Pillars + Six More Songs - Allison Crowe and Band

"Pillars" (album) + "Six More Songs" (EP), the newest music from Allison Crowe, Sarah White, Dave Baird, & Keelan Purchase, is out today on Bandcamp, Apple/iTunes and every digital platform in the known universe (plus some as-yet-to--be-known).

On Spotify the two sister sets are joined, as nature intended, in a playlist. Journey beyond time and space with Allison Crowe and Band via these recordings and more than 20 other albums, 18 singles/EPs, and numerous playlists from previous astral weeks: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rECOBK9t9vTbJRRK3Syuj

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”:

Pillars + Six More Songs: Coming Spring 2020 from Allison Crowe + Band

“Pillars” + “Six More Songs” coming this Spring 2020 from Allison Crowe and Band: Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, cello, guitar, fiddle, Seaboard and more); Sarah White (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals+); Dave Baird (bass); & Keelan Purchase (accordion, guitar, harmonica, vocals). 

Allison Crowe: Composer & Co-Producer

Adam Thistle: Recording/Mixing Engineer & Co-Producer 

Billie Woods Photography + Mind Palace Design 

Visit our new website @ https://allisoncroweband.com 

For the love of music

For the love of music, starting today all hearts open here at the new web-home of Allison Crowe and bandmates Sarah White, Keelan Purchase & Dave Baird: https://allisoncroweband.com

For 20 amazing years Allison’s original site, designed by Alix (Whitmire) May @ http://allisoncrowe.com, serves as entry point for a community, millions of people all over the globe, to enjoy the music and history of one of our world’s great artists and bands. Thank you for your kind support & loyalty throughout the years!

With a growing family of musicians, and plenty more recordings and fun ahead, it’s come time for a new chapter online. Céline Sawchuk, (graphic artist + the combo’s former cellist), composes a new portal – for all to share and enjoy the sounds and happenings of Allison, Sarah, Keelan & Dave.

On this road less-traveled, we’ve the pleasure to meet fab photographers, from west to east. The characterful images of Billie Woods and Alick Tsui are prominent among those enlivening the new site.

Welcome! Explore! Enjoy!

Sounds of things to come... Allison Crowe + Band

So - we recorded a total of 20 tracks in 4 days - LOTS of music to come - super excited about it all lots of new songs, a few from the early 2000s reworked , some that are part of the musical I’m working on... so proud of my band. Stay tuned!

 #music #bands #newfoundland

Allison Crowe, Sarah White, Keelan Purchase... and, to be joined before long by Dave Baird, have begun to make the band's newest recording.

 Here's a listen to the final sounds of these first sessions...

The Merry Blacksmith, downhome music captured by Adam Thistle in lovely Corner Brook, NL, Canada.

But, still

“But, still”. Allison Crowe with Link – a work in progress. 

"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison. That is all. 

https://allisoncrowe.bandcamp.com/

Gros Morne Theatre Festival lights up the calendar

Gros Morne National Park, one of the world’s magnificent natural treasures, grows ever-more magical each Summer with the Gros Morne Theatre Festival (GMTF). The 2019 season opens tonight! “17 Men”, a fun, joyful, docu-drama written and directed by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher, launches a Summer of bountiful wonder – indoors and outdoors – where Vikings once encamped, music and theatre adventurers now trek.

Allison Crowe, made of the same billion year-old carbon as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and a galaxy of bards along with us all, delights in the GMTF celebration – behind-and-on-stage this year with three shows in the line-up:

Newfoundland Vinyl – runs June 7 – August 30: A marvellous cast of musicians and actors renew NL's popular songs of the 'vinyl' era. Allison Crowe returns as Musical Director and Director - w. co-Director Adam Brake - of this rollicking hit. (http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/shows/newfoundland-vinyl-2019/)

SS Ethie Dinner Theatre – runs June 22 – August 31: Allison Crowe joins the ensemble in two roles: Cassie Brown and Tom. Based on the true story of a steam ship that ran aground just south of Cow Head in 1919. By Shane Ellis Coates. Directed by Jeff Pitcher. (http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/shows/s-s-ethie-dinner-theatre-2019/)

Neddy Norris Night – runs July 18 – August 29: Allison Crowe's part of the stellar cast to deliver traditional music and stories of Newfoundland in this perennial GMTF favourite. Directed by Stephanie Payne. (http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/shows/neddy-norris-night-2019/)

Gros Morne Theatre Festival full calendar and show info @ http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/  Ticket Box Office: (709) 639-7238 or toll-free 1-877-243-2899 Performances are presented in The Warehouse Theatre, next-door-to, and The Ethie Room in, Shallow Bay Motel & Cabins Conference Centre, 193 Main Street, Cow Head, NL A0K 2A0. For info on getting to Gros Morne National Park visit http://www.visitgrosmorne.com/getting-to-the-park/  “Come see our stories and hear our songs” – GMTF, 24 years in beautiful Cow Head, Gros Morne, NL, Canada, Earth.

