A Montreal Tribute To Leonard Cohen - SHTETL on the SHORTWAVE @ BAGEL ETC - Nov 23.12

December 6, 2012

(From the Shtetl Montreal promotion for the Leonard Cohen broadcast tribute on Nov 23)

SHTETL on the SHORTWAVE’s  LEONARD COHEN TRIBUTE @ BAGEL ETC…
A POP Montreal & CKUT co-presentation

Shtetl celebrates Leonard Cohen a few days before he plays in Montreal. Tune in to hear Montreal musicians cover their favourite Cohen songs at a live taping of Shtetl on the Shortwave at Bagel Etc… One of Cohen’s hangouts on St-Laurent Blvd.  
 
Featuring Katie Moore, L’iL Andy, Elisapie, Jason Rosenblatt of Shtreiml, Adam Waito of Adam and the Amethysts, Dear Criminals, and Richard Lahmy!

And a big up to Rebecca Mary Hartz for her awesome job on the poster! Check her out.
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Shtetl et POP Montréal sont réunis pour célébrer Leonard Cohen, quelques jours avant son grand spectacle. Écoutez Shtetl on the Shortwave pour entendre live plusieurs musiciens locaux interprétant leurs chansons préférées du maestro, en direct de Bagel etc., resto presqu’aussi légendaire que Cohen lui-même!

Leonard Cohen clips used in the show came from these 3 interviews:

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/03/136862056/then-they-came-for-journalist-maziar-bahari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rxfzU2wojI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHqbIuN1diE&feature=endscreen&NR=1

To hear the stream of this program, press play arrow


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• Source: Shtetl Montreal website here. 
• From their website, here is a delightdul presentation of the Yiddish word "Shtetl"  

New Orleans Music Group Formed - Tribute To Leonard Cohen

Photo by Albert Monzano at a sound check in Toulouse, France 1980 

March 6, 2012

The "Bards of Bywater", a newly formed group specifically to perform and record a tribute to Leonard Cohen, is soliciting financial assistance for the tribute project.

WWOJ Tribute To LEONARD COHEN  (here) 

Bards of Bywater "Yours For A song" tribute to Leonard Cohen (here)

About this project

The Bards of Bywater are a group of musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana assembled for a special performance series and recording tribute to the great singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen. As Leonard Cohen approaches 80 we will span his entire career in a presentation of slightly lesser known songs that will make for an exquisite musical experience.

The Bards of Bywater are: Helen Gillet (cello, musical toys, and voice) Mark Growden (various instruments and voice) Troi Bechet (vocals) Alex McMurray (guitar and vocals) Aurora Nealand (various instruments and voice) James Singleton (bass) and Larry Sieberth (piano). Because of the elaborate nature of rehearsing and expenses incurred with securing performance venues and studio time for our recording we are reaching out to you to ensure that this project moves from the dream stage to actualization. We are all super excited and honored to bring forth a unique approach to the amazing Leonard Cohen. Please support this project and help us get the word out any way you can from posting this on FACEBOOK to alerting your friends via email.

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Photo of Leonard Cohen at the top was included in the WWOJ post (here). No description of the setting was provided.  Hartmut on the leonardcohenforum provided a link to Dr HGuy's website that the photo was taken at a 1980 sound check, but still unknown is where?

Christine Roberts (facebook): The photo was taken by Albert Monzano at a soundcheck in Toulouse, France Arlene and appears in Anthony Reynold's biography Leonard Cohen A Remarkable Life.

Sharon Robinson Accompanied On Piano By Son Michael Gold at Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Dec 4/11

December 14, 2011

This is my favourite photo from the Leonard Cohen tribute concert in Los Angeles.

When I saw first the proofs that the official photographer kindly shared with me, I looked at this photo of Sharon and Michael and said to myself,

Sweet

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A very special thank you to Marvin Steindler Photography for permission to use his photos...

...including a shot of me leaning  into the aisle to get a better view.

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• Top photo - Sharon Robinson and Michael Gold,  Alexandra Leaving

• Bottom photo-Front (L) Iliana Rose, "Dance Me..." (R) Wellspring, "If It Be Your Will". The artists are included in Various Artists (clips)

• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

Lisa Edelstein Cell Phone Welcome at Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles Dec 4/11

Lisa Edelstein (Dr Cuddy on "House")

December 13, 2011

 

Lisa Edelstein was billed as host for a tribute to the words of Leonard Cohen from some of our community's leading voices.

When called to the stage, she held up her cell phone and began reading her welcome speech from it,

Well, this is Hollywood after all.

She followed her welcome with a recitation of ARGUMENT, a poem by Leonard Cohen included in the "Book Of Longing" (ecco 2006).




