Lift-off @ Gros Morne Theatre Fest

Musician Allison Crowe’s now settled into Gros Morne, one of the world’s most naturally beautiful locations, readying with cast and crew for the sixth annual production of “Newfoundland Vinyl” – a rollicking part of the Gros Morne Theatre Festival. Conceived by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher, the show’s directed by Crowe and this year opens on June 23. 

In anticipation of this Summer’s selection of songs+, here’s the sounds of music from the early years of “Vinyl”: http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/newfoundland-vinyl

GMTF’s season launches tonight with a presentation of Marie Jones' “Fly Me to the Moon”. Lift-off is 8:30 pm in The Warehouse Theatre, Cow Head. For TNL’s full calendar of theatre and concerts to come - orbit http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com 

Newfoundland Vinyl in the MOCM

The Museum of Canadian Music is kindly featuring Allison Crowe’s “Newfoundland Vinyl” LP @
http://citizenfreak.com/titles/324683-crowe-allison-newfoundland-vinyl



The MOCM, curated and maintained by its founder Robert Williston and a core team, explains the mission of “the website is about the artists, the music, and the country of Canada that has produced such an enormous quantity of excellent off-the-radar titles that so many collectors worldwide are onto; but the general public has still not really caught onto - yet... the music on this site should satisfy the more refined connoisseur of Canadian music, especially when spinning vinyl is not so convenient for a world on the go...”

Williston’s amassed the “largest private collection of Canadian music artifacts on earth” – and is making this cultural treasure – over 90,000 individual artifacts and roughly one million Canadian songs collected – public via the MOCM site.

The museum’s domain - Citizenfreak.com – “honors a hometown Calgary band, the 49th Parallel, who recorded the cool single Citizen Freak in 1968”.

You can enjoy Allison’s music now found in the MOCM – and, this Easter weekend, hop down the rabbit-hole of Canadian music!

Saltwater Joys

Putting a bow on things, here’s Allison Crowe’s version of “Saltwater Joys” – as culture blog Muruch tags it, the “beautiful finale” to “Newfoundland Vinyl II”.

This essential song’s penned by Wayne Chaulk, who plays bass and guitar in Newfoundland and Labrador’s flat out popular, prolific, music and comedy trio, “Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers” – alongside Kevin “Buddy” Blackmore, on mandolin, fiddle and guitar, & Ray Johnson, accordion and fiddle.

Allison Crowe’s a born islander – and, with heart and talent as great as Canada itself, she’s truly one with those saltwater joys from her birthplace of Nanaimo, BC to her adopted hometown of Corner Brook, NL.

http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/newfoundland-vinyl-ii

As the album title suggests, it's a song collection inspired by, and arising from, Allison Crowe's involvement with the hit stage show, "Newfoundland Vinyl" - presented at Canada's Gros Morne Theatre Festival, and produced by TNL.

The album celebrates this creative bond between Crowe, an internationally-loved touring and recording artist, and Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, a professional theatre company founded on Newfoundland's west coast in 1979.

For these past three Summers TNL's engaged Crowe as Musical Director of "Newfoundland Vinyl" - a perennial favourite at the annual GMTF.

TNL AD Jeff Pitcher's conception of a revival of vinyl era, and more, songs of Newfoundland and Labrador put wind in the sails of Allison Crowe's curatorial mission.

"It's here!" says pioneering music blog Muruch, "Allison Crowe just released Newfoundland Vinyl II and it's the perfect follow-up to her traditional folk masterpiece, Newfoundland Vinyl".

Of her immersions as Musical Director with TNL, and the melodic bounty that's landed, Allison Crowe notes: "There is so much wonderful music - you could piece together multiple anthologies and still only scratch the surface of such an extensive and rich collection. Each of these songs is its own story, of land and sea, of people, and each story in-and-of-itself could be an entire show. I'm truly grateful that you are here to hear the story these songs have to offer." She gives special thanks to "the incredibly talented and versatile" casts and crews of TNL's productions for their inspiration.

Northern Lights of Labrador

NL’s Don Fulford wrote “Northern Lights of Labrador” for his sister, Trina – of the renowned duo Corey & Trina (Crewe) and they had a tremendous hit with this song - naturally popular across Newfoundland and Labrador on Canada's Atlantic coast.

Love for beauty and home shines through Allison Crowe and her newest album of music, "Newfoundland Vinyl II": http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/newfoundland-vinyl-ii

As the album title suggests, it's a song collection inspired by, and arising from, Crowe's involvement with the hit stage show, "Newfoundland Vinyl" - presented at Canada's Gros Morne Theatre Festival, and produced by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador.

