A Case of You

A Case of You from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Allison Crowe uncorks vintage “A Case of You” – off her “Sylvan Hour” album – with passion and artistry recognizing two great Canadian musical inspirations intertwined in the song – its writer, Joni Mitchell, and muse, Leonard Cohen. Cinematically, Frank Borzage directs the adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms” –scenes hear featuring the film’s leading stars Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper and Adolphe Menjou.

Hallelujah Considered

Allison Crowe’s singular interpretation of “Hallelujah” was first released on record in 2003. The Leonard Cohen classic has been covered hundreds of times since – by country acts, pop idols, crooners, swooners and more. Allison’s rare, visceral, artistry remains timeless and, today, “Cohencentric: Leonard Cohen Considered” places in its firmament this iconic video - one of the world's most-loved versions of the song (filmed live-in-the-studio of Canada’s Turtle Recording):

http://cohencentric.com/2015/04/08/video-allison-crowe-performs-hallelujah-by-leonard-cohen

Hallelujah - Allison Crowe performs Leonard Cohen from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc)

“Myself I long for love and light…” – on her debut full-length, “secrets”, Allison Crowe covers Leonard Cohen’s “Joan of Arc”


Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

On her debut album "secrets" Allison Crowe included this Leonard Cohen song cover. Her voice and piano is accompanied by Jo Lundstrom (Rosehip Jam, Black Velvet Band) on accordion. Crowe engineered the recording, with production by Rainer Willeke (of Victoria, BC's Raindog Studios).

http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/joan-of-arc

The video image of Allison Crowe is by Canada's Billie Woods.

MOJO magazine's December '08 issue paid tribute to "Rock's Greatest Poet" Leonard Cohen with a celebration of his "deep and moving music". Of Allison Crowe's contribution of "Joan of Arc" to its 'All Star Tribute", (featuring Judy Collins, Nick Cave, Katie Melua, Martha Wainwright, Dion and others), a cover-mount CD titled "Cohen Covered", MOJO says: "Once famously described by the Vancouver Courier as possessing a style akin to 'Elton John meets Edith Piaf', the Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Crowe is renowned for her ability to blend control and melodrama. Certainly she does so on this spirited cover of Cohen's 'Songs of Love and Hate' classic, a track which also powerfully showcases her considerable talent as a fine interpreter of song."

"Any album that features a track from Leonard Cohen is certainly heading in the right direction. But when it is covered so beautifully, it makes you realise what an amazing lyricist Leonard Cohen is. Joan of Arc is the Cohen song covered on this album and it's certainly in my top 10 of Cohen covers. It's also my favorite track on (Secrets)" ~ Colin Meeks, indielaunchpad.com (USA)

Doughnut Song

Item 6 on the menu of Allison Crowe’s uniquely delicious “16 Songs” Video Album offers more delicate a balance than, say, Dadaist imagery stirred with Crowe’s social commentary, or, any cultural seasonings of Welsh Rarebit and Radiohead.

American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898- 1976) is the originator of the ‘mobile’ – the name coined for his kinetic sculptures by the famed French-American chess-player and conceptual artist+ Marcel Duchamp.

“Ballet” – featuring Calder’s mobiles - is the fifth of seven dream sequences contained in Hans Richter’s 1947 surrealist movie “Dreams That Money Can Buy” – given the Award for the Best Original Contribution to the Progress of Cinematography at the Venice Film Festival.

Doughnut Song from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.
             

Here, Calder/Richter’s creation dances with Allison Crowe’s interpretation of “Doughnut Song” – composed by one of the Canadian musician’s greatest inspirations, American singer-songwriter, pianist+ Tori Amos.

A classical piano prodigy, born Myra Ellen Amos, enormously influential and loved in popular music, Tori reveals some of her own key ingredients: "I've always been inspired by visual artists of all mediums because, as with Music, Art is not a job you can go to and leave from; but it is something that defines who and what you are."

#6 of 16 Songs

Why

Famous in its original, glorious, pop incarnation by singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, "Why" is a song recast here by Allison Crowe's elemental voice and guitar.


Why from Allison Crowe on Vimeo.

"Art is emotion" observed Alfred Hitchcock, and the Canadian musician's singular way of communicating emotion makes her one of the great interpreters in popular music today as well as one of our finest modern songwriters and concert performers.

Strings on this version are gorgeously arranged and orchestrated by Hollywood film-scorer Kayla Schmah - herself an artist inspired by the themes and ideas of Hitch's frequent collaborator, the brilliant, pioneering, composer Bernard Herrmann.

“This song is stunning. I can't stop listening to it,” says Dartmouth-based dancer, Julie Dumont, “it makes me want to cry and dance all at the same time”.

The music's visually paired with an excerpt from Jean Vigo's marvellous cinema masterpiece - "L'Atalante" (1934) – one of the most beautiful, poetically real, films ever made. Lovers of movies – of life itself - seek it out, and enjoy the full experience.

#2 of 16 Songs

        

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.

"Running for Home" - Live Series

Allison Crowe's bootleg series from Europe includes this video of her concert performance of a song by fellow Canadians, the Matthew Good Band.

