Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Tributes & covers; Leonard's songs on the soundtracks and TV
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st theresa
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Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by st theresa »

http://www.leonardcohennights.org/
Looks like a great event again this year...
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mutti
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by mutti »

I love Edmonton and especially that you sometimes can see the northern lights there
and the nights are so long in the summer...walking around at 11:30 pm in June and it looks like its 7pm.
Would love to come for the LC Night - but won't be there.
Have a good one all who can make it.
Mutti
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by jarkko »

Image

Full size poster here: http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/edmonton2009.jpg

Celebrate Leonard Cohen with
A TOWER OF SONG
Explore Leonard Cohen’s genius as the Cohenights Arts Society presents Leonard Cohen Night 2009: A Tower of Song, Friday, September 18, 8pm at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, all 780-451-8000 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.ca.

Montreal singer-songwriter Adam Cohen headlines an evening of music, poetry and movement hosted by Peter Brown and inspired by Leonard Cohen. A Tower of Song features Edmonton singer-songwriter Adam Gregory; visual artist Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn with dancers from the Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts; reggae-singer Janaya “Sista J” Ellis of Juno-nominated Souljah Fyah; folk-pop musician Ido vanderLaan; and several other artists.

Born in Montréal, Adam Cohen, solo singer-songwriter and member of Canadian pop group Low Millions, was signed to Columbia Records in 1996 and released his self-titled debut album in 1998. After deciding to focus on French-language material, Adam signed with Capitol Records Canada and released his second solo album, Mélancholista in 2004. The same year, Low Millions released its debut album, Ex-Girlfriends, which references Adams past relationships, using his ex-girlfriends’ actual names. Adam is the son of Canadian icon Leonard Cohen and released his most recent album, Like A Man, this summer.

Growing up in Edmonton, Adam Gregory’s musical journey began when he wrote his first composition at age 12. Major label talent scouts quickly recognized Adam's budding skill, and signed him to a record deal with Sony Canada when he was just 13 years old. Adam has scored several top ten hits on Canada's country charts throughout his teens, gaining a loyal following with the release of three studio albums. Now living in Nashville, Adam continues to record stateside.

Edmonton’s triple-threat singer-songwriter, manager, promoter and multi-instrumentalist Janaya “Sista J” Ellis aims to put Edmonton on the music industry map. Janaya is currently working with Politic Live, Oozeela and Ibo (Smokey Room Productions), as well as Edmonton's reggae sweethearts Souljah Fyah. With a 2009 Juno nomination for Best Reggae Band, Souljah Fyah’s performance at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival brought the house down!

Ido vanderLaan, a unique and emotive singer-songwriter, has a penchant for writing unforgettable melodies and warm lyrics, and his songs lend themselves to good pop sensibility in an acoustic-folk style. Ido has enjoyed local success with Year of the Panda, The Wowzers and currently Lovertine. Ido hopes to inspire his listeners with songs born from too much coffee, an old Gibson acoustic and a Mac mini.

Tower of Song also features a remount of Dance Me…, a multi-media presentation created by visual artist Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn in collaboration with dancers from the Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts, Doug Rachinski, Tatiana Cheladyn and Jordan Dowler-Coltman. As Larisa produced several original watercolour paintings inspired by Leonard Cohen, she filmed and animated the process, setting it to Cohen’s music. Dance Me… features these animations along with song and movement.

Leonard Cohen’s work as a novelist, poet and singer-songwriter crosses national and cultural divides, connecting diverse supporters around the world. The Cohenights Art Society, a non-profit organization, aims to develop community-based arts and cultural initiatives influenced by this Canadian icon.

Leonard Cohen Night 2009: A Tower of Song plays September 18 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, 780-451-8000 or http://www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information about Leonard Cohen Night 2009 or the Cohenights Arts Society, please visit http://www.leonardcohennights.org
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friscogrl
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by friscogrl »

Adam has a new album out, Like a Man. I went to the website for this and listened to the song Like a Man.
I was struck by how much he sounds like his father did in his younger days. Very nice voice and a lovely song.

