Aretha and the Music

Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul”, exits this passing show – and we have the music.

“It’s funny about music… music is like… music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel… through music… Whew… you can feel the vibrations of everybody in the world at any given moment,” noted Nina Simone, the “High Priestess of Soul”.

Celebrating, communicating, commemorating, through music. Paying tribute, the way she does, here’s Allison Crowe with “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”, the Ronnie Shannon-composed song that’s the breakout hit for Aretha in 1967.

"Why Music? Why Breathing?" The Celtic Music Fan Reviews Allison Crowe and Band's Debut

“I have not heard of anyone who sings with the vulnerability or childhood innocence and the piercing intensity of Edith Piaf the way she does, well at least not in this lifetime,” says writer/editor Baxter Labatos, founder of “The Celtic Music Fan”, in a review of Allison Crowe and Band’s debut. “It is quite amazing how she can do so many things with her voice. She’s a woman with a guitar who belts out like Aretha Franklin, a bodhran player with soul in her heart and, yes, a pianist with the grace of a classical performer.”

Of “Introducing / Heirs+Grievances”, the double-disc now coming to North American audiences in concert, the percipient international blogger sums up: “The powerful voice and instrumental prowess will delight fans and new converts of Allison Crowe’s artistic genius.”

Enjoy the full review – and the music @
https://celticmusicfan.wordpress.com/2016/10/05/why-music-why-breathing-the-allison-crowe-band-cd 

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

Tides of relationships toss things adrift in this Fleischer Studios 1933 animated short, “Is My Palm Read”, starring Betty Boop and pals, Bimbo the Dog and Koko the Clown.

The song “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” was composed by Ronnie Shannon - specifically for Aretha Franklin for whom it became a breakout hit in 1967. He also wrote “Baby I Love You”, Aretha’s second gold song – released later in ’67 – as well as penning “Do Your Duty” for Bettye LaVette and other classics.

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Allison’s Crowe's recording of “I Never Loved a Man” – now on "Sylvan Hour" - is captured live-off-the-floor, by engineer/producer Ryan Adams, in the log-home, “sylvan castle”, of friends on Salt Spring Island, Canada.

“Hello all, the young lady did a jam up job on the song, Ronnie Shannon would have loved it," says the songwriter's friend, LaJay Alexander, with respect to Allison's performance.

Alexander and Shannon performed together in the Detroit soul combo “Ron and LaJay and the Fifth Proposition” and LaJay recorded the international hit, “Say So” for Shannon's r’n’b, soul, funk+ label, Black Gold, in the 1970s. Alexander notes that Shannon “is no longer with us, he passed away 2/9/09 in his home town Atlanta, Georgia.”

Sylvan Hour Nears

“Sylvan Hour” arrives this Friday - May 1. Here’s the album’s front and back covers - and some word on a classic song collection:

 

 

Discover this music from a remarkable artist at a personal and creative crossroads in her life. “Sylvan Hour” is an album of songs bridging west and east, piano and guitar, then and now…

 

For fans of Allison Crowe at her purest, this is voice, one accompanying instrument – one take. Real-time performances in the sequence they’re played and sung by Allison in a log-home on Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada.

 

That afternoon the musician was in the midst of migrating from her birthplace of Nanaimo, BC, on Canada’s Pacific, to a new nest in Corner Brook, NL, on the Atlantic coast. Soon to fly east, Crowe bade farewell to those near and dear on western shores – including compatriot Kayla Schmah on Salt Spring, neighbouring Vancouver Island.

 

Decades earlier Schmah’s parents had made an epic trek to the Pacific Northwest from Central Canada – in a repurposed donut truck. Planting themselves in the Gulf Islands archipelago, they lived at first in a converted parachute in the woods. From the ground up the home-steaders then built a family dwelling out of Douglas Fir – their “sylvan castle”.

 

Allison and Kayla, as musicians had shared stages together from their teens onward (and, years later, becoming a film-scorer in Hollywood, Schmah brilliantly orchestrated and produced Crowe’s album “Spiral”.) Among the friends together on SSI this day was Ryan Adams (who, like Schmah was a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music and was en route to becoming an in-demand tv/film audio engineer in Los Angeles).

 

With mics and a laptop set-up in the living-room, Adams captured this set of the newest songs in Allison’s repertoire – originals including “Skeletons and Spirits”, “Running”, and “Silence” as well as a trio of covers (interpreting songs famously by Joni Mitchell, The Lovin' Spoonful and Aretha Franklin).

 

Also gorgeous, but differently so, essentially group versions of most of these songs were released near the end of that same year (2006) on Allison Crowe’s album “This Little Bird” (the title track a celebration of her migration). “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” is the sole sylvan session recording released before – it’s presented now within the full hour of music for all time.

 

Enjoy this most natural of talents – in this most natural of settings.

 

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

The magic’s in the music and the music’s in Allison Crowe – passionately delivered here through “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”.

“Hello all the young lady did a jam up job on the song, Ronnie Shannon would have loved it,” says LaJay Alexander, fellow musician and good friend of the songwriter. Alexander notes that Shannon “is no longer with us, he passed away 2/9/09 in his home town Atlanta Georgia.”

