Leonard Cohen in Paris "Old Ideas"

[bridger15]

http://zulalmuzik.blogspot.com/2012/01/ ... aksam.html
There are several photos in the article not included here.
google translation from Turkish

Wednesday January 18, 2012
A Parisian Evening with Leonard Cohen
© Zülal Tetovo
Republic / January 18, 2012



Minstrel singer, poet, novelist, cultural icon Leonard Cohen, is releasing a new album this month. "Old Ideas" to promote the album with the name of Turkey, I attended a meeting held in Paris. Monday evening, a group of journalists from around the world with well-known hotels in Paris Hotel Crillon'da Leonard Cohen's hold our place started to take.

Hour full at 19:30 in the black suit and black felt hat and gray shirt, as usual, appeared; it was the most elegant form. Journalists brief greeting, he said, and menajeriyle welcome us with the album sitting in the same seats, listened to from beginning to end. From behind answered the questions.

Necessary briefly to mention the album, "Old Ideas" Since 2004, Cohen published the first study. Consisting of 10 songs of the album, as usual, Cohen love, love, daily life and functioning of the human mind that has occupied the thoughts and observations over concerns about the transfers.

Also given in the form of blues songs on this album was happy to Cohen. "Always liked the blues and musical structure. But I always thought that the right to sing blues. Issued by an authority, but at the end, it felt like the right to use this form. Some songs have a right to say that the blues emerged, and now, "he said. Yakışmış blues voice too, in his words ...

Although the focus of the songs of love and affection always felt sadness. This tespitimi Cohen'a transfer "to suffer, is a necessary part of loving?" I asked. It is interesting to hear him because the album when it is in a good mood, he said.

Then he added, "People yaşgünlerinde 'Happy Birthday' song, he says. But the impression of Marilyn Monroe said, and he changed. Dish-washing may also be relevant in a song, also may point to larger issues. This is how it related söylediğinizle. But all of these elements in a song is good for me. "

Cohen's music in a secret here, I have every aspect of life, he wrote his words, melancholy songs reflect the state of the most elegant and witty. Depressive irony is not his words, but rather is a calming effect. When an element of humor, "women's men (ladies' man), in this period of my life, my relationship with them must contain a large amount of humor," he responds.

Reached the maturity of the wave to cross him, stretched out on the wisdom of an artist o. "Going Home" song called "lazy bastard who live in the suit," he talks about himself, but at this point, we came of his poems, music, drawings, Is Looking still think that had something to learn. That is, in all modesty "aptallığınızdan never get rid of your own. You can find plenty of examples Yetersizliğinize or behavior, which, embarrassingly. Opportunities to criticize the way you find yourself in this painful truth will never reach full settlement. "He says.

During the meeting the album cover photo Cohen "colleague, a young Turkish man," he mentioned by the shadow of the woman in the photo was taken by Ozcan Kezban learned that belongs to her.

Then when I went up to him to sign the plaque Cohen'a talking, grandson of a Turkish saying that the sitter, "the Turks have close relations," he said. Plağıma has signed a laugh, his voice, charisma, weight and intellect on January 16th Assembly made a memorable and very special 77 unique boy!

LEONARD ASKED QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS COHEN'A

Leonard Cohen'a asked questions and other questions brought together our own answers below. (Cohen, a French radyocunun answered questions before the album after hearing, the order came from the journalists' questions.)

Journalists sit together to listen to their own album-What was it like?

LC: It is hard to describe.

-Everyone listened very quietly. I think a good sign.

LC: No one did not leave the hall.

-A special relationship with the French who caught my attention. Before the meeting, the French understood the söylüyordunuz your work more comfortable.

LC: I always thought working tradition established here generations ago. Therefore, no disclosure requirement also did not hear anything. Of a song, music, lyrics, musician position in France and other European countries remained clearly understood. However, this is a situation in America was not entirely alışılıp adopted.

Are you aware of what you came for-us? Sometimes you show respect, perhaps bored. "Great singer", "excellent poet," "excellent mind" and so on. What makes you feel expressions?