The album celebrates this creative bond between Crowe, an internationally-loved touring and recording artist, and Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, a professional theatre company founded on Newfoundland's west coast in 1979.

For these past three Summers TNL's engaged Crowe as Musical Director of "Newfoundland Vinyl" - a perennial favourite at the annual Gros Morne Theatre Festival.

TNL Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher's conception of a revival of vinyl era, and more, songs of Newfoundland and Labrador put wind in the sails of Allison Crowe's curatorial mission.

"It's here!" says pioneering music blog Muruch, "Allison Crowe just released Newfoundland Vinyl II and it's the perfect follow-up to her traditional folk masterpiece, Newfoundland Vinyl".

Of her immersions as Musical Director with TNL, and the melodic bounty that's landed, Allison Crowe notes: "There is so much wonderful music - you could piece together multiple anthologies and still only scratch the surface of such an extensive and rich collection. Each of these songs is its own story, of land and sea, of people, and each story in-and-of-itself could be an entire show. I'm truly grateful that you are here to hear the story these songs have to offer." She gives special thanks to "the incredibly talented and versatile" casts and crews of TNL's productions for their inspiration.

Northern Lights photo - by Allison Crowe + thanks to Johnny Cann

NewFound Friends @ GMTF

Viceroy of vinyl, Wayne Tucker, Host of NewFound Records Radio Hour, ventures out to beautiful Cow Head, NL this past week and enjoys “Newfoundland Vinyl: The ‘C’Side”.

 

Here’s a pic of Wayne with the hit show’s Musical Director, Allison Crowe (tweeted @ https://twitter.com/NewFoundRecords )

 

 

Conceived by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s Artistic Director, Jeff Pitcher, “Newfoundland Vinyl” is a perennial favourite at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival – drawing from the deep well of classic, vinyl-era, recording artists’ repertoire, the joys, sorrows and rich character of the region are brought to musical life by a super-talented cast of actors and musicians and a top-notch production crew.

 

As part of this year’s GMTF, there’s a pair of performances still on the calendar – 9:00pm August 26 and 29: http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/shows/newfoundland-vinyl-the-c-side-2014

 

Wayne Tucker gives airtime to the pioneer recording artists of Newfoundland and Labrador via his radio show each Saturday noon on CHMR 93.5FM, MUN. NewFound Records Radio Hour is also heard on Radio Bell Island, The Voice of Bonne Bay, East Coast Kitchen Party, iTunes Radio and TuneIn Radio (and spinning more widely each time you listen!) http://www.newfoundrecords.ca/

"Easy" Allison Crowe - Live Jazzhaus Freiburg

Allison Crowe's bootleg video series continues here with a celebratory nod to this weekend's opening of "Newfoundland Vinyl" - the hit Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador production at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival (staged in Canada's beautiful Gros Morne National Park).

Allison Crowe enjoys curating and arranging the music - mining a treasure trove of tunes from the

 region - songs that cover a full range of genres and emotions. And when she tours the world Crowe carries the sounds of home to her international audience.

 

On this concert night at Jazzhaus Freiburg in Germany - she performs a song penned by Terry Skinner that's first recorded by Canadian country great Eddie Eastman (in 1979).

 

Allison Crowe recorded it for her album "Newfoundland Vinyl": http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/easy (released, naturally, on vinyl LP).

 

On its release last year, Gery Deugaw, the super-dedicated cultural archivist behind "GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador" @ http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld - notes: "After all the years of travelling the Trans-Canada, Eddie Eastman was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour in 2010. Allison Crowe performs this song with the easy sound it needs to be successfully reprised in the 21st century."

Easy Livin', Lovin'

A song for a Winter's night... and any time! One of the most vital popular music artists of this, or any, generation, Allison Crowe is also among the most versatile. With her release of “Newfoundland Vinyl” earlier this year, Allison delivers unvarnished roots and country to the mix.

 

Canadian country great Eddie Eastman recorded Terry Skinner’s song, “Easy” first in 1979. Here’s Allison’s new take: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U_GDkkfCa4

 

 

Gery Deugaw, Owner/Archivist of the treasure-trove that is “GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador” @ http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld - notes: “After all the years of travelling the Trans-Canada, Eddie Eastman was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour in 2010. Allison Crowe performs this song with the easy sound it needs to be successfully reprised in the 21st century.”

        

Allison Crowe in Triple-Bill of Summer Hits

Movie, stage show, and vinyl LP find Canadian musician flying high in unique style

“Weirdly typical” is how the dean of Canadian rock music critics, Tom Harrison, describes the newest album from Allison Crowe. That fun billing aptly suits the approach Crowe’s taken to establishing herself as one of the great voices in popular music – as singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, live performer and more.