Ronnie Shannon wrote this song specifically for Aretha Franklin for whom it became a breakout hit in 1967. He also wrote “Baby I Love You”, Aretha’s second gold song – released later in ’67 – as well as penning “Do Your Duty” for Bettye LaVette and other classics. Alexander and Shannon performed together in the Detroit soul combo “Ron and LaJay and the Fifth Proposition” and LaJay recorded the international hit, “Say So” for Shannon's r’n’b, soul, funk+ label, Black Gold, in the 1970s.

Allison’s recording of “I Never Loved a Man” is on her album “This Little Bird” - http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/i-never-loved-a-man-the-way-i-love-you - it’s captured live-off-the-floor, by engineer/producer Ryan Adams, in the living room of a friend’s log-home on Salt Spring Island, Canada. Further exciting sounds from this remarkable live session in the “sylvan castle” of SSI’s Schmah family - coming very soon.

This Valentine's week+ we can all share in this musical love and legacy.

I Never Loved a Man... ~ Allison Crowe's "Tidings Concert" (encore song 3)

Passion is all seasons. Allison Crowe - an encore song from "Tidings Concert".

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You): V Day Playlist #6 of 7

Many of Allison Crowe's releases are akin to modern-day field-recordings - with a naturalness absent from popular music for decades. Here, visiting a friend's log-home on Salt Spring Island, Canada, she takes a seat at the piano and performs, in a single, first, take, a blues song by Ronnie Shannon - that which became a break-through hit for Aretha Franklin in 1967.

LaJay Alexander, friend to the late songwriter, and an artist who recorded "Say So" for Shannon's blues, soul, funk+ label, Black Gold Records, generously posts: "Hello all, the young lady did a jam up job on the song, Ronnie Shannon would have loved it":

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

Allison Crowe interprets Ronnie Shannon's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - a breakout hit for Aretha Franklin in 1967. Allison "nails it just as good as the Queen of Soul herself. Her piano playing is equally exquisite," says Bob Muller, curator of cover songs @ JoniMitchell.com 1 Heck of a Guy's Allan Showalter calls Allison's "the most provocative and seductive (forgive me, Aretha) take I've heard".

Happy Valentine's

There is love in the air - as there should always be! Here, now, is some vintage emotion from Allison Crowe.



This is the version of "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" from Allison's "This Little Bird" album. It's the song which brought Aretha Franklin to a big audience 44 years ago. And two hearts still beat as one :)

The lovely Valentine image is courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com

Tidings Time for One of Today's Greats: Musician Allison Crowe

Allison Crowe’s recent concert tour of continental Europe again reveals her as one of the great popular musicians of the modern era. Playing for audiences in Germany, Holland, France, Austria and Italy, Crowe, possibly the world’s most independent recording artist, shares a joy of music and a personality that is wild as the wind.

Talent today can matter more than it has for decades and few, if any, performers in rock or pop music demonstrate that reality more abundantly than does the singer-songwriter whose Canadian home stretches from Nanaimo, British Columbia to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada.

Along with releasing seven albums/CDs containing original song-writing of a singular range and quality, this century Allison Crowe has earned a reputation for her gorgeous voice, and unique ability to viscerally communicate emotion without sentimentality.

Crowe’s honest approach serves well, too, in making her, not only an uniquely exciting songwriter and live performer, combining voice, piano and guitar, but, at the same time, a peerless interpreter of a most varied songbook.

Upon her return to Canada from Europe, "Cover Me" blog's Editor-in-Chief Ray Padgett, (SPIN, Consequence of Sound, Mashable and more), premieres Allison Crowe's take on Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart - Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams"

In the accompanying article, "Allison Crowe Shows Us What 'Sweet Dreams' Are Made Of…", writer Eric Garneau says of Crowe's bare take on the song: "She delivers a reading on this '80s mainstay at once beautifully melodious and ferociously in-your-face."

Allison Crowe being a rock musician - well, what was called rock in the '60s - she really enjoys, but doesn't replicate, the sounds of the original's pop sensibility. She strips things to their emotional core.

"1 Heck of a Guy", a blog renowned for its witty reportage on Leonard Cohen, shines a light on Allison Crowe's "alchemy" in covering songs - saying:

"Allison, whose covers include not only outstanding versions of Joni Mitchell’s 'River' and 'A Case of You,' Leonard Cohen’s 'Hallelujah,' 'The Beatles’ 'In My Life' and 'Let It Be,' Lennon’s 'Imagine,' and Cyndi Lauper’s 'Time After Time,' but also the most provocative and seductive (forgive me, Aretha) take I’ve heard on Ronnie Shannon’s 'I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You).' And, I stand by my conviction that Allison Crowe is the best thing to happen to 'Me And Bobby McGee' since Janis Joplin changed Kristofferson’s lyrics."

News of this latest cover magic has spread to the MTV blog: "Allison Crowe Strips Down Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams' " – and the site which has been serving 'Sweet Dreams' to devoted Eurythmics fans since 1999 - ethrillnet

Allan Showalter’s “1 Heck of a Guy” includes a link to this YouTube audio with pic.