LC: Great. I really feel good. This kind of hard to say anything more than to thank you for kibarlığa.

-Very smart and bright person. Always say, you write that you draw and think about everything you do. I was thinking how such an impact on people bırakabileceğini an artist ...

LC: I live my life like everybody else. In the case of emergency work that day I also do not ask such questions are not luxuries. The larger head size in areas yoruyorum them.

I think a man-religious. Incorrect, correct. What is the meaning of religion for you? Can free people really thought of listening to albums of religion. You really have a free spirit, a free person. I do not think this is an age-related.

LC: I must admit I have a lot to do with age. Practical to do on this subject or discipline, but I do not know if as a result of anxiety related to certain brain cells die in a place I've read lean. Therefore, how to discipline yourself when you do not have importance. According to the state of the cells from the bad can feel a lot better.

There is a Zen teacher, my friend. Currently, 104 years old, but old age does not make any concessions to. Very nice to spend time with him. You mentioned religion, but religion will never speak of this old teacher. Every time you talk, it refers to the specific work. This is not a religious work. Operational in nature, the separation between person and object, and describes a method of becoming. In a sense, there is no scientific basis. The exact circumstances, but based on individual experiences. One of worship, no god. Commitment to live in a society, to recognize their own feelings and emotions of others to be susceptible to extreme means. Listen gilili more than any event of such an event. Faith, not faith. Religion does not enter the definition.

- "Old Ideas," What does it mean? Review of old ideas or old düşenceler geçiriyordunuz Is the best?

LC: I'm not sure exactly what it means. Just a thought. Back issues of most interest to us in terms of look. Diagnosis is difficult to say what it is. Who die with us, everyday concerns.

-Cheerful expression, such as depression, may be the concept?

LC: Depression is a serious issue. Poor do not mean the end of a meeting or a bad week. Depression is a clinical depression, says, all the history, the so-called state of anxiety, nothing has gone well and enjoy the feeling that nothing can be collapsed and the situation I'm talking about all the strategies. This type of depression is very experienced. But I'm happy to announce that a certain period of my life, a late period of my life, depression, asthma, and to echo the thanks to good teachers and good luck. I hope that a more finished and returned.

Is there a feature-ever bad?

LC: No, no. (I said with a laugh.)

-People always enchanted by seeing you on stage. How do you feel when you receive this kind of reaction from people?

LC: Every close, intense relationship, the relationship is very harmful to discuss.

-We heard the first song Going Home, "I like to talk with Leonard. He is a gentleman and guide. The team is a bastard living in a dress," you say. Leonard Who is this?

(Leonard Cohen, himself pointing his hand to this question and responded with a laugh.)

-Israel, 'I want to ask you about your last visit. Everyone says that it is fascinating. People, critics agree that Israel's recent konserinizin very special. You feel the same? Also how did you respond to those who pressure you to to boycott Israel?

LC: I do not believe a boycott against artistic communication. Because the last hope for communication o. We are hoping to establish communication among the people made a comment on this issue created a fund. All proceeds from the concert, he donated to the fund. There are 50 thousand people there. We tried to encourage the establishment of communication between the two communities. I know a hopeless case. I know I talk to many people off, but at some point people want to do something. That's what we are doing.

Album cover of the shadow of a woman-there fotğrafta. Who is it?

LC: the garden of my house and filmed o. Then the shadow of the photographer's shadow. Kezban Ozcan, a Turkish colleague, a young man. That photo is actually lower than the shadow of a different roaming. Photoshop it up and made a reservation two was more mysterious shadow. I think that was the best.

Once I was ready for a lot of your work-and you said that there were among the songs. Do you intend to use them?

LC: There are unfinished, so the material in my hand. But for right now working on a new album also has enough material. Over a period of 1 year or a little longer to do a new album.

Based on the final outcome-for all of us Did you come to a final thought?

LC: I came to a conclusion. I will die. I think about these questions raises a variety of possibilities, of course, but I would like to make it a win.

