Easter boops!

This little friend would like to send you all chin scritches and nose boops this Easter weekend 🐣 🥚 

#dog #doggo #cute #Easter #dachshund #boopmynose 

Allison Crowe April – Week 2

Week 2 of “Allison Crowe April” on CHMR 93.5FM – and DJ Jason Cantwell and alter ego Mark Jabroni remain safely outside the station, keeping health #1 on all our playlists.

Saluting Jason & Mark’s and the line-up of Friday shows – “The Friday Morning Markout”, “Ring Rust” and “Uberswank” – we celebrate this Good Friday with a favourite tune of theirs, from Allison Crowe – live-in-concert  – “Disease”:

Peace

“Whether I’m Wrong”, the first song performance video from Allison Crowe to be posted online – more than a decade ago – is now hosted here in a higher-fi version:

In Spring/Summer 2003, Allison Crowe was residing in an apartment in New York City’s Chelsea neighbourhood. Whether or not the sun poured in like butterscotch it was a sticky time. This song was born then. Today, naturally, it’s just as vital our voices be heard.

Captured live-in-the-studio by visionary director Alex Postowoi and crew at Turtle Recording, White Rock, Canada. Audio engineer - Larry "Turtle" Anschell; Film Editor - Shirley Anne Claydon; Cameras - Karen Duthie & Randy Rotheisler.

The UNESCO-endorsed “New Songs for Peace” project has featured the song since its creation in 2003 @ http://www.newsongsforpeace.org/spotlight-200403.html  and http://www.newsongsforpeace.org/songs-crowe1.html

Happy Birthday, dear Joni!

Happy Birthday to a child who’s moved 74 times ’round the seasons, skated o’er plenty clear frozen streams – and, as she’s circled, given us music of profound truth and beauty. Joni Mitchell, the great artist born on this date in Fort Macleod, Alberta – salut!

From Joni’s “Blue” album – in tribute, compatriot Allison Crowe with “River”:

(What's so Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

“This song puts into words a lot of the things I'm feeling in a way that I have a hard time verbalizing clearly. It's been covered a lot. There's the Elvis Costello version which to me has a defiant protest like quality to it (as well as a kind of unique coolness that only Elvis can do in his own way) and the original which is deeply felt and how Nick Lowe sings it today is almost pleading. It really says so much. I hope to fall somewhere in the middle.”

 
Recorded by Allison Crowe for "Cover Me" blog's 10th Anniversary! Celebrate @ http://www.covermesongs.com/2017/10/cover-me-turns-ten.html  Mixed by Larry "Turtle" Anschell.

Avocet-ing for Kidney Research

“A Brush of Hope”, The Kidney Foundation of Canada’s artful fund-raising campaign, is rolling again in 2017. Allison Crowe, inspired in part by the avian enthusiasms of her bassist Dave Baird, (pre-cat-hat aka Hobbes-as-headwear season), has painted a sea bird known colloquially as “blue shanks”.

“The American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. This avocet spends much of its time foraging in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping its bill from side to side in water as it seeks its crustacean and insect prey” informs Wikipedia.

All proceeds of the artworks created by Allison and a flock of well-known Canadians will benefit kidney research in Canada – so, please, fly to the auction when it hatches this October 29 and put down your bills in support of this worthy cause. Thank you :)

Word from the Foundation's facebook post: 

#BrushofHope2017 is pleased to have received a painting from the talented singer/songwriter, Allison Crowe! The eBay auction will be held from October 29th, 12 p.m. to November 8th 12 p.m. EST On ebay.ca: Search for "Brush for Hope" All proceeds from the auction are donated to The Kidney Foundation of Canada. #newfoundland #music #brushofhope #allisoncrowe #canadian #artist #art #arte

Sunday Sojourn

Wake up you sleepy heads… for adventure, even on a lazy Sunday afternoon. “No Matter the Battle” pits Allison Crowe and Band, film-scorer Kayla Schmah, and cinema magician Georges Méliès against the moon’s inhabitants – and we’re all aboard:

"Great Island Wonder" Uncorked

There’s a lot of love expressed when Allison Crowe sings and plays. Love for another. Love for humanity. Love of place. Love of peace. Love of freedom. There’s heartbreak and loss, too. Exorcism. Transcendence. "Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music” – the artist’s raison d’etre.

