The Spanish tribute tour continues

Henning · Post by **Henning** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:47 am

WOW - it sounds like you had a great time all together. From the video I was impressed of how Adam interpreted Take this waltz. Even though it was short I thought it was beautiful. I know that Elliott Murphy has gained some fans in Spain. I am glad I could help to have him in our small club here in March 2006. His duets with Oliver Durand are real concert highlights. Last time I saw him was on the christmas party of his record label in Germany a month ago. He is in this bizz since the early 70th. He was announced as the new Bob Dylan then. For long now he has settled in France. What a surprise to see him on this tribute list. It's such a small world. I told Elke about this concert and added that Jarkko did the opening song "You know who I am". It took 10 seconds before she kicked my ass.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:38 am

Henning... for even a split of a second, I felt this

.

Hi AnToni ~

It's hard to believe the quality of your photos... from audience without flash. Your seat location was one to be coveted

. You mentioned the lighting of the show as one of the perfect elements. I was noticing that as I looked at your photos... the smokiness with the colours of lighting against the mostly dark backgrounds [along with the purple and blue

], as well as their choice of clothing. Very serious and dramatic. There are those red dots with Jackson Browne's performance

.

Adam is down-to-earth gorgeous, Christina's awesome... and Perla certainly looked beautiful in that dress. The treatment of some of these songs has me praying already for at least a cd, and a dvd a thousand times better. It's a shame their concentration was so oft interrupted.

The idea of including poems in Leonard Cohen's tribute remembers that his work is more than songs.

Excellent observation and inclusion. I wondered if the suggestion came from Leonard. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it's also a segue for Leonard doing some readings on his new album.

Everything in these photos and the descriptions of the various approaches to Leonard's work makes this tribute look very intriguing and unique.

The personal sensation of my wife and me, is than we lived a magnificent and unforgettable day, from the morning until high hours of the night. An authentic dream. We were with our friends in Barcelona (and Lleida), the Cohen's fans, and also we have met personally others who were intimate, warm and not conceited, at all. We have their memory and keep it intimately with thankfully.

It will be a silly thing, but I wanted to send a message of admiration, I believe that this message already has gone to its destiny. I know that I am one more than a lot of similar people that yesterday in this tribute or that we come to this forum or that we have got excited with his music and his poetry and we think that he it's a piece of our lives. Every time it seems that we are more: anonymous as me or artists able of taking part in a concert as this one. Maybe demonstrate this gratefulness is superfluous, I known it, but yesterday I felt a great happiness and peace.

Absolutely a precious lifelong memory for you and your wife, and your friends... and never silly to express sincere admiration. They put their hearts into preparing, hoping they'll do Leonard's work justice and that you'll enjoy it... how good for them to learn their hopes were fulfilled.

The ones that stand out to me as being just so special, for one or another reason are:

The concert began with a delicates notes and a Cohen in off reciting "Poem" from "Let us Compare Mythologies" ("I heard of a man..."), Constantino Romero continued it in Spanish. He has a deep and clear voice, he does not recite, interprets as an actor. Among the diverse selection of poems we listen "God is alive, magic is afoot", "The Faith" (Dear Heather), "Gift" (in Catalan) and poems of "Book of Longing".

Adam Cohen's was a pleasant and extrovert guy, he spoke in a very correct Spanish, he said an American Spanish of LA, he sang "Bird On The Wire". A very good cover with interesting musical variations.

Duquende with "Mi gitana" (My Gipsy Wife) in "cante jondo" (sing depth).
Thank you so much for your report, AnToni... and your English just keeps improving.

The beautiful Christina Rosenvinge sang an exquisite "Impermeable Azul" (Famous Blue Raincoat).

Already we knew that Suzanne Vega would not be, she was not in the program, maybe for a change with Elliott Murphy appeared, a wonderful surprise. He interpreted a formidable "Diamonds In The Mine". Bob Dylan in his good times could not have does it better.

And it was the moment of Anjani Thomas, she was wonderful and happy, she sang "Half A Perfect World" and "Thanks For The Dance". Great.

Adam returned to the stage, he said to us that he was sharing the passion of his father for Lorca, remembered the name of his sister, for this song he needed the help of his friend; Anjani, together sang "Take This Waltz" in Spanish, memorable and familiar.