Flamenco-influence can be felt on this album more than older ones. Here I would like to commemorate Enrique Morente'yi. I think Dostunuzdu and died last year. Do you love flamenco, Are you listening?

LC: I love Flamenco. No one dinlemezken I listen to flamenco. A music that touches me deeply. Flamenco, fado, blues, Rembetika, country music, they always impressed me most. One of the greatest privileges of my life music, Enrique Morente'nin yorumlamasıydı my music in the form of flamenco. Enrique Morente'yi people here know I do not know, but died last year. Sanatçılarındandı the most important of his generation. Reflected the impact of Rocksteady flamenco, move flamenco passion and originality of many elements without sacrificing the other has created a solid fusion. Very good singer and music in a very innovative. Çalışmamla I heard a great honor for your concern and interprets its own traditions. This was an album that the songs collected by Omega. Principe Asturias Award Ceremony of the famous flamenco singer Duquende'nin "The Gypsy's Wife" was an event which deeply affected me by telling my song in the form of flamenco. http://youtu.be/kWtWE-VHfRk

---Arlene

[Winnaar58]

Leonard Cohen at Hôtel de Crillon, Paris.
2012, Januari the sixteenth.


Good day to you al and here we go…
Of course I am huge fan of Leonard Cohen, since the year 1969.
There has not been a singel day without listening to at least one of his songs.
But… I am just a tiny fan, compared to Maarten Massa.
I am so impressed by his knowledge, he seems to know about EVERY little detail where it concers the Works of Cohen and Leonard Cohen as a person.
Maarten I truly believe you are an expert and it has been my privilage to be there in your company at January the sixteenth. Besides that we just spent a lovely day together, two great fans amongst a lot of journalists
I left home at half past ten and took the train to Paris, where I arrived at 25 minutes to five. While travelling I already made contact with Maarten, he managed to book a room in the same lovely Alba Opera Hotel where I was staying overnight together with the two very nice Dutch journalists: Menno Top (De Volkskrant)and Tisha Eetgerink(De Pers)
Maarten was invited to come with us and grab a quick bite in the company of Sony Belgium and four Belgian journalists.
We were in a hurry, so none finished his plate.
And then…..
Hôtel de Crillon, I always take pictures. But I felt so tiny and overwhelmed by all the marble and gold in the main hall: so no pictures taken by me at this time
We went upstairs, to Salon des Aigles where most of the press already had taken seats.
Therefore no chair in the front for us, never mind still a good place.
Hand shaking, some talking, some looking around and then the word became ‘Magic’.
Complete silence when Leonard Cohen entered the Salon(the word room does not fit)
I don’t know if it were seconds or minutes, but silent it was. One big moment of magic in the air and then applause for this fragile man. I felt so…..no words to describe how I felt. I just know this was a kind of ‘holy’ moment, a very important moment in my life(and I did not have a autograph or picture yet and I did not expect to get one, nevertheless: HEAVENLY.
‘For me to be a ladies man at this point in my life is what I call humor”, Guess who is talking to a journalist at this paticular point during the evening 
Leonard Cohen smiled, took his hat of(not ‘the costume that he wore’ and he did not went ‘behind the curtain’ either)
He thanked his audience for coming, for the applause and for coming and listen to ‘Old Ideas’, the new album that will be released in The Netherlands at Januari the 27th.
He tells his audience that he will not stay in his chair at front when the songs are going to be played, but he also will sit with the audience and he sat on a chair at the first row: ‘So feel free to react’
And then the music starts…
For me it was the second time that I was able to listen to ‘Old Ideas’ But it felt like it was the First time.
Listening to the songs in presence of Leonard Cohen is another story, nothing but magic in aplce called heaven.
The album is so beautiful: The voice, the songs, the other voices, the musicians.
I guess Maarten will tell you all about the details. I particular like ‘Going Home’, ‘Show me the place’, ‘Crazy to love you’, ‘Lullaby’, ‘Come Healing’ and ‘Different Sides’. And to me Sharon Robinson gives the album a special touch with her amazing voice. I say ‘particular’, but like I said in my previous there is not a single song on the album that I don’t like.
There is time for the journalists, who came from all over the World: The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Finland, Israël, Spain, Portugal , England etc.) to ask questions.
Leonard tells he has a special relationship with France, with Europe. “I always thought that the tradition that I work in, the lyric, the song, the position of the singer is clear here. Very well familiar”
Leonard says: ‘ I live on the front line of my own life’
Leonard says: ‘I don’t really speculate on the greater matters’
Leonard says: ‘Zen is not a religion. Zen is a study of subject and object. Just a commitment of living in a community. Awareness, no faith, no believe, only activity!’
Leoanrd says: ‘You are never free of your own stupidity, one is continual confronted with your own’
Leonard says: ‘Old Ideas’ is a certain kind of resonance, just looking into the matters that concerns us. For instance, what is an old friend?’
Leonard tells his audience that he suffered from a serious depression(someone askes him about his depression ’Is ther a definition of joyfull depression, Leonard says. It was all about a clinical depression, the background of the entire life. But his depression slowly desolves later in life with the help of good teachers and good luck.
Does Leonard have bad qualities, asked by a journalist.
Leonard says: ‘None’ He kept his humor 
Leonard says if there happens to be an reïncarnation, although he does not really understand the process of reïncarnation, “I will be back as my daughter’s dog!”
Leonard also told the journalsit from Israël that he does not believe in the boycot of artist expression, referring to the concert in Israël. And although the whole tour was very special to him and the crew, the concert Israël had an extra dimension. It was felt by the public, it was felt by Leonard Cohen and his companions.
The shadow on the cover is the shadow of the photographer. Leonard Cohen did some photoshopping and this is the result, so he told the press.
Last album?
Well, probably not. He has enough material for a new record. “Iam working on it right now, may be in a year or so”
A tour? It’s in his mind.

