Silence

“Silence”- Allison Crowe from the sylvan castle on Salt Spring Island, Canada:
http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/silence-sh

Crowe’s musical performance is paired with an excerpt from “Ménilmontant”, the 1925 silent film from auteur, director, Dimitri Kirsanoff and starring his collaborator Nadia Sibirskaia and Yolande Beaulieu as sisters.

Silence from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

A treasure of cinema’s avant-garde, you can find the full (38 minute) movie in the Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/menilmontant1924-25 with commentary by David Badagnani, who notes:

“Its story is told entirely in images, without the use of explanatory intertitles; Kirsanoff was among the very rare filmmakers of the silent era to attempt this. The film makes use of techniques such as montage, hand-held camera, ultra-rapid montage, and superposition to achieve the elusive, transcendent quality of ‘photogenie’ so sought after by the French impressionist film directors of the era. Ménilmontant, thus, comes closer to poetry than to narrative prose.”

“Sylvan Hour is truly a masterpiece” says pioneering culture blog Muruch. (http://www.muruch.com/2015/05/allisoncrowe-sylvanhour.html)

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms - Allison Crowe Live - Jazzhaus Freiburg

Allison Crowe delivers one of her encore tunes acapella - on Mother's Day at Jazzhaus Freiburg, in Germany. (This being the latest, and, perhaps, last, in our live bootleg video series. At least until the next tour...)

This traditional aire takes its lyrics from the writings of Thomas Moore. An international hit at the beginning of the previous century for the great Irish tenor John McCormack (who recorded it in 1911 and, again, in 1935), and Australia's legendary coloratura soprano, Dame Nellie Melba (in 1909).

Allison Crowe's Celtic roots show when she performs "Believe Me If All (Those Endearing Young Charms)".

Recordings of this tune are found on Allison's "Live at Wood Hall" (http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/live-at-wood-hall) and "Tidings Concert" (http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/tidings-concert) albums.And, it's an "hidden" track closing her "Secrets" album (http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/secrets).

"Irish Music Daily" provides delightful background to this beautiful song @ http://www.irishmusicdaily.com/believe-me-if-all-those-endearing-young-charms

Believe Me If All

Traditional Irish Aire w. words by Thomas Moore
As performed by Allison Crowe

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by tomorrow,
and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,

Thou wouldst still be adored,
as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart,
Would entwine itself verdantly still.

It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheek unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervour and faith of a soul can be known,
To which time has but made thee more dear:

No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sun-flower turns to her god, when he sets,
The same look which she gave when he rose.

"Lisa's Song" - Live Series

Allison Crowe at Jazzhaus Freiburg - performing "Lisa's Song".

 

Maintaining hope and persevering in the face of great loss and sorrow - fittingly, here's a version live on Mother's Day.

 

This song's originally released on Allison Crowe's EP "Lisa's Song + 6 Songs":

 

http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/lisas-song 

"I want to live..."

Part of a series of bootleg videos - Allison Crowe live in Jazzhaus Freiburg.

The Canadian musician performs "Through These Heavy Graces" - the song which gives title to her most recent album: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/heavy-graces

Naming "Heavy Graces" one of the top albums of 2013, pioneering music blog Muruch says: "The original song lyrics on Heavy Graces seem to deal most often with regaining control of one's own life, venting anger at and breaking free from oppressive influences and starting fresh with integrity intact. Whether such fierce and independent themes were born from the death of a relationship or Allison's brief brush with Hollywood, 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."

http://www.muruch.com/2013/10/allison-crowe-heavy-graces.html

Secrets Live

In this latest bootleg from her recent European concert tour, Allison Crowe, again, shows how and why she’s loved – and earns hearty plaudits - ‘round the globe.

"Canada's finest songwriter" says writer Stephen Thomas, co-founder of the UK’s Folkroom Records. "In a world of copycats and wannabes in the singer-songwriter field, Crowe is a true original and is playing in a league of her own," notes L.A.-based writer/producer and AMG journalist Tom Mureika.

Delivery of musical joy and genius today come via pathways distant from the corporate product and pop / rock ephemera of the establishment record industry.

Here at the storied Jazzhaus in Freiburg, Germany, Allison Crowe reveals her “Secrets”

Music Hath Charms

Allison Crowe rocks hard as any musician - and is just as moving when she gently delivers a reflective ballad such as "Hold Back" - first heard on her "Little Light" album - http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/little-light

Here Crowe picks up her guitar and plays for a wonderful audience of music-lovers at Jazzhaus Freiburg - a Muttertag / Mother's Day show on the "Heavy Graces" 2014 European concert tour.

Midnight + Swing Time

Allison Crowe's music + movies mash-up series takes another joy-filled turn in this homage to the 1936 b/w film classic, "Swing Time".

This "Never Gonna Dance" sequence features the immortal dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - choreographed by Astaire and Hermes Pan. The film's directed by George Stevens.

The music soundtrack is "Midnight", a recording from Allison Crowe's debut CD - on which her voice and piano is accompanied by the bass-playing of Dave Baird and the drumming of Kevin Clevette.