The 31-year-old bi-coastal Canuck celebrated in New York City earlier this Summer at the red carpet premiere of “Man of Steel” - the epic new Superman movie directed by Zack Snyder in which Crowe cameos as “Singer in Cassidy’s” – the bar where Clark Kent busses. MoS tops Yahoo!’s “Ultimate Summer Movie Poll”, (in this, Hollywood’s highest-grossing Summer ever), via its fresh science fiction vision crafted by a stellar cast and crew. The Warner Bros. mega-production has now grossed over $650 million at the global box office.

Allison Crowe flew directly from festivities in NYC to rural Newfoundland for the release of her newest album – a collection of traditional tunes and vinyl-era songs of the region on which she provides all voices, instrumentation and production. “Newfoundland Vinyl” finds its name and inspiration in TNL’s hit musical show that’s delighted audiences these past two Summers at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival.

And the recording’s struck a chord ’round the planet. Muruch, on its own site and the No Depression blog, was first to rave: “It has the timeless beauty of a classic folk album." The Celtic Music Fan blog, calling it an “one-of-a-kind must-have album”, says “There is something about this album that makes the songs become the soundtrack of your life.” The Province newspaper’s Tom Harrison off the top underscores the quirky nature of things – selecting the album “CD of the Week” and noting it’s not a CD: “Crowe’s ninth record is weirdly typical of her in that it defies convention, stick-handles around the pop idiom, shows imagination and daring, and opts for vinyl.” East Coast Kitchen Party, an hub for Atlantic Canada’s arts, entertainment and lifestyle news, points to the distinctive kitchen party-type approach to creation: “It seems simple, but it really is a classic treatment of the classic songs that are performed by Crowe. She has renewed with stylish vigor traditional songs that deserve new life and interpretations.” ECKP offers: “This record was made for sitting back in the big chair while relishing a favourite drink. Maybe Screech. It will probably bring a tear to the eye of a few. It’s that good.”

(Screech, a potent mainstay of Newfoundland life and lore, is an island tradition since the days when salt fish was shipped to the West Indies in exchange for Jamaican rum.)

“Newfoundland Vinyl”, Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s GMTF stage production, has just wrapped its two-month run. Allison Crowe, the show’s song curator and musical director, is home in Corner Brook, NL readying a panel presentation for the geek and nerd-fest that is Atlanti-Con 2. Atlantic Canada’s colourful convention celebrating sci-fi, fantasy, comics, gaming, anime+ happens September 28 and 29, 2013 at the city’s Sir Wilfred Grenfell Campus, MUN.

In dog-eat-dog entertainment world, Canada's Allison Crowe dishes unique success - pictured here, Allison's friend, Link

This time last year Crowe was preparing to rejoin Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet for a second engagement performing songs of Leonard Cohen on-stage with the company’s amazing dancers. The RWB, inspiring and vital as ever, will mark its 75th anniversary in 2014. Right now, a very different sort of institution, also high-flying and one with which Allison Crowe’s honoured and delighted to meet and experience in collaboration, turns 75. To salute Superman reaching the milestone, Canada Post and the Winnipeg-based Royal Canadian Mint this week issued philatelic and numismatic tributes. The Man of Steel leaped onto the world stage in Action Comics #1 – a joint creation of great friends, Toronto, Canada-born illustrator Joe Shuster and American writer Jerry Siegel (born in Cleveland, Ohio).

In a recent feature, “Canadian Music Rocks the Global Stage”, Epoch Times’ nation reporter Justina Reichel tells readers: “Singer-songwriter Allison Crowe is well aware of what it takes for a Canuck to achieve commercial success internationally.” The uber-independent musician’s choices on “the long road to success” are, indeed, weirdly typical – and, for her, an artist of supreme talent and integrity, the only way to fly.

East Coast Kitchen Party Spins Newfoundland Vinyl

East Coast Kitchen Party serves up a stack of Atlantic Canada’s Arts, Entertainment and lifestyle news. At plate now is the site’s review of “Newfoundland Vinyl”, the new hale and hearty song collection from Allison Crowe – an LP that finds its name and inspiration in TNL’s hit musical show that’s delighted audiences these past two Summers at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival.

“It seems simple, but it really is a classic treatment of the classic songs that are performed by Crowe. She has renewed with stylish vigor traditional songs that deserve new life and interpretations,” says ECKP. “This record was made for sitting back in the big chair while relishing a favourite drink. Maybe Screech. It will probably bring a tear to the eye of a few. It’s that good.”