And then the session came to an end and we were invited to come to the next room for a drink.
Leonard stays a little behind and Maarten says: come Ine, we walk a little in Leonard’s direction and so we did (Thank you Maarten)
I brought my ‘Book of Longing’, I brought my pen and my camera. My camera I handed over to Maarten and he was there to shoot some pictures. My god there it was THE MOMENT.
I told Leonard Cohen that I was not press,but a fan who has to blog for Sony. I told him that I felt so honoured to be there and that I feel deeply touched by his new album. He looked up and said: Thank you so much, thank you so much. What is your name”?
And he signed my book and I was named Ina by my own stupidity. Of course…
In Holland we pronounce ‘E’ as the Englisch ‘A’. So I answered: I, N, ‘A’ in stead off ‘E’. Hilarious to me or the rest of my life…
I was able to take some pictures of Maarten too with Leonard. And we both were very Lucky, but after Maarten no more pictures were allowed. At First I couldn’t hold my camara because my hands were shaking, shaking, shaking. So Maarten hold it for me a few more minutes. I did not know then that later that evening there was going to be one more picture, A VERY SPECIAL ONE.
After a few drinks and some talking people start leaving. I spot Leonard in a corner, almost ready to leave. And the Dutch female journalist told me this was my moment(and her’s to by the way) and there I got my picture with leonard, in the corner of the salon. I felt the luckiest person in the World, ageless, weightless, special. I took one of the Dutch femal reporter (it as oké with leonard ) and she felt special too 

The party was over. We had a good time, a very special time. So the two Dutch journalists, Maarten and I wanted to stay together for a while.
At First we stepped into the giant wheel, high above Paris and after that we sat together for a few hours and talked about Leonard Cohen and life in general in the suite from the Dutch male journalist, who has by the way his book signed as well. I guess we the four of us felt special, each of us in his or her own way.
Once in a lifetime and that’s how it was…..

Ine Mensink-Jenniskens

[cpl593h]

"I'm already working on a new album which I hope will come within a year."

Surely another example of Leonard's exquisite sense of humour?!

[drsing]

Leonard Cohen at Hôtel de Crillon, Paris. 2012, Januari the sixteenth.

A tour? It’s in his mind.