“Great Island Wonder” is the official release of a concert bootleg that’s long circulated in torrent trading circles. Mélanie Bilodeau of Denman Island, on Canada’s Pacific shores, presented this concert to her home community and neighbours on Hornby Island, BC in 2005 – it’s captured resonantly by Audioarchivist John MacMillan: https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/album/great-island-wonder

A sister, companion in ways, to “Live at Wood Hall” recordings of concerts earlier that Spring – this night’s undercurrents surface in song debuts of “I Don’t Know”, “You”, “Skeletons and Spirits” and reflect a different sort of intensity.

This date was soon followed by a cross-Canada tour, embarking birth-place Nanaimo, BC and reaching St. John’s and Corner Brook, Newfoundland, on Canada’s Atlantic coast, where Allison Crowe made her new home. Bi-coastal love established then is grown ever-deeper now. (Another shift – this may be the final concert capture of entirely vocal-piano repertoire. By her next tours of Canada and Europe Crowe was including guitar songs, as well, in her set. In more recent years she’s added fiddle and bodhran.)

Sharing the tape – John MacMillan describes this ‘Live on Denman Island’ doc in these ‘Personal notes’:

“To be honest, this was a fairly ‘dark’ show - there seemed to be demons rearing their ugly heads for this concert. The song selection is pretty, um, deep and somewhat, well, I dunno what to call it. Not to go into all the dreary details, but I was beginning the end of a relationship with a partner who was the catalyst of making this show happen, and I believe Alley was going though a breakup that kind of came to a peak at this show. Like I say, the song selection and audience banter seems to reflect this stuff that was going on behind the scenes. Despite the personal hardships, I think it is a brilliant performance, with some humour thrown in as well. Allison Crowe is a great songwriter, a fantastic musician, and an amazing vocal talent. I hope you enjoy this recording as much as I enjoyed the show.”

(MacMillan’s ‘Technical Notes’ to the recording are found on the “Great Island Wonder” album page.)

The album’s front cover, foto by Allison Crowe’s released earlier this year. Here now is the back-side: Straits of Georgia and Part of Vancouver Island (Map) – adapted from “Ocean to Ocean, Sandford Fleming's Expedition Through Canada in 1872” (pub. 1873).

"Secrets" of Mona Lisa

“There is hope,” writes musician Allison Crowe. “That word keeps coming up. It makes me think that maybe it’s real. It is resilient. You can try to leave it out but it keeps putting itself back in place. You can try to deny it but it won’t stay buried.” 

Crowe’s writing her first book, “Fluttering” about which she says: “There's a few paragraphs that are just sort of thinking out loud but, for the most part, there's either poems, prose, thought pieces, or stream of consciousness.” 

She’s composing, as well, for her next album – the artist's 22nd on Rubenesque Records' label. “Rare Birds” brings together again her brilliant bi-coastal band for concerts and recordings. 

Right now, here’s one of music’s great voices and one of rock’s great songs – “Secrets (That Aren’t My Own)” – a previously-unreleased version from Allison Crowe and Band’s “Heirs+Grievances” sessions. 

"When I'm Gone"

Many good hearts these days are looking to help one another in this life. Phil Ochs wrote a song for our times – and Allison Crowe helps deliver the message, “When I’m Gone”: 

You All Haunt Me

Allison Crowe is writing this season. Poems, prose, thought pieces, stream of consciousness... words that may become songs, companions thereto, or something totally different.

Over 2017 she’s bringing together a bigger bi-coastal band, adding new members soon. While all this creativity unfurls we’ll share discoveries of recordings past.

Her music catalogue is already free of over-production – art without artifice. Still, even more unvarnished is this version of “You All Haunt Me” – a song most recently heard on Allison Crowe and Band’s debut, “Introducing / Heirs+Grievances” (http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/you-all-haunt-me-3). This is the song first recorded simply to preserve the tune. As with the band version, the video features scenes from cinema classic “Ménilmontant”.

Journalist Erin Fletcher, describing Allison Crowe in concert, found words that fit this, and any, track of hers just as well: "The music is the woman. She communicates about love, death and life through her songs. Her voice is unmistakable, and in the same song she can be powerfully raw, yet hit a high note so delicately it slips through her lips and kisses your ear.”

You All Haunt Me from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Traditional New Year’s cheer : "Love and joy come to you..."

