Allison
Crowe’s “Tidings” repertoire unites traditional tunes, carols and hymns, with
sounds of rock, jazz, folk, Celtic and soul to celebrate “music for the season
and all time”. On Day 4 of her Musical Advent Calendar, we join Allison and
band in the parlour for “Now I’m 64”:
“River” flows this third Day on our Musical Advent Calendar. Composed by Joni Mitchell, supreme artist of heart and mind, here it’s explored
by Allison Crowe, another Scorpio from the North, on this track on “Tidings” (http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/tidings)
Each day through Christmas a new music video link to savour,
songs sacred and secular, traditional to modern, will open @ http://allisoncrowe.com/news.html
Day 2 on Allison Crowe’s Musical Advent Calendar opens “Soul
Cake” -
another favourite from the musician’s all a cappella collection, “Souling”.
Each day through Christmas a new music video link to savour, songs sacred and
secular, traditional to modern, will open @ http://allisoncrowe.com/news.html
Musical Advent Calendar: November 27 - December 25
Each day through Christmas
another music video link will open - click on each
image to enjoy the music there revealed and shared.
"Best of this season and of
all the seasons to everyone near and far... may the
New Year and those years to come bring you joy,
contentment, the best of what you want, and the
clarity of who you are..." ~ Allison
~ Peace on earth, goodwill
toward all ~
Images courtesy: The
Graphics Fairy + band fotos by Billie Woods &
Stephen Drover+
Capping a sensational year - concert tours in
Europe and Canada for her 20th international record
release - being home this week and part of “A
Beary Merry Christmas” festivities at the Arts
and Culture Centre heralds a joyous holiday season
for Allison Crowe. Before stockings are hung by the
chimney with care the Corner Brook musician rejoins
her mates at Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador
to load up the sleigh with still more
delights.
In 2016 Crowe helmed her fifth Summer as Musical
Director of TNL’s much-loved “Newfoundland
Vinyl” – performing, too, on-stage in “Vinyl”
and with the ensemble of “Neddy Norris Night”,
a traditional music hit at the Gros Morne
Theatre Festival in Cow Head. Crowe’s now MD
for “Ed & Ed’s Newfoundland Christmas Concert” which delivers
Yuletide spirit to the ACC CB from December 1st –
4th. Hosted by three wise-cracking charmers, Ed, Ed
& Edna, TNL’s old-tyme revue bundles
fashion, fortunes-told, and an original Mummer’s
Play into family-friendly fun - skits, songs,
carols, even a sing-along:
http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/shows/ed-eds-newfoundland-christmas-concert
Peals of merriment will be echoing from “Ed and
Ed’s” encampment, (of the weekend prior), when
Allison Crowe enlivens the ACC stage on Saturday,
December 10th (8pm start) for her annual “Tidings”
concert. Invigorating songs of Newfoundland and
from o’er the sea flow freely, tapped alongside
barrels of the singer-songwriter’s own compositions
and cherished carols.
It’s a thrilling blend of rock, jazz, folk, Celtic
and soul that Allison Crowe pours out in song.
Crowe (vocals, piano, guitar, fiddle & bodhran) is
sure to be joined by surprise musical guests for a
singular night of celebration sharing timeless
carols, vital originals and fresh takes on trad
tunes spanning centuries as well as modern
classics. “Be prepared to be amazed.”
On a "Tidings" concert tour, Canadian
musician Allison Crowe began performing "Mary"
- this song composed by Patty Griffin, the sublime
singer-songwriter from Old Town, Maine, USA.
(Allison fell in love with the song when US
cable television program "Sons of Anarchy"
featured it in its Season two episode "Balm".)
The New Year kicking in, Crowe pulled her piano
stool over to the kitchen table, sat down and
recorded a version simple and true. We have this
live recording, too -
unadorned, as well,
save for by honesty:
Comfortable, soft, heather grey, unisex tees in two
beautiful designs – in S, M, L, XL, and 2XL sizes.
Fuller info on each site (NB Bandcamp
shopping is US currency, Allison’s homesite is CDN
currency.)
