Release (27.07.2001)

15 years ago to this hour, Allison Crowe, one of our truly great musical artists and live performers, in any genre, performed her first international concert with her own band. Allison’s rock-jazz+ trio comprised herself on vocals and keyboard (this was pre-guitar, fiddle and bodhran shows), Dave Baird on bass and Kevin Clevette on drums.

Allison’s combo launched the opening night of the WorldWide Jammer Convergence (WWJC) in Seattle, Washington – an event which brought together Pearl Jam fans from all across the USA and world. After a full set of her band repertoire, and a couple of encores – Allison came back to perform solo this Pearl Jam song, “Release”:

Release (Jammer Convergence - Seattle live) from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

In 2001, cameras and portable devices were not the feature they are at concerts today, and we’re so fortunate that Jammer Pam Abramowicz Wolfers captured this musical moment in time. WWJC organizer and event MC Sandi Heinrich takes the mic for a final note to this historic night of rock and roll.

Release (Jammer Convergence - Seattle live)

Rooting around, finding some of the stuff of dreams and lives – here, from the earliest-known international concert video of Allison Crowe – from Seattle, the home of Pearl Jam, with love... Play loud!


Release (Jammer Convergence - Seattle live) from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Allison Crowe trekked to Seattle, Washington in July 2001 to be part of the World Wide Jammer Convergence (WWJC) - a gathering of Pearl Jam fans (AKA Jammers) from over 30 U.S. states, Canada and other PJ-friendly locales.

(Eddie Vedder and PJ being major inspirations for Allison and her band, then also living in North America’s Pacific Northwest.)

An entire floor was rented in an historic downtown hotel, The Commodore, and, like a scene from Cameron Crowe's movie, "Almost Famous", with doors wide open, and a communal room for watching PJ videos, Jammers experienced music and friendship in the Emerald City.

Allison (vocals, keyboard) with Dave Baird (bass) and Kevin Clevette (drums) performed a welcoming concert ~ in a small, very warm, theater in back of another historic joint - Second Avenue Pizza.

After the band set and encores, Allison remembers a Pearl Jam song she wants to play – solo - "Release".

Pam Abramowicz Wolfers captured the intensity in all Jammin' beauty (in this, the earliest-known international concert video of Allison Crowe). Embracing Allison afterward is Sandi Heinrich, WWJC organizer and event MC.

The stuff that dreams and lives are made of...

http://music.allisoncrowe.com

"Better Man", "Control", + "Dissolve"

“It seems our favorite independent singer-songwriter is more determined than ever to forge her own path. I predict we’ll be seeing Allison Crowe not once but twice on our best of the year list,” says music blogger Muruch in a review of Allison’s new album, “Heavy Graces”, (and referencing “Newfoundland Vinyl”, her LP/album out earlier this year): http://www.muruch.com/2013/10/allison-crowe-heavy-graces.html

"Heavy Graces" includes new songs from the pen and soul of Allison Crowe, alongside the Canadian artist's interpretations of tunes composed by Leonard Cohen and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.

It's accompanied by a series of music-movie mash-ups

Here she covers a favourite by Eddie Vedder - first performed by EV with the band Bad Radio - and, then, naturally, with Pearl Jam.

Allison Crowe identifies "Vitalogy", PJ's 1994 album, as one of the central music influences during her formative teen years. She tells music blogger, Stephen Thomas (co-founder of the UK's Folkroom Records):

"And, of course, I have ALWAYS dreamed in colour and loved Better Man."

"Singing along to ‘Better Man’ with an entire Vancouver concert audience the first time I ever managed to experience Pearl Jam live... is something I will never forget. We were freaking GOOD singers! I can’t wait to experience that again."

With her own, roots rock, version of the song, Crowe brings past and present together musically. Visually, as well, time is elastic and themes impressionistic.

The music is joined by an excerpt from the silent film classic "Broken Blossoms" - directed by D.W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish as Lucy Burrows, Donald Crisp as Battling Burrows, (her abusive father), and Richard Barthelmess as Cheng Huan (who befriends and nurses Lucy).

The original songs from Allison Crowe's new album are visually paired with scenes from the classic Buster Keaton silent film, "The General" - several videos of which we've posted already - combining humor and pathos.

Now, here's "Control":

and, "Dissolve":

Heavy Graces - Track Listing + Release Date

“Heavy Graces“, Allison Crowe’s newest music is released October 15, 2013.

Here’s the track listing:

1. Through These Heavy Graces  (Allison Crowe)
2. Famous Blue Raincoat (choral)  (Leonard Cohen)
3. You All Haunt Me  (Allison Crowe)
4. Words  (Allison Crowe)
5. Better Man  (Eddie Vedder)
6. Control  (Allison Crowe)
7. Dissolve  (Allison Crowe)
8. Famous Blue Raincoat  (Leonard Cohen)

Music, videos and more are rolling our way

Image: still from Buster Keaton’s “The General“

Vitalogy

UK-based culture blog We Write Lists continues its Saturday series with Allison Crowe guest-posting. WWL explains:

"Last week we had the pleasure of bringing you the first in a series of musician and singer-songwriter Allison Crowe's guest-posts for We Write Lists. We'd asked her to write about her six favourite albums, which was admittedly a cruel challenge to set. Instead, Allison chose six albums that held her heart, and influenced her significantly, during the formative years of her musical life. And, kindly, she sent us so much on each album that they warranted serialisation - the second excerpt of which you may enjoy now..."


Click on the album cover above to reach part two in this Saturday series!