Traditional New Year's cheer: "Love and joy come to you..."

Happiest New Year!!

Happy New Year!! In every way :) Sláinte mhaith!

Felice anno nuovo! Gelukkige nuwejaar! Ilufio ètussé! Gëzuar vitin e ri! E glëckliches nëies! عام سعيد aam saiid! Shnorhavor nor tari! Amokitanone! Yeni iliniz mübarək! Aw ni san'kura! Mbuee! Urte berri on! З новым годам Z novym hodam! Shuvo noboborsho! Asgwas amegas! Mbembe mbu! Nauka sal mubarak hoe! Bonne année! Sretna nova godina! Bloavezh mat! честита нова година Chestita nova godina! Hnit thit ku mingalar pa! Sun lin fi lok! Bon any nou! Malipayong bag-ong tuig! 新年快乐 Xin nian kuai le! Bledhen nowedh da! Pace è salute! Sretna nova godina! šťastný nový rok! Godt nytår! Sale naw tabrik! Mbu mwa bwam! Gelukkig nieuwjaar! Feliĉan novan jaron! Head uut aastat! Eƒé bé dzogbenyui nami! Mbembe mbu! Bamba mbou! Gott nýggjár! Manigong bagong taon! Onnellista uutta vuotta! Mikudo xwe yoyo! Lokkich neijier! Bon an! Dioul mo wouri! Feliz ano novo! გილოცავთ ახალ წელს Gilocavt akhal tsels! Frohes neues Jahr! Καλή Χρονιά Kali xronia! Sal mubarak! Rogüerohory año nuévo-re! Bònn ané! Barka da sabuwar shekara! Hauoli makahiki hou! שנה טובה Shana tova! Ombura ombe ombua! Nav varsh ki subhkamna! Nyob zoo xyoo tshiab! Boldog új évet! Gleðilegt nýtt ár! Obi anuri nke afor ohuru! Selamat tahun baru! ᐅᑭᐅᒥ ᓄᑖᒥ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒋᑦᓯ Ukiumi nutaami quviasugitsi! Ath bhliain faoi mhaise! Buon anno! Sugeng Warsa enggal! あけまして　おめでとう　ございます Akemashite omedetô gozaimasu! Aseggas ameggaz! ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಹಾರ್ಧಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು Hosa varshada hardika shubhashayagalu! Nav reh mubarakh! Zhana zhiliniz kutti bolsin! Sur sdei chhnam thmei! Ngethi cya mwaka mweru! umwaka mwiza! ЖАӉЫ ЖЫЛЫӉЫЗДАР МЕНЕН Zhany zhylynyzdar menen! 새해 복 많이 받으세요 Seh heh bok mani bat uh seyo! Sala we ya nû pîroz be! Mvhura zompe zongwa! Sabai di pi mai! Felix sit annus novus! Laimīgu Jauno gadu! Bón ànno nêuvo! Bonana! Laimingų Naujųjų Metų! Gelükkig nyjaar! Omwaka omulungi! E gudd neit Joër! Среќна Нова Година Srekna nova godina! Arahaba tratry ny taona! Selamat tahun baru! Nava varsha ashamshagal! Is-sena t-tajba! Kia porotu te ano ou! Kia hari te tau hou! Navin varshaachya hardik shubbheccha! Kaoha nui tenei ehua hou! Ose:rase! Шинэ жилийн баярын мэнд хvргэе Shine jiliin bayariin mend hurgeye! Wênd na kô-d yuum-songo! Umyaka omucha omuhle! Naya barsha ko subhakamana! Ngeu' shwi pong mbeo paghe! Jostouse anna! Godt nyttår! Bon annada! Subha nababarsa! naya sar Mubarak! Ungil beches er rak! Bon anja! Nawe kaalmo mobarak sha! Gelukkig Nieu jaar! سال نو مبارک Sâle no mobârak! Szczęśliwego nowego roku! ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ Nave saal deeyan vadhaiyaan! Bun di bun onn! Baxtalo nevo bersh! Un an nou fericit! С Новым Годом (S novim godom)! Ia manuia le tausaga fou! Luholâš uđđâ ive! buorre ådå jagev! Lihkolaš ođđa jagi! Leklvaz ođđ eeˊjj! Buerie orre jaepie! Nzoni fini ngou! Bonu annu nou! Bliadhna mhath ur! Срећна Нова година Srećna Nova godina! Mwaha mwema! Goredzva rakanaka! Nain saal joon wadhayoon! ශුභ අළුත් අවුරුද්දක් වේවා Shubha aluth awuruddak weiwa! Omaka t'etcha kin washte kte ni! Srečno novo leto! Dobir leto! Sanad wanagsan! Feliz año Nuevo! Wan bun nyun yari! Mwaka mzuri! Gott nytt år! Es guets Nöis! Manigong bagong taon! Ia orana i te matahiti api! соли нав муборак Soli nav muborak! Assugas amegaz! இனிய புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் Iniya puthandu nal Vazhthukkal! Yaña yıl belän! నూతన సంవత్శర శుభాకాంక్షలు Nuthana Samvathsara subhakankshalu! สวัสดีปีใหม่ Sawatdii pimaï! Tashi delek! Sanat farah wa khare! Tshidimu tshilenga! Itumelele ngwaga o mosha! Posa varshada shubashaya! Yeni yılınız kutlu olsun! Gluk in'n tuk! Vyľ Aren! Щасливого Нового Року / З Новим роком Z novym rokom! Naya sal mubarak! Yangi yilingiz qutlug' bo'lsin! Chúc Mừng Nǎm Mới! Ene boune anéye! Bone annéye! Blwyddyn newydd dda! Bon lanné! Dewenati! Nyak'omtsha! אַ גוט יאָר A gut jor! Eku odun! Barka'n da djiri tagio! Unyaka omusha omuhle!

