by Robert E. Holloway and preserved by Library and Archives Canada.

There's plenty more word - and all the music - to flow in early December 2014 - once we're back from some concert fun!

Alleyluja - Happy Birthday+!!! ~ November 16

“Hallelujah – you'll never guess what happens next!” ’s’how this might be tagged if it were ‘click-bait’. Instead, it is an affectionately playful bit of fun to share on November 16 in celebration of this 33rd birthday of Allison Crowe. Simply: “Alleyluja” :)

Born in Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island and home now, for years, in Corner Brook, on the island of Newfoundland, nests that span the great expanse of Canada, Allison Crowe is singular in so many ways.

Her gifts and talents as vocalist/instrumentalist, composer, lyricist, arranger, performer and more place her among the greats of popular music.

In concert, people come for her varied repertoire of originals – favourites such as “Disease”, “There Is”, “Skeletons and Spirits”, “Crayon and Ink”, “Whether I’m Wrong” and plenty other songs she’s created since the start of a career launched professionally more than half her lifetime ago.

Loved as well, Crowe is, for her peerless interpretations – be they sea shanties of Newfoundland, or vital covers of modern classics composed by Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, the Beatles, Phil Ochs, Ani, Tori, PJ or CCs…

Hear, in this bootleg from Firenze, Italy, from a concerto at Teatro del Sale, "Alleyluja".

          

Happy Birthday, Allison Crowe!!!

Musician Allison Crowe, a true cultural great, turns 33 this November 16 - which is now in Newfoundland, Canada.

 

Here's the artist, clearly good with a line from earliest days...

 

Happy Birthday, Allison!!!

 

 

 

 

Crowe Family photo album

          

"Scared" Not

In light of our news (media reports) being full of violence against women, one of the web’s original music bloggers, Muruch, tweets: “I was just thinking about lack of anti-violence songs & wanting @Allison_Crowe to record one. I'd forgotten she already did. :)”

Among her passionate expressions of life’s dimensions, Allison’s extraordinarily diverse song catalogue speaks to themes of abusive relationships, self-harm, suicide, societal pressures, and more...

Muruch specifically highlights a song that addresses a culture of abuse, shame and silence - “Scared”: http://www.muruch.com/2014/11/allisoncrowe-scared.html

 

In the video embedded by Muruch, Allison and bandmates Dave Baird, bass, and Kevin Clevette, drums, are seen in various locations on Vancouver Island, Canada – in Nanaimo and Victoria. The video-makers, Angela Kendall and Brian Dutkewich, would later make popular videos for a Canadian duo, Tegan and Sara. (For trivia buffs: in this vid, Allison’s father, Del Crowe, happens to drive by at one point, and, Allison’s longtime manager, Adrian du Plessis, is also caught, serendipitously, walking by as he waves to Del.) The song's audio is recorded by Larry Anschell of Turtle Studios, and features 19-year-old Allison Crowe and band.

Someday at Christmas

Songs of peace and freedom and justice for all – ‘t’is always the season. Allison Crowe here gives voice to such a tune that filled the air first in 1967 with Stevie Wonder:

 

Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all.

 

Someday at Christmas

 

Composed by Ron Miller & Bryan Wells

As Performed by Allison Crowe

 

Someday at Christmas men won't be boys

playing with bombs like kids play with toys.

One warm December our hearts will see

a world where men are free.

 

Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars

when we have learned what Christmas is for -

when we have found what life's really worth

there'll be Peace on Earth.

 

Someday all our dreams will come to be

someday in a world where men are free.

Maybe not in time for you and me

but someday at Christmastime.

 

Someday at Christmas we'll see a land

with no hungry children, no empty hand.

One happy morning people will share

our world where people care.

 

Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears

all men are equal and no men have fears.

One shining moment, one prayer away

from our world today.

 

Someday all our dreams will come to be

someday in a world where men are free.

Maybe not in time for you and me

but someday at Christmastime.

 

Someday at Christmas man will not fail,

hate will be gone and love will prevail.

Someday a new world 'we can start

with hope in every heart.

 

Someday all our dreams will come to be

someday in a world where men are free.

Maybe not in time for you and me

but someday at Christmastime.

 

Visual accompaniment to this musical performance is excerpted from "Peace on Earth", the 1939 Academy Award-nominated cartoon directed by Hugh Harman.

For the Roses - Joni Mitchell Birthday Tribute

November 7 – today – we celebrate the birthday of Joni Mitchell, Renaissance woman of heart and mind.

 Joni’s “For the Roses” is performed by Allison Crowe in tribute.

Souling

Allison Crowe’s gorgeous voice brings tidings of comfort and joy with “Souling” – her 11th full album release.

 

The artist, one of our greatest living musicians, singer-songwriters and performers, has always created authentic music – free from the aural air-brush that represents so much of what is sold today as pop, rock, folk et al.

 

With her newest song set, Allison's voice is heard, again without the corporate music industry’s standard processing and effects, and wholly a cappella.

 

The songs themselves have a purity of expression – a 21st century take on music of faith and spirit – sounds and themes aired by carollers and soulers of old.

 

The fuller story is coming later this All Souls Day. Here now are the songs…

 

 

                  

Soul Cake

A treat this weekend - and a musical preview of Allison Crowe's newest album - "Souling".

Here's the first track - a traditional song for souling.

Full music and details will be shared tomorrow - Sunday, November 2 - All Soul's Day.