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• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

• Photo: Special thanks to Marvin Steindler Photography

Sharon Robinson & Perla Batalla Sing Duo For The First Time at Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles, Dec 4/11

Screen shot

December 11, 2011

The clip below is from a video included in an earlier post about Who By Fire (click here) 

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• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert - Various Artists - Los Angeles Dec 4/11

December 11, 2011

I put together a video with short clips of some of the other performers. The video includes three excerpts from Hallelujah -the band instrumental intro and band playoff after the final act...which was...a very large combined school choir singing Hallelujah at the back of the ballroom.

The choir dramatically took the audience by surprise when they started singing because we were all facing the other way. 




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•  Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

Spirited WHO BY FIRE led by Cantor Joseph Gole and Leonard Cohen Tribute producer, Craig Taubman, Dec 4/11

Photo: Martin Steindler Photography

December 10, 2011

It started off with Cantor Gole solemnly chanting the Unetaneh Tokaf, the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayer upon which Leonard Cohen's "Who By Fire" is based.

Craig Taubman & Cantor Joseph Gole

Then at 2.35 (video below) Craig Taubman kicks in and the performance starts to rock with audience participation and a lot of play on "Who shall I say is calling".

Screen shot

Craig Taubman called on some of the other performers as backup singers, including...drum roll, please... Sharon Robinson and Perla Batalla singing together for the first time (4.19)

It was great fun.



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• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

• Special thanks to Marvin Steindler Photography for allowing use of the photo at the top of this post.

Perla Batalla BIRD ON THE WIRE, Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles, Dec 4/11

Photo: Marvin Steindler Photography

December 9, 2011

At the Leonard Cohen tribute concert, we were treated to a fantastic rendition of  "Bird On The Wire" beautifully performed by Perla Batalla..

In her intro, she told a story about Leonard Cohen once asking her to sing "Bird On The Wire" at a concert he was giving for a special person...teacher...master.

"But that's your song. I only know the la, la's and the ah, ah's."

LC insisted she do it.

So with a friend who plays guitar, she practiced singing it for days until she felt confident.

One day she said to the friend, "Today I own this song".

Her friend responded,, "No, this song owns you."





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• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here 

• Thank you to Marvin Steindler Photography for use of the photo above

Joshua Malina Recites BABYLON at Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles Dec 4/11

Joshua Malina (Will Bailey on "The West Wing") and Arlene

December 8, 2011

Joshua Malina recited Leonard Cohen's poem "Babylon", also known as "By The Rivers Dark"  at the Leonard Cohen Tribute concert on December 4, 2011.

In his intro remarks, he mentioned that the Rabbi and Cantor at his synagogue are also huge fans of Leonard Cohen. They have set the Hallel prayer to the tune of Hallelujah.

Hallel (Praise) consists of a group of Psalms which is chanted for praise and thanksgiving on joyous occasions.
 
Malina's son asked him why they were praying to that song from Shrek?





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• By The Rivers Dark is a poem included in Leonard Cohen's "Book Of Longing", ecco 2006
• The Shrek/Hallelujah connection was mentioned several times during the concert by different performers. 
• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

Sharon Robinson ALEXANDRA LEAVING, Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles Dec 4/11

 Son Michael, Sharon and hubby Greg Gold

December 7, 2011

I arrived early at the concert, as is my wont, to snag a seat with a good view,. I was lucky that the performers were sitting in the first two rows (maybe following a sound check?).  I easily spotted Sharon and Greg and was introduced to their son Michael.

Sharon looked radiant and stunning as always.

She was so elegant and charming as she is with everyone.  My old crush Greg was a delight. (Greg won my heart in Las Vegas after the final concert.) And Michael was an engaging young man.  I had seen Michael from afar on the Leonard Cohen world tour but never met him before this.

Well, I must say, this is one power family.  So wonderful, all of them.

I was able to get a video of Sharon singing Alexandra Leaving. It was so moving.  The words, music, imagery and Sharon's soulful voice touched me deeply.
 
It has been a long time favourite and I yearned to hear it on tour.  But that didn't happen.

So it was a great treat to be there to hear Sharon sing it live...just for me.





All during the concert, there was a slideshow screen on the side of the stage with continuous looping of Leonard Cohen photos. Some of the pics had LC quotes as well. You will see one of these in Sharon's video.

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• Event description and Tribute Concert stage list here

Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Los Angeles December 4, 2011

From December 6, 2011 leonardcohenforum

he Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles held an event called
"Imagining Our Future, A day of Jewish learning and culture".
on December 4, 2011 from 12 noon to 6pm (the concert actually ended closer to 6:30 PM)

The closing concert was billed as "A Celebration of the Words and Music of Leonard Cohen".

Stage list

Two Icons, Sharon Robinson and Perla Batalla Perform at Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert, Dec 4, 2011

December 5, 2011

I was so excited yesterday to meet up again with both of these wonderfully talented singers at a Leonard Cohen tribute concert in Los Angeles. 

I have never seen a photo of Sharon and Perla together. So, I just had to share these photos right away.

Consider this a preview of more to come.  I have many short video clips of most performers to process. And it is taking longer than anticipated. YouTube limitations are not kind.

More posts about the tribute concert to follow.

Stay tuned...