A Time for Tidings: Allison Crowe w. Celine Sawchuk

Canada's amazing Allison Crowe (vocals, piano & guitar), Vancouver Island-born, Newfoundland-nested singer-songwriter, pairs with exquisite cellist/vocalist Celine Sawchuk, born in Germany's Black Forest and now home on Salt Spring Island, BC to bring “Tidings” – music for the season & all-time. 

"A Time for Tidings", cabaret-style live from the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, stirs together traditional Christmas and holiday evergreens with year-round musical treats from English, French and German repertoire. It's an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, roots and soul to reflect and refresh all our emotions.

Uniting a range of rich cultural traditions, Allison Crowe with Céline Sawchuk deliver real wonderment, solace and joy.

"Allison Crowe's voice is as much a manifestation of Christmas spirit today as Bing Crosby's was in 1942. It's as warm as an open fire; as gorgeous as snow-frosted evergreens; as tender as that hug you give your mother on Christmas day" – The Pique

"Be prepared to be amazed" – ChristmasReviews

Music recorded and engineered by Leif Henderson at "The Cultch". Thanks, as well, to Audio Archivist John MacMillan.

Album Art: Alick Tsui Photography + Mind Palace Design

Merry Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noel! Buon Natale!

           Best o' the season to you and yours!!

Traditional Christmas carols "Tochter Zion" and "Stille Nacht (Silent Night)" warm a Winter's day-or-night. Allison Crowe, Canada’s bi-coastal musical marvel, with Céline Sawchuk, vocalist/cellist from Germany’s Black Forest, bring us “Tidings” – European-style.

 

Newfoundland Vinyl IV

Cause why not release a new album on your own birthday?

Hahaha #newmusic  #newfoundland  #vinyl



The lovely isle of Newfoundland, off Canada’s Atlantic coast, is inspiration for this collection – the newest in the “Vinyl” series from Corner Brook, NL musician Allison Crowe.

Allison’s in harbour with a boatful of tunes reveling in, and revealing, the region’s rich culture and history – stirring music that nourishes heart and soul.

The album opens with “Mice March” and spins to a replay with “Russian Dance”, both selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” – freshly arranged and performed “trad” style for Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s “Ed & Ed’s Newfoundland Christmas Concert”. And between these tracks is a bounty of adventuresome musical ideas – embracing songs of land and sea.

Traditional music, and modern favourites – funny, poignant, earthy and ethereal – all part of the “Newfoundland Vinyl” stage-show lovingly curated and directed by Allison Crowe each Summer at TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival.

The album cover photograph by Allison shows us what she sees at home making music. And the songs themselves let us feel it all, as well. Joys and hardships be tugging on the heart-line first cast by Simani, and true as ever: “You might think she’s rugged and cold, but she’s home, sweet, home to me.”

Allison Crowe: all vocals, instruments, engineering and production.

Album cover photo: Allison Crowe.

Graphics: Mind Palace Design.

Release: November 16, 2018

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

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.

"Once" Upon an Opening Night

Here’s me as Eamon! Opening night tonight! @theatre_stjohns

#oncethemusical #musicaltheatre #newfoundland 

Photo Credit: Rich Blenkinsopp*

*Allison Crowe as Eamon in Theatre St. John's production of "Once"

Set Design: Anna Treusch
Lighting Design: Noah Feaver
Costume Design: Keith Robert
Direction: Keith Pike

Hurt

This is what I recorded the other day - NIN’s  “Hurt”  (by Trent Reznor, on “The Downward Spiral”) - recently requested and also requested by a friend 20 years ago, - who have birthdays 2 days apart it appears - so, I figured it was about time - happy birthday, Josh⁠, and Kristen ❤️ 

Sidebar: when I think of people I’d love to record with one day - Trent always is in my brain. Perfect Drug is my favourite music video. Pretty Hate Machine is one of the albums that helped me through teenagehood (Cause I am a huge Tori Amos fan if that wasn’t obvious hahaha) . #music #nineinchnails #trent_reznor #recordings #vero  #toriamos

Happy Independence Day :)

Allison Crowe, live, with a tune and message from the great American topical songwriter Phil Ochs” “When I’m Gone”.

Happy Independence Day, everyone, and a special shout-out to all our dear friends in the USA who are celebrating this July 4th weekend.

Here’s to joy and peace :)

Photos by the wonderful Billie Woods.

Happy Canada Day!

“A Case of You”, composed by Joni Mitchell about her times with Leonard Cohen, as first performed by Allison Crowe on CBC Radio’s “Sounds Like Canada” with host Shelagh Rogers – cover photo by Billie Woods captured on Pender Island. A combo Canadian as a plate of poutine in the snow.