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st theresa
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by st theresa »

yeah--this Friday
looking forward to it --Adam Cohen, Ido Vanderlaan, and Adam Gregory--(don't know his work but heard him on CBC on Sunday--beautiful voice). Ido has amazing talent, but I like him singing leonard better than his own stuff. Showing my age I guess or my preferences for Leonard's work. Souljah Fyah will bring the energy to a boiling point I am sure....Fun.
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by dar »

I know the Leonard Cohen Night's event will be amazing. Kim and his crew do a great job of putting it all together.

(I've heard Ido perform and he's a great entertainer. He sings a Dutch folk song that is really a feat of linguistics. What a language. Never had the chance to catch an Adam gig and sure wish I could have extended my Edmonton stay to be there to hear him. Was so happy to meet you while I was in Edmonton too StT.)

Enjoy the music!
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by LisaLCFan »

I was at this event. I'm not a fan of dance, so I'll leave it to someone else to comment on that portion of the show. As for the musical performers, they were enjoyable. Ido van der Laan did an impressive rendition of The Stranger Song (sang solo and played guitar, not quite as well as Leonard ;-) ), and overall, his set was fun, he did a great job. Janaya Ellis was fabulous, I thought she was the highlight, a very strong voice and wonderful interpretations of Lady Midnight (a rocking version), Seems so Long Ago Nancy (which she sung solo while playing piano! Beautiful!), The Partisan (somewhat like Leonard and the band have been playing it on the current tour), and Waiting For the Miracle, very solemn with mostly just voice, piano, and acoustic guitar. I liked her very much. There was some country music guy, Adam Gregory, who sang very countrified versions of several tunes. Not really my bag (hate to say it, but I thought his new-country version of "Ain't No Cure For Love" was painful. And he changed a few of the lyrics, such as one of my favourite lines of Leonard's, the brilliant "I need to see you naked in your body and your thought" which A. Gregory sang as "I'm hungry for your body and your thought". That's just not right!), but other people seemed to enjoy it (I honestly think a lot of the people went just to see this Adam Gregory guy. Lots of country-music fans in Edmonton, and he got, by far, the loudest applause and cheers of anyone. I dare say some of them had probably never heard of Leonard Cohen.). And, finally, some guy named Adam Cohen was there ;-) He seemed to be having fun (although I wish he had sung the proper lyrics to So Long Marianne! And I don't know that Tower of Song was the best choice for him to do, since nobody but Leonard should sing that!), and it was cool to see him play. Everyone came out at the end for a group sing of Hallelujah, which was very moving (damn, that's a good song!).

Overall all, it was a great show, and what really stood out for me was how great Leonard's songs are, to hear other people of varying styles and voices sing such a nice variety of old and new Cohen songs that are all truly timeless, with amazing lyrics and tunes, it just really makes one realize how awesome our Man is, and what an incredible contribution he has made to music.
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by LisaLCFan »

Oh, and at this event they were selling and I bought one of those new poetry books, "Leonard Cohen: You're Our Man". It's late and I've not looked at it yet, but it should be fun! One of the poets (Allison Akgungor) recited her poem during the show, "Longing for Leonard", which was very cute and I'm sure many of Leonard's female fans (of which I am one, of course) will appreciate its sentiments :D She got quite a few laughs!
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st theresa
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by st theresa »