Feast on the full review, stream ECKP radio and more @
http://www.eastcoastkitchenparty.net/Music_Newfoundland_Vinyl.php

Muruch + Music = Win, Win

There’s 10 days still to shake the world, and enter Muruch’s marvelous musical contest for your chance to win a copy of Allison Crowe’s “Newfoundland Vinyl” LP + d/l code – the collection of songs about which the veteran, West Virginia-based, music blogger says: "It has the timeless beauty of a classic folk album." (read the full review @ http://www.muruch.com/2013/07/allison-crowe-newfoundland-vinyl.html 

It’s fun, it’s simple, and you only live once! (unless you’re James Bond… or a cat)


For the scoop, visit Muruch’s reminder post - http://www.muruch.com/2013/07/giveaway-reminder-win-allison-crowes-new-album.html - and/or the original invitation to claim your prize music - http://www.muruch.com/2013/07/giveaway-win-1-of-5-allison-crowe-vinyl-lps-digital-downloads.html

Good luck/bon chance!!

Superman to Super Songs: Allison Crowe Changes Tack as "Newfoundland Vinyl" Sets Sail

"Newfoundland Vinyl", the newest album of music from Allison Crowe, is out now on Rubenesque Records.

The limited edition, 180 gram vinyl, LP is available in Canada at Gary Bennett Music in Corner Brook, NL, Fascinating Rhythm (Nanaimo), Lyle's Place (Victoria), and Salt Spring Sound (Salt Spring Island), BC, Canada - and online, worldwide, in digital formats @ allisoncrowe.com, on Bandcamp, iTunes and more.

As Musical Director for TNL's production of "Newfoundland Vinyl: The Flip Side" at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival, the Canadian musician, born in Nanaimo, BC, on the Pacific, is active now in her Atlantic setting, curating and arranging songs for this Summer's GMTF cast.

It's a rich and varied collection harvested from the island region's popular music and oral traditions. The album's 10 tracks traverse parlour songs to country tunes and folk favourites, songs of land and sea that share the strength and the struggles, the joys, heartbreaks and the humour of people.

As well as being a premiere songwriter, musician and performer of original material, Crowe's recognized as one of the great modern interpreters of song - via her internationally-acclaimed and much-loved versions of songs by Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, and plenty more greats - Allison Crowe's singular performances deliver familiar and much-loved songs afresh and with renewed joy.

Crowe's just returned to her home in Corner Brook, NL, after attending the World Premiere in New York City of "Man of Steel", the Zack Snyder-directed Superman epic in which she has a cameo. MoS is currently the #1 box office draw on planet Earth. (Had things not gone so wrong on Krypton, it'd surely be a smashing success there as well.) Next she rolls on to Cow Head, in Gros Morne National Park -- and says:

"I am so grateful to have been asked by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, two years in a row, to put together songs and musically direct for a show called 'Newfoundland Vinyl'. As part of the Gros Morne Theatre Festival, I get to work with extremely talented and fun people each Summer in a gorgeous setting - Cow Head, NL. From the vast and encyclopaedic sea of beautiful music to come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador, here is a collection of some of the songs from this year's show."

The GMTF season runs May 31 through September 14 - and "Newfoundland Vinyl: The Flip Side", written and directed by Jeff Pitcher, is on the boards July 12 - August 30, 2013!

http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/newfoundland-vinyl

http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/gmtf.html

"Newfoundland Vinyl" - Allison Crowe's newest music release on the record rack at Lyle's Place, Victoria, BC, Canada

Here, now, is Allison Crowe's take on these songs that, over 200 years, come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador - with ageless melodies and meaning:

BLACK VELVET BAND - lively traditional song recorded on both sides of the Atlantic, including a version by the legendary 'His Nibs' Harry Hibbs

EASY - penned by Terry Skinner and made a classic radio hit by country star Eddie Eastman

MEN WHO DIE FOR A LIVING - Gary O'Driscoll, award-winning songwriter and producer from Bay Bulls and NL's southern shore, wrote this potent elegy "for the miners here and gone"

CLIFFS OF BACCALIEU - Jack Withers sea-faring song has previously been sailed by such distinct voices as Anita Best, Louise Morrissey and Stan Rogers

SKIPPER BILLY'S WAKE - songwriter Ellis Coles' jaunty mix of moonshine, Screech and more was well popularized by Dick Nolan

SONNY'S DREAM - Newfoundland's "Man of 1000 Songs", Ron Hynes, created this anthem of the heart and home

TINY RED LIGHT - a traditional Newfoundland song revitalized in the vinyl era by The Dorymen (popular east-coast combo founded by John Drake and Tom Rose - a pair of lads out of Fortune Bay communities Belleoram and Bay du Nord)