Happy, peaceful, July 1^st!

Link's 9th!!

My little guy is 9 years old today he’s accepting all presents in the form of love #dachshund #dog #birthdayboy

Now I’m 64 – Allison Crowe and Band W2U2

Where e’er you be – join in on this lovely Newfoundland parlour song. Allison Crowe and Band, from their freshly-released “Welcome to Us” recording, bring forth “Now I’m 64”. It’s a tune popularized by Atlantic Canada music legends Ryan’s Fancy, Harry Hibbs, Figgy Duff… and, now, us all:

Musicians Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, guitar, fiddle, bodhran), Céline Sawchuk (cello, vocals), Sarah White (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Dave Baird (bass, vocals) & Keelan Purchase (accordion, 12-string guitar, bodhran, harmonica, vocals) banded together on the lovely isle of Newfoundland for sessions and shows.

For a flock of creators who live, literally, all over the map it’s a rare chance to slow the world a bit. “We had time to experiment, and think more about the larger picture musically,” says bassist & birder Dave. “It’s only the beginning. It’s just the first we’ve had opportunity to work the music out without much time restraint. It was fun, relaxed, and productive.”

Melding into one sound and performance experience the rawest of folk roots and the richest of arena rock – that barely begins to describe the originality and freshness of the quintet’s music and personality.

Debuting at Corner Brook, NL’s Rotary Arts Centre, RAC Theatre Co-ordinator Brad Randell observes, “The performance was absolutely magical.”

Rolling across the rock, captured fresh at the LSPU (Longshoremen's Protective Union) Hall in St. John's, NL, Canada – it’s music that’s food for the soul and fun for all.

Fortune’s present audio-wise, and Allison’s SD (memory) card is filled with tracks to be mined and enjoyed. Sláinte!

"Welcome to Us 1", the concert’s first act, presents the brilliant bi-coastal band's more guitar-and-fiddle-centric tunes – live: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/welcome-to-us-1

"Welcome to Us 2", the concert’s second act, features the group's more piano-centric tunes – and encore – live: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/welcome-to-us-2

"Welcome to Us Banter Bits" includes any chat, laughter, applause not found on the "Welcome to Us" albums on iTunes et al. A free download to complement the concert music: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/welcome-to-us-banter-bits

For our video wrapper here – hearty thanks to Alick Tsui Photography and Mind Palace Design.

Hallelujah – Allison Crowe and Band W2U2

Counting the human species alone there’s more than 7.6 billion Hallelujahs, really. When you start to consider all living creatures, the potential is infinite.

Here’s one take. Allison Crowe, live at the LSPU Hall in St John’s, Newfoundland with Leonard Cohen’s song. The rest of the band’s gone below to change into accordionist+ Keelan’s clothes… leaving Allison and the folks in the concert hall to carry harmonies in the chorus. It’s just one word:

Musicians Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, guitar, fiddle, bodhran), Céline Sawchuk (cello, vocals), Sarah White (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Dave Baird (bass, vocals) & Keelan Purchase (accordion, 12-string guitar, bodhran, harmonica, vocals) banded together on the lovely isle of Newfoundland for sessions and shows.

For a flock of creators who live, literally, all over the map it’s a rare chance to slow the world a bit. “We had time to experiment, and think more about the larger picture musically,” says bassist & birder Dave. “It’s only the beginning. It’s just the first we’ve had opportunity to work the music out without much time restraint. It was fun, relaxed, and productive.”

Melding into one sound and performance experience the rawest of folk roots and the richest of arena rock – that barely begins to describe the originality and freshness of the quintet’s music and personality.

Debuting at Corner Brook, NL’s Rotary Arts Centre, RAC Theatre Co-ordinator Brad Randell observes, “The performance was absolutely magical.”

Rolling across the rock, captured fresh at the LSPU (Longshoremen's Protective Union) Hall in St. John's, NL, Canada – it’s music that’s food for the soul and fun for all.

Fortune’s present audio-wise, and Allison’s SD (memory) card is filled with tracks to be mined and enjoyed. Sláinte!

"Welcome to Us 2", the concert’s second act, presents the brilliant bi-coastal band's more piano-centric tunes – and encore – live: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/welcome-to-us-2http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/welcome-to-us-2

Secrets – Allison Crowe and Linkers

Here is another one of my originals - Secrets: A song I wrote when I had a lot of stuff I wanted to talk about but didn’t know how, so I wrote this instead - and it’s definitely a longer song. These things aren’t unrelated. (Also FYI once I get set up with more gear one day I won’t have to sing the loud parts away haha but - for now - I’m loud and I apologize! ) (which is very Canadian of me) #singer #newfoundland #songwriter #piano #music #dachshund