leonardcohenforum.com

FEAST OF COHEN XIV presents A Very Special Guest:
Anjani Thomas, Leonard Cohen’s Girlfriend & Co-writer!

Every year, the songs of iconic Canadian singer-songwriter, poet-author, Leonard Cohen; are presented in an annual festival. Old and new, familiar and not-so-familiar songs by Leonard Cohen are performed in a variety of voice and musical style; showcasing some of the best Newfoundland artists! Feast of Cohen is an entire program of the haunting lyrics and hypnotic melodies penned by Leonard Cohen; a real banquet for the senses!

Back in December of 2000, Vicky Hynes put together her first music forum of Cohen’s music at the LSPU Hall. A hit with Cohen fans, Feast of Cohen soon became a post-Christmas Day tradition with local audiences. In December of 2007, Hynes released Feast of Cohen Live; a compilation CD of live performances captured on the LSPU hall Feast of Cohen stage.

In the Spring of 2008, Cohen came out of self-exile and began His first music tour in years in Atlantic Canada. He performed to an ecstatic audience at Holy Heart Theatre May 2008 and returns to St. John’s, Newfoundland for another phenomenal show to a jam-packed Mile One Stadium in April of this year.

Hynes and her small troupe of players were invited to Cohen’s Sound Check where they met the man himself for a few brief moments. A few months later, Hynes is by back-up singer, co-songwriter and recording artist, Anjani Thomas.

Thomas was seeking to tap into a receptive audience to debut three of her new co-writes with Leonard Cohen; with whom she has written a large parcel of songs, during their years together.
Thomas is planning to perform two co-writes from her Blue Alert CD; and debut three new Cohen co-writes she hopes to record in the coming year.

And Newfoundland Special Guest Line-up: Chris Kirby, Ian Foster, Chris Picco, Sherman Downey and Joanna Barker; all accomplished Newfoundland singer-songwriters and rising stars on the Canadian music horizon.

Performances by Feast of Cohen regulars Vicky Hynes, Bryan Hennessey, Jill Porter, Sean Panting, Jenny Gear, Lori Cooper, and Des Walsh; with The Beautiful Losers house band led by the incomparable Sandy Morris and stellar musicians: Derek Pelley, Boomer Stamp, Kelly Russell, Dave & Geoff Panting.

And Hynes has another treat in store for this year’s Feast of Cohen fans. She has a new Host! Newfoundland’s own poet, actor, screenwriter and sometimes musician, Des Walsh. This year’s Feast of Cohen experience will be all the more pleasurable with his thoughtful anecdotes and introductions.

Feast of Cohen is presented by Vicky Hynes in association with the Arts & Culture Centre and the kind support of the Delta Hotel St. John’s, Newfoundland.


Event: FEAST of COHEN XIV
Dates: December 28 & 29
Place: A & C Centre, St. John’s
Showtime: 8 pm
Tickets: $50
Box Office: 729 3900 or 1 800 663 9449
On-line: www.artsandculturecentre.com
Contact: vickyhynes@gmail.com

Sometimes I can't believe my good fortune. My one and only gig this year is in a place I've only dreamed of visiting for the last twenty years. I'm talking St. John's, NF, people!!! The Feast of Cohen Festival on Dec 28/29 (yes, technically it's not the one and only show..but two's even better, right?) features the debut of 3 new songs co-written with Leonard, for the soon to be released cd. Sure hope you can make it...xoA

Special Guest Will Make ‘Feast of Cohen’ Richer

Tara Bradbury
Published on December 19, 2013

Leonard Cohen’s songwriting partner Anjani Thomas to join the lineup

This year’s “Feast of Cohen” show will be more special for producer Vicky Hynes than it has ever been, for a couple of reasons.


Hawaiian performer Anjani Thomas, who has worked with Canada’s Leonard Cohen as a songwriting collaborator and singer, was intrigued by the annual “Feast of Cohen, ” and contacted producer Vicky Hynes through her manager. Thomas will be onstage during this year’s production with local performers to celebrate Cohen and to bring her own work, including more Cohen collaborations, to the table. — Submitted photo

Hynes has been producing the annual post-Christmas tribute to Leonard Cohen for 14 years, having first organized it as a way to stave off the after-Yuletide letdown, and it’s now the longest-running festival of Cohen’s music in Canada, and second only to Spain’s worldwide.

A group of local musicians perform tunes by the celebrated Canadian musician, poet and author, each one putting their own spin and interpretation on the music.

This year, Hynes has got an extra-special guest performer: Hawaiian singer-songwriter and pianist Anjani Thomas, best known for her longtime work and partnership with Cohen, both as a co-writer and backup singer.

Thomas is a solo singer with three records to her credit, most recently 2006’s “Blue Alert.”

Hynes got a call from staff at Fred’s Records last August, telling her a man was in the store saying he was Thomas’ manager, and wanted to get in touch with her.

“Lo and behold, he was contacting me because apparently (Thomas and Cohen) have quite a few songs, not a handful, but more like 70 or 80, that they’ve co-written together. She’s looking at possibly recording next year, and she hasn’t decided whether she’s going to do a complete album of co-writes or some of her own stuff and some co-writes,” Hynes explained. “She was looking for a platform to present some of the new stuff that hasn’t been heard before, and she had heard about ‘Feast of Cohen.’”

Hynes admits she was humbled but intimidated at bringing Thomas into the show at first, but was put at ease after e-mail conversations with the musician, whom she said surprised her with her overwhelming niceness. Thomas’ appearance in this year’s show is the icing on the cake for Hynes, who got to meet Cohen in person for the first time last April, when he performed at Mile One Centre. In the weeks leading up to his performance, there was a social media campaign to have Hynes introduce him onstage. Instead, she and a handful of other “Feast of Cohen” participants were invited to meet him and take in his soundcheck.

After a performance of about an hour and a half, Cohen came down from the stage and thanked the group for coming, presenting them with VIP gift bags that included autographed copies of his tour program.

“That was the topper,” Hynes said of the experience. “I could not believe that I was sitting there in a private little audience.

“Yes, this year’s ‘Feast of Cohen’ is a lot more special. I don’t know how much more special we could get.”

Thomas will perform a 20-minute set with local musicians Bill Brennan and Mark Peddle during this year’s show, which will also feature Chris Kirby, Joanna Barker, Sherman Downey, Chris Picco and Ian Foster, along with some “Feast of Cohen” regulars: Hynes, Bryan Hennessey, Jill Porter, Sean Panting, Jenny Gear, Lori Cooper and Des Walsh. The Beautiful Losers — the show’s house band, including Sandy Morris, Boomer Stamp, Kelly Russell, Dave Panting and Geoff Panting — will also perform.

“Feast of Cohen” will run at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre Dec. 28 and 29. Tickets are $50 (HST and service charge included) and are available at the Arts and Culture Centre box office, by calling 729-3900, or online at http://www.artsandculturecentre.com.