leonardcohenforum.com

More or less by coincidence, I read the following on the Wikipedia-page of singer Samantha Newark
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Newark):

"In late 2006 she auditioned for Julian Coryell to be a backup singer for renowned poet laureate Leonard Cohen. The project was set to do a world tour and after two months of rehearsals the tour was cancelled and put on hold for two years where it started up again with a new MD and new team."

And on her soundcloud page you find a clip named:
Samantha Newark "Waiting For The Miracle" Leonard Cohen Rehearsal 2006
https://soundcloud.com/samanthanewark

Now, were there really rehearsals in late 2006 for a Leonard Cohen tour? Jarkko, Anyone? Or is this just a hoax...

I just remember a press release from 2005 when Leonard Cohen joined Macklam/Feldman management that there were plans for an international tour, a book (Book of longing) and an album:
viewtopic.php?t=3861

And I remember that I read that Leonard parted ways with Macklam/Feldman again in 2007 because they wanted him to do a tour and Leonard didn't want to tour...

Chris

I took this screenshot of her instagram feed some time early november 2014:
I couldn't find more details about it though...
Maarten

Leonard had talked about putting a band together rather casually to Julian Coryell, a young musician whom he very much respected. Julian plunged ahead, gathered and rehearsed musicians and singers, and several weeks later, presented Leonard with a touring band.

Leonard had not attended any of the rehearsals, and - I believe - he felt that it all had happened too fast.
He told me that he found the band excellent but not in harmony with his work; he needed more time to make his own plans and recruitments.

Leonard added that this is an old man's memory, and he cannot swear that it happened this way!

Anyway, two years later he was ready to announce his world tour, the first leg of his phenomenal Grand Tour.

Jarkko

Very interesting. Thanks!

Seconded! Thanks from me too.

W

jarkko wrote:Leonard had talked about putting a band together rather casually to Julian Coryell, a young musician whom he very much respected. Julian plunged ahead, gathered and rehearsed musicians and singers, and several weeks later, presented Leonard with a touring band.

Leonard had not attended any of the rehearsals, and - I believe - he felt that it all had happened too fast.
He told me that he found the band excellent but not in harmony with his work; he needed more time to make his own plans and recruitments.

Leonard added that this is an old man's memory, and he cannot swear that it happened this way!

Anyway, two years later he was ready to announce his world tour, the first leg of his phenomenal Grand Tour.

Jarkko

Dear Jarkko
Thank you so much for taking time to answer my question and clarifying the matter (and thanks also to Maarten for the instagram-post).
I was very curious when I read about those tour rehearsals on Samantha Newarks wikpedia-page as I had never read about it before, not even in Sylvie Simmons wonderful biography.

I think it was good that Leonard waited with the tour until he felt comfortable doing one and also with a group of musicians that he thought suited his music.