THE MOBILE GOAT SONG - composed by St. John's Tom Cahill, frequent collaborator with "Newfoundland's First Lady of Song", Joan Morrissey, who released this cheerful romp on her 1973 LP "Home Brew"

SEVEN OLD LADIES - a bawdy song which musically plumbs a 1700s nursery rhyme, ("Johnny's So Long at the Fair") - and a tune also recorded by the great Joan Morrissey

SWEET FORGET ME NOT - first published in 1877, this tender tune by Bobby Newcomb was the first single, and a vinyl hit on the mainland as well, for Cape Shore's Eddie Coffey and his Coffey Mates


Songs performed, arranged, engineered and produced by Allison Crowe - home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

“Newfoundland Vinyl” LP Readies to Set Sail

Artwork and the track listing for “Newfoundland Vinyl”, Allison Crowe’s 11th release on Rubenesque Records Ltd., is ready. The album’s music sets sail worldwide next month.

As Musical Director for Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s production of “Newfoundland Vinyl: The Flip Side” at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival, Crowe’s active now curating and arranging songs for this Summer’s cast.

It’s a rich and varied collection harvested from the island region’s popular music and oral traditions – and from which she’s culled a selection for her vinyl LP. The album’s 10 tracks traverse parlour songs to country tunes and folk favourites, songs of land and sea that share the strength and the struggles, the heartbreaks and the humour, of a people.

Recognized as one of the great modern interpreters of song, Allison Crowe’s singular performances deliver familiar and much-loved songs afresh and with renewed joy.

Coming next month, then, is Allison Crowe’s take on these songs that, over 200 years, come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador – with ageless melodies and meaning:

Black Velvet Band – lively traditional song recorded on both sides of the Atlantic, including a version by the legendary Harry Hibbs

Easy – penned by Terry Skinner and made a classic radio hit by country star Eddie Eastman

Men Who Die for a Living – Gary O’Driscoll, award-winning songwriter and producer from St. Lawrence and the South coast, wrote this potent elegy “for the miners here and gone”

Cliffs of Baccalieu – Jack Withers' sea-faring song has previously been sailed by such distinct voices as Anita Best and Stan Rogers

Skipper Billy’s Wake – songwriter Ellis Coles’ jaunty mix of moonshine, Screech and more was well popularized by Dick Nolan

Sonny’s Dream – Newfoundland’s “Man of 1000 Songs”, Ron Hynes, created this anthem of the heart and home

Tiny Red Light – a traditional Newfoundland song revitalized in the vinyl era by The Dorymen (popular east-coast combo founded by John Drake and Tom Rose - a pair of lads out of Fortune Bay communities Belleoram and Bay du Nord)

The Mobile Goat Song – composed by St. John’s Tom Cahill, frequent collaborator with “Newfoundland’s First Lady of Song”, Joan Morrissey, who released this fun romp on her 1973 LP “Home Brew”

Seven Old Ladies – a bawdy song which musically plumbs a 1700s nursery rhyme, ("Johnny's So Long at the Fair") – and a tune also recorded by the great Joan Morrissey

Sweet Forget Me Not - first published in 1877, this tender tune by Bobby Newcomb was the first single, and a vinyl hit on the mainland as well, for Cape Shore’s Eddie Coffey

Allison Crowe’s “Newfoundland Vinyl” album launches June 25, 2013.

Allison Crowe - New, Vinyl, Album This Summer

Allison Crowe has completed recording her newest album - to debut June 25, 2013. This new release, the 11th from Crowe's Rubenesque Records, is the first to be available as a vinyl LP.

Crowe reveals her inspiration - working with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, which celebrates the 18th Annual Gros Morne Theatre Festival when its season runs this year from May - September.

"I am so grateful to have been asked two years in a row to put together songs and musically direct for a show called 'Newfoundland Vinyl'. I get to work with extremely talented and fun people each Summer in a gorgeous setting - Cow Head, NL," says Allison from her home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. "From the vast and encyclopaedic sea of beautiful music to come from, and out of, Newfoundland and Labrador, here is a collection of some of the songs from this year's show."

Music and comedy come together in this theatre production, written and directed by TNL's Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher. TNL announces: "On the heels of last year's runaway hit we present the all new 'Newfoundland Vinyl - The Flip Side!' ...the cast returns with more hits than a bagful of hammers!"

Nail more on this show and other GMTF events online now @ http://www.theatrenewfoundland.com/play_Vinyl.html (and related pages). Full details on Allison Crowe's new album coming in May.

Northern Lights over Gros Morne - photo by Allison Crowe