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Anjani & LC article in today's UK Sunday Telegraph

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:51 am
by liverpoolken
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jh ... hen126.xml

It ends with a quote from Anjani that gives us a tantalizing glimpse to what themes LC is covering in his new songs.

In contrast to Blue Alert, however, the subject matter is unlikely to be the human heart. "No one describes pain, loss, despair and grief as well as Leonard does. But it's not where his intention is right now. The material he is choosing is much more social commentary-driven, which makes this record kind of a miracle, because without it these songs wouldn't have been born."


Ta Ken

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 1:40 pm
by lizzytysh
No one does social commentary better than Leonard, either... perhaps, this record is catching us up with the future. As "Puppets" has already shown, these promise to be effectively on-point.


~ Lizzy

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:35 pm
by jarkko
Also note this:
Cohen has been working on his own album (released later this year), and admirers will be pleased to hear that he has responded to Anjani's more organic recording methods, abandoning the synths and drum machines of recent years to return to the joys of real instrumentation: "He has picked up the guitar again, and swung around to the idea of bringing in people to play.

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:41 pm
by lizzytysh
When I have a chance today, I'll read the article.
"He has picked up the guitar again, and swung around to the idea of bringing in people to play.
The power of the collective voice? A paradigm shift of the highest order for those of us longing to hear his and others' real life instrumentation and voices. Thanks for your influence and the power of your single voice, Anjani. Thanks for your callouses, Leonard. They'll serve you well :) .

Happy Birthday to the Golden Gate... just turned 70 8) . Even for those who have never crossed you, you've brought us much pleasure. Quite close in age to Leonard you are, too :) .


Love,
Lizzy

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:16 pm
by John the Shorts
Only just finished reading the article (the joys of Sunday Papers) and thought I'ld come on and post here - only to find that Ken has beaten me to it. :(

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 6:23 pm
by Born With The Gift Of A G
Ken,

This article was actually published in the issue of The Daily Telegraph dated SATURDAY, 26th May 2007.

I know this because I possess a 'hard copy' of it.

I recognised Neil McCormick in the audience for the Anjani 'showcase' at The Cuckoo Club in London back in March....and was wondering when he would finally get around to writing a piece on LC and Anjani.

Strange then that he should omit any reference to The Cuckoo Club performance in his article!

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:48 pm
by Davido
Ah, that explains it! I bought the Sunday Telegraph but there was no sign of this article. I thought maybe there were regional differences.
But John the Shorts refers to it as Sunday, also?!

Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 8:03 pm
by Born With The Gift Of A G
No, I can assure you that it definitely appeared in the Saturday edition of The Daily Telegraph!

Photocopy available, if required!

torygraph

Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 1:17 am
by simonmoorehead
you were right barry
hes timed it well
its a good review
si

Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 11:13 am
by John the Shorts
Davido wrote:Ah, that explains it! I bought the Sunday Telegraph but there was no sign of this article. I thought maybe there were regional differences.
But John the Shorts refers to it as Sunday, also?!
Sorry mate I've checked and it was Saturdays - I obviously read slower than I first thought

Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 4:31 pm
by Davido
Thanks JTS. All is now clear.
(I'm still reading newspapers from a couple of weeks ago- and I only buy them at weekends!)

Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 4:31 pm
by blonde madonna
Is it just me or is there some rewriting of history going on here?
Anjani already has two solo albums and is much admired in the US jazz milieu (Madeleine Peyroux has covered three of her songs). She first met Cohen on sessions for his 1984 classic Hallelujah
Didn't Peyroux record two songs first? Can you hear Anjani on Hallelujah (why doesn't he say Various Positions, btw can you hear her on any of it)? And I only know of one previous Anjani album but I know I'm no expert.

Is this a case of Leonard talking his lady up? :roll:

Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 5:55 pm
by tomsakic
Third song was bonus on Japanese release of Peyroux only (Crazy To Love You).

About rewriting of history, yes, I also got the impression that some journalists think Anjani actually sang Hallelujah (one even wrote (that's her voice there"). It's Jennifer Warnes' voice - Anjani is lost in the chorus of Hallellujah amidst voices of Erin Dickins, Merle Miller, Yvonne Lewis, John Crowder, Ron Getman, Crissie Faith, Lani Groves, and John Lissauer.

Also, Anjani pretty clearly said she didn't met LC during sessions (of course, she only sang on chorus with back vocalists), but only when Lissauer called her to join Leonard's tour band after the sessions.

Re: Anjani & LC article in today's UK Sunday Telegraph

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 2:33 am
by blonde madonna
I know I am being pedantic here but a cover is a recording of a song that was previously recorded or made popular by another. Now Anjani’s album did have a more limited release than Peyroux’s but did Peyroux’s come first? Peyroux is certainly more well known here.

I would say Anjani shares the writing credits with Cohen and she has covered songs already made popular by Peyroux.

It’s not important but I find it interesting that this is the story being put forward by Leonard, especially his need to associate Anjani with what is fast becoming one of his most well known songs (and Tom you are right people not so familiar with all of his music are going to assume that Jennifer is Anjani). This is not the first time he has said this, it has been his line in other interviews I have read/heard.

Re: Anjani & LC article in today's UK Sunday Telegraph

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 10:30 am
by tomsakic
Blue Alert was originally released in the US in May 2006, while Peyroux's Half the Perfect World with title song, and Anjani's title song "Blue Alert" (plus "Crazy to Love You" for Japanese version) came out after Anjani's original - in September 2006.

Of course, the fact is that Peyroux's record reached the market more widely and in Europe even first (Anjani's album obviously will not be released in many country in Europe, except as import).