In Spanish and with a certain mariachi tune, Perla Batalla and Javier Colis sang "Ballad of the Absent Mare", ended up by dancing, very nicely.

Santiago Auserón sang "You know who I am" with fragments in English and Spanish.

Toti played Susanna the mythical version Catalan of 1972, one special ovation.

Perla as master of ceremonies presented the band, congratulated Kevin on his birthday and announced the last song "Dance me to the End of Love" in Spanish and she invited to all to sing together, another nice moment.

As I look at the photos and read your descriptions, the one thing that stands out to me is that these were very high quality performances.

Thanks so much for your report, AnToni. Your English just keeps getting better, too

.

~ Lizzy

LaurieAK · Post by **LaurieAK** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:57 am

FYS~

Your concert photos are fantastic!! AND you did not annoy those around you with a flash

They really are wonderful. You should be proud.

Thanks for the report, the photos and the link to the video clip.

regards,
Laurie

Diane · Post by **Diane** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:21 pm

FYS,

Laurie said:

Your concert photos are fantastic!!

Too right they are. They go a long way to evoking the atmosphere of the concert. Your pics, enthusiasm and descriptions help me recall how much we who attended the Dublin tribute enjoyed the show, for the performances, and the vibe.

Thanks much for your report.

Diane

ps I especially love the pic you took of Anjani, bathed in blue light (or blue alert light).

Chema · Post by **Chema** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:54 pm

FYS, thanks for your welcome and for yours marvelous fotos. You've taken the spirit of the show very well. I only can say more that this concert was better than summer's concert in Sant Feliu.

Greetings

CHEMA

Chema · Post by **Chema** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:22 pm

This is a review of the concert from a national newspaper, "El Pais".

"Recordando al maestro"
La minigira 'Acordes con Leonard Cohen' reúne a un público maduro
MIQUEL JURADO - Barcelona - 15/01/2007

Leonard Cohen sigue estando de actualidad. Su nombre está siempre presente entre todos esos que, en cosas de música, huyen conscientemente de modas y listas de éxitos. Prácticamente puede afirmarse que ya es más un icono que una voz y que invocar su nombre suele ser siempre un buen señuelo.

No sucedió así en la noche del sábado: el Auditori de Sant Cugat del Vallés (Barcelona) no acabó de llenarse con la nueva versión de Acordes con Leonard Cohen, el homenaje que ya el pasado verano recorrió varios puntos de la península. Ni siquiera la presencia de algunos pesos pesados del panorama peninsular o internacional consiguió colgar el ansiado letrero de agotadas las localidades. A pesar de ello, el calor en el interior del moderno auditorio se mantuvo en todo momento sin llegar nunca a desbordarse como corresponde a un público bastante maduro que estaba allí más por el conjunto, más por Leonard Cohen, que por cada una de las piezas del puzzle.

La nueva puesta en escena poco tiene que ver con lo estrenado el pasado julio en el Festival de la Porta Ferrada de Sant Feliú de Guixols. Entre aquel bolo veraniego y la actuación del pasado sábado, un verdadero estreno, la distancia es abismal; por suerte, para bien. Acordes con Leonard Cohen es ahora (aceptando el formato manido pero aún eficaz del todos para uno y uno para todos) un espectáculo con fuerza.

Siguió siendo demasiado largo: más de dos horas y media sin pausas que se podrían haber acortado sólo con un buen ritmo escénico y eliminando algunos recitados de Constantino Romero (todos interesantes pero excesivos en número). Los cambios respecto a su primera versión han servido para redondear el producto y el añadido de Adam Cohen, hijo del homenajeado, sin aportar nada musicalmente, completa la panoplia emotiva, en especial al cantar a dúo con su madrastra Anjani Thomas.

Incluir en el programa a Elliott Murphy fue otro acierto, como prescindir de las actuaciones de Kiko Veneno, un coro de aficionados y Luz Casal, reducir la presencia escénica del prescindible Javier Colis y de los entonces mal ubicados Son de la Frontera (ahora simples acompañantes sin protagonismo). También fue positiva la eliminación de las presentaciones de cada tema y su cambio por poemas leídos por Romero.