"Running for Home", performed by Crowe, solo and with her band, at the start of this century, returns to her repertoire in this Spring 2014 concert tournee.

 

The song's originally penned by Matt Good and Dave Genn for their group's 1999 album, "Beautiful Midnight". 

Famous Blue Raincoat "flake"

After enjoying “The Ballad of Geeshie and Elvie” in The New York Times Magazine, I’m encouraged to post more, and more, and then some – even if it be just a flake of Allison Crowe’s life, or, in this instance, a flake of her most recent concert tour: http://youtu.be/vGT3HRWKjF4

      

John Jeremiah Sullivan’s NYT mag essay tracking early blues recording artists L.V. Thomas and Lillie Mae ‘Geetchie’ Wiley and cultural field-worker Robert “Mack” McCormick is a reminder that we enrich the world by sharing: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/13/magazine/blues.html 

 

Here from beautiful Lindenpark Potsdam, Germany (and a decidedly off-kilter camera-style), is the opening of Allison Crowe’s performance of the Leonard Cohen classic “Famous Blue Raincoat”.

 

For a full recording of this song seek out “Famous Blue Raincoat - Allison Crowe - Teatro del Sale, Florence – live” @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or2iHTA9X9A Two different verasions – solo and choral – are heard on her “Heavy Graces” album @ http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/heavy-graces 

My Funny Valentine

On her most recent European tour, Allison Crowe's concert venues included several classic jazz joints.

 

Crowe, who started playing piano at age five, first sang publicly around that same time - belting out the Jazz Era-hit "Ja-Da Ja-Da (Jing Jing Jing)".

 

Making music her life full-time since age 16, the artist, now 32, is one of the great singers and musicians in popular music on-stage and on record this century. While she's known as a singular writer and performer of rock, folk, pop, Newfoundland, Celtic, and other sounds - her roots in jazz go deep, and she now includes some favourite standards in her many-hued repertoire.

Here, at Germany's Jazzhaus Freiburg, Allison Crowe sings Rogers & Hart's "My Funny Valentine" - accompanied by the always delightful Billie Woods on guitar.

 

Discerning culture blog Muruch says: “I never thought anyone could match, let alone surpass, the great Etta James on this song, but Allison’s gut-busting high notes take the melody to a whole 'nother level…”

http://www.muruch.com/2014/06/allison-crowe-my-funny-valentine-live-video.html

All About Jazz

Allison Crowe – now on All About Jazz - http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=59310 - rock - chanson, jazz - grunge, gospel - blues, folk - soul; a voice that unites genres and generations.

"Famous Blue Raincoat" mash-up

Concluding “Heavy Graces”, the audio album, and the music-movie mash-up series that accompanies Allison Crowe’s newest release – is this second version of “Famous Blue Raincoat”.

The song’s composer, Leonard Cohen, says, it reflects on the "tyranny" of possession -- of the kind that enslaves us as women and men.

Impressionistic visuals come from director Josef von Sternberg’s 1930/31 film "The Blue Angel" ("Der blaue Engel"). Experience this classic movie in full @ http://archive.org/details/theblueangel1930

"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":

Famous Blue Raincoat (choral) - Allison Crowe (Heavy Graces)

"Famous Blue Raincoat", its composer, Leonard Cohen, says, reflects on the "tyranny" of possession -- of the kind that enslaves us as women and men.

It's territory covered here by musician Allison Crowe. (Crowe's previously celebrated the Cohen songbook via renowned interpretations of "Hallelujah", "Joan of Arc" and other tunes from the master songsmith.)

Impressionistic visual accompaniment comes via film scenes from "The Blue Angel" ("Der blaue Engel" first released in Europe in 1930 saw its full North American release the following year.)

This choral rendition of the Leonard Cohen classic is the first of two versions recorded by Allison Crowe for her album "Heavy Graces".

January 2013

Let the sun shine in

I Can Stand a Little Pain au Chocolat

Paris Voice magazine calls Allison Crowe: "One of the best interpreters to come along since Joe Cocker". Appropriately, it's a French pastry that brings to mind a Cocker song, or, is it the song that brings to mind the French pastry... either way, Allison's newest posting on her 7 Thumbs Up blog, "A Celebration of Life, Love and Food", makes me go "I Can Stand a Little Pain au Chocolat":


A nod to the goodness of flaky, buttery, croissant dough, chocolate and this Jim Price tune performed by mighty Joe from Sheffield on his 1974 album...

In My Life: V Day Playlist #4 of 7

Here's a tune first delivered to the world by The Beatles and George Martin on the "Rubber Soul" LP. From the timeless songwriting team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it's a "John song". Allison Crowe sailed to sea and performed for Lennon family and friends come together with Scottish villagers and music-lovers from all across Europe, in Durness, Scottish Highlands. The Scotsman newspaper calls Allison a "Canadian angel" and her "In My Life" cover "one of the weekend's most magical moments". Here's a video version -



and a different performance from Allison on her "Tidings" album.

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!