Ine

Thanks very much for this report Ine (with an E )
And there is hope for all of us who were not so lucky to see/meet LC in Paris

[remote1]

Thanks Ine, great story, thanks for taking the time to write it all down!

Here is a report from the Agence France Presse (Google translation):

At 77, Leonard Cohen offers "permission to sing the blues"

Bénédicte REY (AFP) - There is 3 hours

PARIS - A 77-year and 45-year career, Leonard Cohen has finally felt "entitled to sing the blues" to "Old Ideas," his first album of original songs in eight years, which the Canadian poet is already planning a sequel .

Frail and elegant black suit and trilby, the singer came to present a preview to the French and international press in Paris, its hard to appear Jan. 30 (Columbia / Sony).

"Old Ideas" is a collection of ten new songs, which Leonard Cohen returns to a musical style more stripped than its last attempt "Dear Heather", published in 2004.

Some titles, dressed in banjos and guitars, have a distinctly blues coloration and recall that Leonard Cohen had tried to settle in Nashville when he crossed the Greenwich Village folk scene in its infancy.

"I've always loved the blues, her musical construction. But I always felt that I was not allowed to sing," said the poet of his baritone voice.

"But somehow, I was granted this right, I do not know by what authority. I felt that I was allowed to use this form and a lot of songs came to me this way. Now I permission to sing the blues, "he said.

Leonard Cohen speaks on "Old Ideas" themes that are dear to him: spirituality, love, sexuality, the passage of time, death.

Yet the musician was "rather good mood" when he wrote these songs, some dating back to 2007.

If Leonard Cohen has long suffered from depression, "it has slowly dissolved and no longer returned with the same ferocity than had prevailed for most of (his) life." "She's gone and I hope it will not come back," he says.

But, says he, "such as tofu, a song takes a taste of the sauce you put emotional. If someone needs to be addressed to his own suffering, he will find this component in a song ".

The severity of the themes in the songs of "Old Ideas" is also often offset by humor and self-deprecating shown by the author.

Thus, the album opens with "Going Home", a title which is for Leonard Cohen, described as "an athlete and a shepherd, a lazy bastard dressed in costume."

To reporters either, the poet never departed from his keen sense of irony.

Asked about his reputation as a womanizer, he replied tongue-in-cheek "to the point where I'm being a ladies' man involves a good dose of humor."

A journalist asked why he is as interested in death, he replied: "I have come, reluctantly, the conclusion was going to die, and this possibility led some thoughts."

To another who asked him how he would like to be reincarnated, he said tit for tat, "the dog of my daughter."

Pushed back on stage by financial problems, Leonard Cohen has traveled the world from 2008 to 2010, during a tour acclaimed by audiences and critics. Injured his back, he had to postpone a game.

A comeback in 2012 is "certainly in my head," he said, while suggesting that nothing is certain.

A sequel to "Old Ideas" could at least see the light soon.

"I have many things unfinished. Enough for a new album that I'm working. So God willing, I will be able to finish another album the next year."

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 69a6a5.341

[Winnaar58]

Well I guess I am not the smartest person on the forum/internet. I can't find my tribute from this morning so I will contribute again(I am sorry if it's already there)


Leonard Cohen at Hôtel de Crillon, Paris.
2012, Januari the sixteenth.