El público siguió con placer el nuevo Acordes con Leonard Cohen y sólo hacia el final comenzó a notarse el cansancio, tanto de ellos como de los artistas. Sólo invocando al cansancio puede aceptarse la participación de Luis Eduardo Aute con una cansina versión de El futuro.

Las versiones de John Cale y Jabier Muguruza (en euskera y castellano) brillaron alto. También Gerard Quintana, Jackson Browne, Duquende, Toti Soler, Santiago Auserón y Christina Rosenvinge mantuvieron alto el estandarte sobre magníficos arreglos de Javier Más y Kevin McCornick. La actual compañera de Cohen, Anjani Thomas, derrochó encanto y Perla Batalla se mostró mejor acompañante que solista.

En su nueva versión Acordes con Leonard Cohen, que ayer ofreció su última representación en Lleida, funciona perfectamente como el homenaje que pretende ser.

Joe Way · Post by **Joe Way** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:01 pm

FYS,
Let me mention my gratitude that you are sharing these wonderful photos with us. What a marvelous experience for all who were there!

Joe

dick · Post by **dick** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:11 pm

anToni

Much gratitude coming to you for your marvelous photos and glowing report. MANY, many thanks.

Agree Perla looks gorgeous in that dress, and the photo of Anjani in the blue light is amazingly beautiful. Adam indeed is a handsome and charming young man.

Wish we could have been there. And, with all that camera action, surely there will be a dvd. Anyone got any inside info Jarkko?

Good going to you too Elke -- Henning can always use a good one of those.

ForYourSmile · Post by **ForYourSmile** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:52 am

I am satisfied to place these photos here... though they are not mine, the artist is my wife. I was too nervous to hold the camera without trembling. It's necessary some luck too.

An example of Murphy moving. Here is the Breton Olivier Durand with him in their energetic performance.

Adam is down-to-earth gorgeous ... - Adam indeed is to handsome and charming young man

Yes, of course he is very attractive, Anjani with blue or white light very nice, as well as Perla Batalla. Perla opened and closed the concert, was the engine, as Sant Feliu. Also, this time Anjani and Adam were behaving as hosts and were showing a lot of interest in order that everything was working well.

Lizzy ~ thanks. Cohen is a poet. Especially in his first tours he recited poems, maybe it's not very commercial but these 10 poems deserved to be there.

The video is very short, is the one that was broadcast on TV3 as part of the news.

I agree with you Chema, the winter version was better than summer one... for a lot of reasons. (Sant Feliu was extraordinary too).

margaret · Post by **margaret** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:59 am

Many thanks to Toni and his lovely wife for bringing us such wonderful photos and reports of the show. It appears to have been a memorable experience. I wish I could have been there!

Margaret

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:06 am

Thank you Antony and Chema! I wish I was there, as I hoped for... I guess we will hear more from Jarkko about possible DVD when he comes back; he is safe now in Madrid;-)

citizen · Post by **citizen** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:13 pm

It was a wonderful evening with us favorite music, poetry and songs. The reviews and others mails´ve all details. I just want to add that day also was wonderful because we can knew Jarkko and his wife. Both are very nice and pleasant and we could congratulate for this excellent web that make feel us so happy. Thank you for everything!

ForYourSmile · Post by **ForYourSmile** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:28 am

tonyo wrote:Both are very nice and pleasant and we could congratulate for this excellent web that make feel us so happy. Thank you for everything!

I agree absolutely.

Jorcx, Chema, Tonyo, Guadalupe, Eija, Jarkko, FYS and Shell (behind the camera).

Tom, I hope to be able to share a time like that before the event in Croatia.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:31 am

A beautiful group of beautiful winners posing as B-Losers... having an obviously warm and wonderful time

.

I'm so glad that Eija was at the concert, too. I wasn't sure that she was going to be. Didn't get any real indication of that ahead of time.

Great photo! Thanks, AnToni!

~ Lizzy

dick · Post by **dick** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:56 pm

Great photo

Thanks for sharing

Make sure Shell gets in front of the camera at least once... we have the same problem with Eija and my wife Linda -- they are normally taking all the pics and therefore not in them!

Wish we could have met all of you.

dick