Allison Crowe t-shirts
are now available - in beautiful designs created by
Allison and cellist LIN
Musical wonder woman Allison Crowe's flown
coast-to-coast across Canada now, and the lasso
of truth promises to circle the globe, all in
good time :)
Musicians
Sarah White, LIN, and
Dave Baird gave their all on Allison Crowe
and Band's "Heirs+Grievances" tour.
The first North American leg is now a wrap -
and it's time all are home for a rest. New
musical stirrings await.
"Anything I do sing, it's part of my
life," said Billie Holiday, whose supreme voice is
captured on recordings from last century. The same
is true for Allison Crowe, a great voice alive
today.
“Secrets (That Aren’t My Own)” – on
Allison and Band’s debut double-album,
“Introducing / Heirs+ Grievances” –
features Allison’s vocals and
piano-playing, accompanied by cellist
LIN:
With, both, “Cover Me” and “Coverville”,
a pair of the world’s premiere homes for lovers of
cover songs, sending birthday wishes to Allison
Crowe today, it’s an invitation to explore the
artist’s body of interpretive work. All music can
be found linked via the “ABC List” @
http://www.allisoncrowe.com/ABC.html
A supreme interpreter and arranger of songs -
traditional, Celtic, jazz, Broadway, hymns, carols
and aires – Crowe’s famed for her renewal of
popular songs – including those first penned by
Canadian icons Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, and
Atlantic coast treasures Gary O’Driscoll, Al
Pittman / Ron Hynes, Wince Coles, Harry Hibbs+,
alongside tunes from The Beatles, Pearl Jam, Tori
Amos, Ani DiFranco,Counting Crows, Lovin’ Spoonful,
Phil Ochs, Annie Lennox, Radiohead, Ronnie Shannon,
Patty Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, the Rolling
Stones and more.
In this rich and varied repertoire, each of Crowe’s
singular performances is a favourite.
Having just come off the road with Allison Crowe
and Band – during our travels we learned of Leonard
Cohen’s passing. Tonight, his manager released
these details:
Allison Crowe, together with countless people all
over our world, shares a special bond with the bard
“born with the gift of a golden voice”. This
relationship intertwines with the DNA of Leonard
Cohen songs – among those in her repertoire is his
universal “Hallelujah”. Of this, “Cover
Me” founder and editor Ray Padgett opines:
“Born in British Columbia, Crowe has amassed a
loyal following in Canada and Europe. The
songwriter’s songwriter pure tones sound like a
bell, no show-off acrobatics necessary. The amazing
thing isn’t just that she performs the best version
of Leonard Cohen‘s oft-covered ‘Hallelujah’
(sorry Jeff); the amazing thing is that she does so
using the same solo piano style that everyone else
does. There’s nothing particularly creative about
it; her voice is just that good! So throw all those
other ‘sensitive’ covers. This one’s the keeper.”
The blog 'anacronyms' says:“Crowe's
version is a living thing, a meditation and a
celebration and a benediction."
Thank you, sincerely, L. Cohen. We have the music.
"For today’s ep, I tried to pick L.Cohen covers I
haven’t played before. But you should check out
covers by @allisoncrowe22 - I’ve played all...
Would help if I got that Twitter account right!
@Allison_Crowe - and it’s her birthday today! Check
out her amazing L Cohen covers!... She does a
beautiful Hallelujah, Chelsea Hotel
No. 2, Bird on a Wire and Famous
Blue Raincoat. All great."
https://twitter.com/Coverville/status/798998064635793410
And here's Allison's take on L. Cohen's "Joan
of Arc":
Today - November 16 - marks the birthday of the
great musical artist, Allison Crowe. Celebrated as
an original songwriter and performer in popular
music genres, Allison's song interpretations are
also globally loved. "Cover
Me" tweets in appreciation, reprising this
Spotlight from the blog’s founding editor, Ray
Padgett @
http://www.covermesongs.com/2010/07/in-the-spotlight-allison-crowe.html
“There are some voices that speak (or sing) for
themselves. You know the ones. Voices where it
doesn’t matter what they sing. Voices where it
doesn’t really matter what instruments support
them. Solomon Burke has such a voice. Jeff Buckley
had it. Allison Crowe has it too...”