"You All Haunt Me" mash-up

Back on track we go with Allison Crowe, Buster Keaton and co. (When all the song videos are posted, we'll make a playlist.) Here's "You All Haunt Me", from Allison's newest album, "Heavy Graces", and the second excerpt episode from the silent film classic, "The General".

"Through These Heavy Graces" mash-up

“Through These Heavy Graces” opens the newest album of music from Allison Crowe.

Original songs in this collection from the Canadian artist are accompanied visually by a series of experts from the classic silent film, “The General” – a celebration of Buster Keaton’s genius.

Allison Crowe enjoys working with today’s film directors – this year, Tom Anton on “The Pardon”, and Zack Snyder for “Man of Steel” – and their amazing production teams.

Via online videos, there’s now opportunity for artistry and fun to combine music and movies from an earlier era.

“Heavy Graces”, an album which includes new songs from the pen and soul of Allison Crowe, alongside her interpretations of tunes composed by Leonard Cohen and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, is released October 15, 2013 (and will be available everywhere - via Bandcamp, iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon +).

Happy Thanksgiving – from Canada!!

January 2013

Let the sun shine in

Allison Crowe Fest on YouTube

YouTube is quietly launching "Artist" pages. No one seems to know what this means... or will become, and YouTube is not talking. Today they've created a page for Allison Crowe

So far, it contains a gallery of 487 videos related to Allison. Many are music vids which are found on Allison's own channel Plenty more are vids of people dancing, laughing, crying, celebrating, grieving, soaking up the sun, walking through the snow and rain, loving, living and passing - to the music of Allison Crowe. There's cats, dogs, horses, squirrels, and jellyfish. And, there's vids of musicians who've performed concerts with Allison, and many more, inspired by her to sing and play...

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

Mission accomplished :)

Wedding Song: V Day Playlist #5 of 7

Allan Showalter, erudite and entertaining MC at '1 Heck of a Guy', a Leonard Cohen-centric blog of rare scope, in comparing Allison Crowe's cover of "Me and Bobby McGee" with this original, "Wedding Song" -



- says such act "leads to an unavoidable conclusion: Once you’ve heard one Allison Crowe song, You’ve heard one Allison Crowe song." The good doctor adds: "Turns out all the hype about about Allison’s vast tonal, thematic, and emotional range is true."

Time After Time: V Day Playlist #2 of 7

Allison Crowe's interpretations are much-loved, and this is one of those song favourites. Captured live, by Scott Littlejohn of Nanaimo, BC, Canada, here's Allison's take on the Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman-penned "Time After Time":

Northern Lights: Valentine's V Day Playlist #1 of 7

Valentine's, V, Day is a week off. Here's the first in a seven-part Allison Crowe playlist - original songs and interpretations to carry us beyond the galaxy of Moon-June-spoon, to land on and explore the real terrain of the heart. Intentionally rustic, Northern Lights reflects the raw beauty of nature.



Allison's music is paired with images of the Aurora Borealis captured by Yukon-based photographer David Cartier, Sr. - who's added lots more pics to his awe-inspiring sets @ Flickr

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - musical tribute

It's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - and, in celebration+ of the great orator and campaigner for peace and human rights, here's two takes by Allison Crowe on Patty Griffin's song inspired by Dr. King's final speech, "I've Been To The Mountaintop".

Here's "Up to the Mountain" on guitar:



The video is by Corner Brook, NL-based artist Phil Robbins - part of his "Faces: Broadway" installation.

And here's "Up to the Mountain" on piano:



This video is by the "Out of the Fog" crew, makers of the epic St. John's, Newfoundland production.

Stubby's House of Christmas, (geographically-placed in Greenville, North Carolina), flags Allison Crowe's recording of "Up to the Mountain" alongside a range of songs in a full and engaging tribute to Martin Luther King entitled: "Some New Music for MLK Day". Fittingly, movingly, Stubby's concludes by sharing MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech:

The Recital

Welcome the New Year on Allison Crowe's "7 Thumbs Up" blog with The Recital :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Just came upon another thougtful post from boyhowdy on his Cover Lay Down blog - this one celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with a bounty of Canadiana music - including Allison Crowe's cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You". Have a good one, eh!

Canada - "Tributo a Allison Crowe"

And, now, from Rita Mercedes Chio in Argentina - a tribute to Allison Crowe, and Allison's homeland, Canada. The song is "Going Home Tonight" - with the gorgeous scoring and production by Kayla Schmah on Allison's album "Spiral".

"Cuerpo de Mujer" + "What About You + Imagenes Exclusivas

From Rita Mercedes Chio in Argentina comes this new creation - uniting words of Chile's Pablo Neruda, "imáges muy especiales", and musica of Allison Crowe. The poem is "Cuerpo de Mujer" (Body of a Woman), published in Neruda's 1924 collection, "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair". The music is "What About You" - the version from Allison's "Live at Wood Hall" set.