Hey Dar
Nice to see your words on here and yes I agree that the event was very well done. I loved the dance numbers with the paintings inspired by Leonard's work set as a a background. I also enjoyed the versions of the numbers that were chosen to play during the dances--particularly Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat and Who by Fire by Leonard himself. I have to admit I am a fan of kd for hallelujah and Bird on a wire. The paintings also on display in the lobbby were beautiful although a bit pricey. Karen Slevinksy, who produced the show, was dubbed the most passionate leonard fan he had ever encountered, by Adam Cohen. I am not a country fan although I live in Edmonton, and it is doubtful that many of the people who came to the show were, as Adam Gregroy, although local, has not been making the news since he was 12. I think, that the cheers he got were more likely due to the fact that the audience warmed up as the show progressed. I think Adam Cohen was equally well received. Souljah Fyah was so dynamic and brought out the truth that Leonard's music is ageless. I was a bit disappointed not to hear more from Colleen Brown as I had heard her in a previous event and she is truly talented. Diane Stabel was beautiful too. - I was a bit taken aback by Ido's performance this year as I had really enjoyed him two years ago at the Myer Horowitz event. I thought that his mic was too loud and, indeed, when Adam Cohen later picked up on this and asked the audience if he could turn it down, all agreed. It was a shame that Adam's performance came later as he was apparently the most technically aware musician and the loud mic drowned out the vocals of the two superb backup singers. One of the reasons that Adam Gregory may have received such a loud applause was that his was the only performance that was played at the volume that suited it. Ido's rendition of the Stranger Song, as noted in Lisa's review was worthy of commendation, for the fact, pointed out by Ido that its memorization was a difficulty in itself. I did laugh when Rob Brown pointed out that Leonard's length of time in song writing deserves the time spent in memorizing.
Some guy named Adam Cohen? Did Lisa really not know or was it an understatement? I loved Adam although I have to admit seeing a video clip of him in Montreal had primed me not to. In person, his charm and his spririt could not be denied. I am so glad that he has decided to accept his inheritance, and to celebrate his father's music. Thanks go out to the Cohen Nights Arts Society, for another great event and to Adam Cohen for joining us on his own birthday, to celebrate his father.
And finally--I was able to acquire the book of poetry and to read aloud to friends the poem by Margaret Atwood. It was so much fun...I look forward to reading the rest..thanks to all the poets!!!
Or as one of my friends is fond of pointing out--In heaven you will find poets and musicians and artists. We likely won't find doctors and lawyers and such there as they won't be needed.
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by KimSolez »

Here are images of the event and the dress rehearsal the day before.

http://gallery.me.com/evocative1/100643
http://gallery.me.com/evocative1/100650

Many more images of the performance itself from professional photographer Tom Turner will be available next week.

All the best. -Kim
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by LisaLCFan »

In response to St. Theresa: Of course I know who Adam Cohen is! I did include a winking-face ;-) to indicate that my statement was a small joke! Adam was great, and in light of the awful news about Leonard's experience in Valencia earlier in the day, Adam's being there helped assure us all that Leonard was, indeed, fine.

And to Kim and the gang, thanks for putting on a wonderful event!
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st theresa
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by st theresa »

In response to Lisa and Kim
Sorry I missed your winking face Lisa--I am not used to staying up so late and was writing my note in a hurry before I had to go out on Saturday. That also explains my comment about doctors KIM :oops: Of course supporters of the arts such as yourself will surely be there too. :lol:
kjslevinsky
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by kjslevinsky »

Thank you for your posts about MY show! (actually Kim's, mine and the Cohenights)

I loved reading your reviews and would like to include one myself. I think that Adam Cohen did a kick-ass version of "tower of song" !!!! He really is at home on the stage. As well, choosing that song enabled him to naturally share something of himself and his father.

Actually I enjoyed all the performers but just one more comment: On Adam Gregory, he allowed us to introduce him to LC songs and music and really that is what we are all about - broadening the interest - educating others about LC and what a talented Canadian he is! AG is country - loads of credit to him for stepping out of his comfort zone.

Thanks to all for performing and to all who attended.

Karen Slevinsky
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st theresa
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Re: Leonard Cohen Night 2009 Edmonton with Adam Cohen

Post by st theresa »

Karen
I agree with you about Adam Cohen re tower of song..I love it when he sang that Leonard would be singing to us sweetly from the Tower of song. Also want to commend you on the involvement of all the young people including Adam Gregory, who has an amazing voice. I was filled with gratitude that all of these young musicians are coming to know and appreciate our man. He will indeed be singing to us sweetly for many years to come--even after I'm gone :roll:
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