Good day to you al and here we go…
Of course I am huge fan of Leonard Cohen, since the year 1969.
There has not been a singel day without listening to at least one of his songs.
But… I am just a tiny fan, compared to Maarten Massa.
I am so impressed by his knowledge, he seems to know about EVERY little detail where it concers the Works of Cohen and Leonard Cohen as a person.
Maarten I truly believe you are an expert and it has been my privilage to be there in your company at January the sixteenth. Besides that we just spent a lovely day together, two great fans amongst a lot of journalists
I left home at half past ten and took the train to Paris, where I arrived at 25 minutes to five. While travelling I already made contact with Maarten, he managed to book a room in the same lovely Alba Opera Hotel where I was staying overnight together with the two very nice Dutch journalists: Menno Top (De Volkskrant)and Tisha Eetgerink(De Pers)
Maarten was invited to come with us and grab a quick bite in the company of Sony Belgium and four Belgian journalists.
We were in a hurry, so none finished his plate.
And then…..
Hôtel de Crillon, I always take pictures. But I felt so tiny and overwhelmed by all the marble and gold in the main hall: so no pictures taken by me at this time
We went upstairs, to Salon des Aigles where most of the press already had taken seats.
Therefore no chair in the front for us, never mind still a good place.
Hand shaking, some talking, some looking around and then the word became ‘Magic’.
Complete silence when Leonard Cohen entered the Salon(the word room does not fit)
I don’t know if it were seconds or minutes, but silent it was. One big moment of magic in the air and then applause for this fragile man. I felt so…..no words to describe how I felt. I just know this was a kind of ‘holy’ moment, a very important moment in my life(and I did not have a autograph or picture yet and I did not expect to get one, nevertheless: HEAVENLY.
‘For me to be a ladies man at this point in my life is what I call humor”, Guess who is talking to a journalist at this paticular point during the evening 
Leonard Cohen smiled, took his hat of(not ‘the costume that he wore’ and he did not went ‘behind the curtain’ either)
He thanked his audience for coming, for the applause and for coming and listen to ‘Old Ideas’, the new album that will be released in The Netherlands at Januari the 27th.
He tells his audience that he will not stay in his chair at front when the songs are going to be played, but he also will sit with the audience and he sat on a chair at the first row: ‘So feel free to react’
And then the music starts…
For me it was the second time that I was able to listen to ‘Old Ideas’ But it felt like it was the First time.
Listening to the songs in presence of Leonard Cohen is another story, nothing but magic in aplce called heaven.
The album is so beautiful: The voice, the songs, the other voices, the musicians.
I guess Maarten will tell you all about the details. I particular like ‘Going Home’, ‘Show me the place’, ‘Crazy to love you’, ‘Lullaby’, ‘Come Healing’ and ‘Different Sides’. And to me Sharon Robinson gives the album a special touch with her amazing voice. I say ‘particular’, but like I said in my previous there is not a single song on the album that I don’t like.
There is time for the journalists, who came from all over the World: The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Finland, Israël, Spain, Portugal , England etc.) to ask questions.
Leonard tells he has a special relationship with France, with Europe. “I always thought that the tradition that I work in, the lyric, the song, the position of the singer is clear here. Very well familiar”
Leonard says: ‘ I live on the front line of my own life’
Leonard says: ‘I don’t really speculate on the greater matters’
Leonard says: ‘Zen is not a religion. Zen is a study of subject and object. Just a commitment of living in a community. Awareness, no faith, no believe, only activity!’
Leoanrd says: ‘You are never free of your own stupidity, one is continual confronted with your own’
Leonard says: ‘Old Ideas’ is a certain kind of resonance, just looking into the matters that concerns us. For instance, what is an old friend?’
Leonard tells his audience that he suffered from a serious depression(someone askes him about his depression ’Is ther a definition of joyfull depression, Leonard says. It was all about a clinical depression, the background of the entire life. But his depression slowly desolves later in life with the help of good teachers and good luck.
Does Leonard have bad qualities, asked by a journalist.
Leonard says: ‘None’ He kept his humor 
Leonard says if there happens to be an reïncarnation, although he does not really understand the process of reïncarnation, “I will be back as my daughter’s dog!”
Leonard also told the journalsit from Israël that he does not believe in the boycot of artist expression, referring to the concert in Israël. And although the whole tour was very special to him and the crew, the concert Israël had an extra dimension. It was felt by the public, it was felt by Leonard Cohen and his companions.
The shadow on the cover is the shadow of the photographer. Leonard Cohen did some photoshopping and this is the result, so he told the press.
Last album?
Well, probably not. He has enough material for a new record. “Iam working on it right now, may be in a year or so”
A tour? It’s in his mind.