It’s been only a few months since “Cover Me” first shared its discovery of Allison Crowe’s interpretations, including her version of “Hallelujah”. In the years since Crowe recorded the song for her “Tidings” CD, it’s been covered by more than 200 acts – from cult-type faves in various genres, such as Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, and folkie Kathryn Williams, to mainstream crooners kd lang, Susan Boyle, Justin Timberlake w. Matt Morris, and more. It’s been adopted by Simon Cowell and the Idol/X Factor/Got Talent et al franchises.

The remarkable harvest of “Hallelujah” recordings, and the Olympian marketing exercises that attend some releases of the song, add to the stature of Crowe’s single/first take interpretation. Says music journalist Padgett: “The songwriter’s 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.”

It’s coming on Christmas, and for Allison Crowe, this means a “Tidings” concert tour. It’s time to stir together traditional Christmas carols and holiday favourites with an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, gospel and soul. "Be prepared to be amazed," chimes ChristmasReviews.com "Music for the season and all time."

Allison Crowe’s Canadian Tidings Concert 2010 Tour dates:

Nov. 25 - Campbell River, BC: St. Peter’s Anglican Church – w. the Campbell River Children’s Choir – to aid CR Food Bank & the Hospice Society
Nov. 27 – Gibsons, BC: Heritage Playhouse Theatre – w. Ellisa Hartman
Dec. 3 – Ladysmith, BC: Ladysmith First United Church – w. Lena Birtwistle
Dec. 4 – Victoria, BC: Fairfield United Church – w. Bob Benvenuti – to aid Artemis Place & HepCBC
Dec. 10 - Gabriola Island, BC: The Haven
Dec. 11 – Nanaimo, BC: St. Andrew’s United Church – w. Hayley Read, Kiana Smith, Mathew Walker, Taylor Manns, Brynn Newman, Chelsea Peckett, Emily Blake, Kevin Patton & “Maestro” Rick Becker – to aid The Mind’s Eye &
Woodlands SS Band & Basketball programs
Dec. 17 – Corner Brook, NL: Corner Brook First United Church

Full details on these shows will be announced next week on Allison's website.

Here’s to peace on earth, goodwill toward all.

Allison Crowe: Making Music for All to Love

"All things pass away... love and music last forever" ~ Gaelic saying.

Allison Crowe's raw concert video of "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" ) recently joined Oscar and Grammy-winner Jennifer Hudson's version in views on YouTube. "Sexpert" Susie Bright, pioneering feminist writer, teacher, activist, (co-founder of "On Our Backs" and familiar even from playing herself in an episode of HBO's "Six Feet Under"), places the song, the break-through hit for Aretha Franklin, at the top of the list of "straight" love songs that have crossed over into also being an unforgettable lesbian love song. And, blogs Bright: "I just had another little gasp listening to Allison Crowe's cover of the same."



As noted in my previous post, Entertainment Weekly has an item on of Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, and Wesley Coller - the director/producer team behind upcoming Hollywood blockbuster 'The Watchmen' - launching a website for their own Hollywood production company.

In the Lounge of 'Cruel and Unusual Films', the creative trio list their pop culture delights - movies, books and music. Sound-wise, they're digging the Jimi Hendrix version of "All Along the Watchtower" and Allison Crowe's "Hallelujah" cover.

Allan Showalter, one of the web's most erudite and entertaining culture bloggers, says of another classic interpretation: "Allison Crowe is the best thing to happen to 'Me And Bobby McGee' since Janis Joplin changed Kristofferson's lyrics."

Still, it's the focus of his "pastiche of a blog", 1 Heck of a Guy, on an original Allison Crowe song that most fits this weekend. Of this "small masterwork" Showalter writes:

"How To Create An Impressive Music Video

1. Start with the carpe diem based proposal in the final couplet of Andrew Marvell's not-quite-ruined-by-anthologization 'To His Coy Mistress:'

Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.

2. Hire Joni Mitchell to translate that sentiment into lyrics and music. Insist that Janis Joplin act as consultant to prevent Joni from over-intellectualizing the premise into oblivion.

3. Convince Lucinda Williams to sing it.

4. Add photos of someone who looks both interesting and sexy, maybe Alicia Keys, taken from a pictorial perspective that evokes American Beauty.

Then, you've got yourself a dandy music video.

Alternatively, you could click on the start button of this video of Allison Crowe singing 'Wedding Song,' with words and music by Allison Crowe, featuring photos of Allison Crowe.

Comparing Allison's version of 'Bobby McGee,' recently posted here at Allison Crowe And Bobby McGee, and 'Wedding Song' leads to an unavoidable conclusion:

Once you've heard one Allison Crowe song,
You've heard one Allison Crowe song.

Turns out all the hype about about Allison's vast tonal, thematic, and emotional range is true.

It is difficult to find better words on which to end than the last verse of 'Wedding Song:'

So count down the days
and draw the curtains back
pour the wine and say
that we'll love as much as we both can do
until our dying day"


Happy V-Day, St. Valentine's... whatever love and music moves you.

Allison Crowe Spring tour dates coming soon.