New Year's Countdown / Auld Lang Syne from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Tidings

"Tidings" music for the season and all time - and no need, even, to get up and flip the record over. Enjoy:

Enjoy all 29 songs - sacred and secular, trad to modern - now open on Allison’s Musical Advent Calendar further down this webpage and also @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

Peace :)

O Holy Night - Day 29 on the Musical Advent Calendar

“O Holy Night” completes the Musical Advent Calendar for 2016. On Christmas Day Allison Crowe delivers this much-loved, traditional, carol – music by Adolphe C. Adam (1803-1856) and words: Placide Cappeau, 1847 (Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle); translated from French to English by John S. Dwight (1812-1893):

(Hear the “Tidings” album version @ http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/o-holy-night)

Enjoy all 29 songs - sacred and secular, trad to modern - now open on Allison’s Musical Advent Calendar @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

Silent Night (Stille Nacht) - Day 28 on the Musical Advent Calendar

“Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht”), first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818, is on the Musical Advent calendar now (Day 28) from Allison Crowe’s “Tidings” video session:

(The album version is @ http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/silent-night)

Each day through Christmas enjoy a new song on Allison’s Musical Advent Calendar @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

Ding Dong Merrily on High - Day 26 on the Musical Advent Calendar

Allison Crowe, the most original, vital – and versatile – voice of her generation in popular music rings in Day 26 on the Advent Calendar with this playful song off the all-a-cappella “Souling” album:

Written originally as a French dance tune in the 1500s, words were added to create “Ding Dong Merrily on High”, first published in 1924’s “The Cambridge Carol-Book: Being Fifty-two Songs for Christmas, Easter, And Other Seasons”.

Enjoy a new song each day through Christmas open on Allison Crowe’s Musical Advent Calendar @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

In My Life - Day 25 on the Musical Advent Calendar

Fab song of love, remembrance - Day 25 of the Musical Advent Calendar: “In My Life”:

Each day through Christmas open a new song on Allison Crowe’s Musical Advent Calendar @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

Someday at Christmas - Day 24 on the Musical Advent Calendar

“Someday at Christmas”, a cappella, rings in Day 24: 

Each day through Christmas open a new song on Allison Crowe’s Musical Advent Calendar @ http://allisoncrowe.com/MusicalAdventCalendar2016.html

“A Voice Made For Christmas – Carols By & Memories From Allison Crowe” – Cohencentric: Leonard Cohen Considered

“Cohencentric: Leonard Cohen Considered” chimes with tradition and good cheer – and today the blog’s editorial Santa Allan Showalter hangs out this bright stocking feature: “Allison Crowe’s resonant, rich, gorgeous voice seems as much a manifestation of Christmas as an instrument for singing holiday songs:” http://cohencentric.com/2015/12/24/its-beginning-to-sound-a-lot-like-allison-crowe