And then the session came to an end and we were invited to come to the next room for a drink.
Leonard stays a little behind and Maarten says: come Ine, we walk a little in Leonard’s direction and so we did (Thank you Maarten)
I brought my ‘Book of Longing’, I brought my pen and my camera. My camera I handed over to Maarten and he was there to shoot some pictures. My god there it was THE MOMENT.
I told Leonard Cohen that I was not press,but a fan who has to blog for Sony. I told him that I felt so honoured to be there and that I feel deeply touched by his new album. He looked up and said: Thank you so much, thank you so much. What is your name”?
And he signed my book and I was named Ina by my own stupidity. Of course…
In Holland we pronounce ‘E’ as the Englisch ‘A’. So I answered: I, N, ‘A’ in stead off ‘E’. Hilarious to me or the rest of my life…
I was able to take some pictures of Maarten too with Leonard. And we both were very Lucky, but after Maarten no more pictures were allowed. At First I couldn’t hold my camara because my hands were shaking, shaking, shaking. So Maarten hold it for me a few more minutes. I did not know then that later that evening there was going to be one more picture, A VERY SPECIAL ONE.
After a few drinks and some talking people start leaving. I spot Leonard in a corner, almost ready to leave. And the Dutch female journalist told me this was my moment(and her’s to by the way) and there I got my picture with leonard, in the corner of the salon. I felt the luckiest person in the World, ageless, weightless, special. I took one of the Dutch femal reporter (it as oké with leonard ) and she felt special too 

The party was over. We had a good time, a very special time. So the two Dutch journalists, Maarten and I wanted to stay together for a while.
At First we stepped into the giant wheel, high above Paris and after that we sat together for a few hours and talked about Leonard Cohen and life in general in the suite from the Dutch male journalist, who has by the way his book signed as well. I guess we the four of us felt special, each of us in his or her own way.
Once in a lifetime and that’s how it was…..

Ine Mensink-Jenniskens

[Winnaar58]

Thank you so much for this contribution Bridger.

[Winnaar58]

I took a picture of her, because I think she has a remarkable beautiful face

[bridger15]

I took a picture of her, because I think she has a remarkable beautiful face

Ine, what a super photo. I can see in your shot that the lovely Turkish reporter is wearing a...Fedora and it looks ever so jaunty.
Well, that is one way to get noticed in that exalted crowd.
Thanks for posting it.

---Arlene

[surrender]

Ine, thank you so much for the generous sharing of your experience! (I hope your migraine is over...)

Maarten, our action man, congratulations! Eagerly waiting on your report!

[Susy]

Ine and Maarten , thank you both so much for your report ... there is something in my eyes , maybe a tear of joy for you , THANK YOU Friends

[imaginary friend]

I loved reading your report Ine.

The thrill you felt at being there, and Leonard's eternal grace and humour, came through very clearly. Thank you!

[Inna]

Thank you Ine for your "wild report." I actually felt, like many others, like I was there with you and Maarten. Time and again I marvel at the Man and his humor, and his wisdom, and his humility.

[holydove]

Ine & Maarten, thank you so much for your wonderful reports, with so many beautiful, inspiring, exciting, funny, fascinating quotes from Leonard!! Thank you for the lovely photos too. And thank you to Arlene & remote1 for posting those very interesting articles! Another new album within a year, & a tour "still in his mind" - well, it all sounds quite delicious to me!! My spirits are hereby lifted!! Thank you again . . .

[Maarten]

Hi,
Everybody keeps asking about mr Cohen's big smile on the photograph with me that Ine posted above, so here we go!

I only got a last minute invitation to go to Paris late at night when I was in Bruges with my wife to see The Webb Sisters in concert on sunday evening, so I stayed over in Bruges for the night and then left my wife behind in Bruges to go to Paris monday morning... Because I wasn't prepared for Paris, I didn't bring any Leonard Cohen cd's (all on my iPod, not suitable for a blue Sharpie), books or photographs to sign, but I did have my signed Webb Sisters setlist with me from the day before. So I asked mr Cohen to sign The Webb Sisters' setlist, much to his amuse apparently!

Here's a scan:

Maarten