leonardcohenforum.com

Finally I have Jorcx's last album with his version of Waiting For The Miracle.

Already I knew the cover and interpretation. Now I admire this sensational studio's version. Shining instrumentation (Ia keyboards, JM Paris guitar...).

A curiosity in the adaptation. In Leonard's [and Sharon] original version we can heard: "I haven't been this happy, Since the end of World War II". Jorxc says in Catalan: " ... Since the death of the dictator ". I understand that adapting is not translating. For Spanish people the end of the WWII was not a liberating time, they were left in the fascists' hands, the Lorca killers . This way, the change seems to me to be perfect. But, I remember that in the Concert Tribute to LC ( September 21), he sang: "... since the last elections". I would like to clarify this, I have to understand that he refers to the Spanish elections, where we had an encouraging change of government . I suppose that he does not refer to those of USA (well, at the time it had still not been celebrated). The solution of the death of the dictator seems to me more universal. The elections, maybe, is a temporary wink. ¿?

In the cover I read: "Used by permission". How are permissions obtained? In necessary to pay author's copyright in this case?

In his WEB http://www.jorcx.net/AdView.asp?ad_id=26&
it shows us ten songs. Of the concert I remember too: Take This Waltz (Petit Vals Vienès, between Cohen and Lorca) and Bird on the Wire, that is twelve songs, a new CD of Leonard's versions!!

The album has two differentiated parts, the first one with five songs of Jorcx and the second one with other five adaptations of which, I suppose, they are his idols: Springsteen (Bobby Jean), Knopfler (Romeo and Juliet), Cohen (Waiting ...), Dylan (Hurricane, 7:45 sec.) and Simon (America). Very in agreement with this selection, my favorites, specially the three last ones.

Very good music.

Dear Toni, thanks for your support and your kind comments:

I was very happy to receive a positive permission for my "Waiting for the miracle" cover, it came from Sony Music in Spain but I do not think that Leonard Cohen himself was aware of it. In fact, most commonly these permissions are not asked for, even though what it is usually done is just to declare who is the original composer so that he receives the corresponding payment from the royalties society. However, since it was a Catalan adaptation and just a simple cover, I considered taking my chances and surprisingly I got the permission after about four months. I was lucky because as far as I´m concerned these issues may very likely end without any repply...

Anyone interested in this record can e-mail me for trading.

Best regards,
Jordi

Hi Jordi ~

I like your album cover, and would love to hear and have your cd. If I can figure out something you might be interested in for trade, I'd like to, but it won't be immediate, due to other obligations coming first.

~ Lizzy

Hi Lizz, good to hear from you:
Well, tell me your post address and I´ll send you the CD very soon. If you have any trade list of recordings, maybe I can have a look, or otherwise e-mail me some suggestions...
Best wishes,
Jordi

Well, okay...... . Do me a favour if you could. Include a list of what you have ~ plus whether you prefer Leonard interviews; Leonard concerts; Leonard concerts with more or less talking to the audience; or other-than-English covers of his songs. I'll send you my address. Thanks!

~ Lizzy

Dear all

Good to hear from you amigos!! I love jorcks interpretation in catalan, as I had the privilege to assist a performance at the LC tribute on 21st september it gave me this warm feeling I know from the original !

Jordi, I'd like very much a copy of this CD, I mail you my address.

And why not going once to Granada, dear Jordi and Toni, following Lorcas tracks? I'm already on half the way, here in Alicante

Hasta luego companeros - Simon

Dear Simone, good to hear from you!
We have to talk about this Granada trip, it would certainly be a great experience. You can e-mail me (jorcx@hotmail.com) your post address and I´ll send you my CD. I sell it for 10Euros but if you prefer we can do some exchange for other Cohen-related material...
Best regards and I hope we can meet again soon,
Jordi

It is really worth going to Jorcx's web page, and listen to his renditions of LC songs. Very beautiful indeed. Some of covers I find quite revealing: e.g. Manhattan, which is to me the best version of this song recorded thus far. Or Marianne, the second best (number one being Perla's forthcoming version). Thank you, Jordi, and do try to release an album of Leonard's covers as soon as possible.
Nenad

Hi Jordi ~

I'm listening right now to "Manhattan" ~ you've given it such a different emotional timbre, and one that I appreciate very much. I'm very anxious to receive your album. Please, if you could, write something regarding the Catalan language, so I can share that when I play your album for others [one in particular ]. Or, you ~ or anyone ~ could write something here. I'm glad to have nine more songs yet to go. An album of Leonard covers is an excellent idea!

Are you coming to Hydra? I've forgotten now who is and who isn't . If so, I really look forward to hearing these in person . You're doing "Suzanne" now. Excellent !

~ Lizzy

Oh-Oh. Trying to get to "Everybody Knows" and your site cannot be found. Hope it's not a firewall via my job . Temporarily Out of Order with your site would be my hope .

Dear Lizz, you were right:
There was a broken link with the "Everybody knows" ("Ja ho sabem tots") MP3, now it´s ok. Thanks for your encouraging words, I´ll send you the CD early next week, I hope you like it as well.
Best regards,
Jordi

Oh good ! It always pleases me to hear how, despite the differences in languages, with their lengths of words and phrases, singers are still able somehow to make their interpretations fit the music.

So, are you planning to go to Hydra ?

Hi Lizz and all!
I would really love to go to Hydra 2005, but for the moment I cannot really do any plans, it depends on many things... I´ll see if I can make it.
Thank you everybody again for enjoying my Leonard covers, this is another project I am saving my money for, possibly next year I´ll try to record a whole album with those covers. Best wishes,
Jordi

This week we enjoy the concert that Jorcx offered in the presentation of his last disc.

Absolutely a great concert. A mixture of his new disc with the previous one, ended with two interesting versions of Sisa (Cabaret Galàctic) and Serrat (El meu carrer).

About LC. He sang "Waiting For The Miracle", "First We Take Manhattan" and "So Long Marianne". For Waiting and First, he used the same introduction, in Catalan, that Cohen in Zurich 1993 (Blossoms Of Heaven, Ashes Of Hell):

"I want to thank you the items than you sent me: the monkey and the playwood violin. I'm practice every night and now I'm ready; first we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin."

And:

"Baby, let's get married
We've been alone too long
Let's be alone together
Let's see if we're that strong
Let's do something crazy
Something absolutely wrong
While we're waiting for the miracle to come"

Great!

The fans of Cohen that we recognized these words we interchanged whispers, looks and smiles of complicity.

Jorcx dedicated "Waiting For The Miracle" whom we followed to him since we knew him in this forum. From here, thank you Jordi!