You might be asking, “What’s the connection with Leonard Cohen?” Well, The Webb Sisters, Charley and Hattie, recently completed a tour with Leonard. One of my favorite Cohen songs is ‘If It Be Your Will’ and the Webb Sisters, with help from the man himself, has made it one of their own in this second video:

And now that I have brought up the topic of favorite Leonard Cohen songs why don’t you let us know what your favorite Leonard Cohen song is by  leaving a comment with the song title and feel free to post a link where we all can watch it being performed.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-_-l_NaDcw&hl=en&fs=1]

The release date for Alela Diane’s new album To Be Still is February 17th 2009.

Each year the Trinity Arts Conference draws filmmakers, journalists, actors, writers, poets, composers, visual artists, dancers, and musicians for three days of workshops, seminars, lectures, readings, exhibitions, and performances. We’ll meet in the congenial and relaxed atmosphere of the University of Dallas, a wooded cloister of studios, classrooms, auditoriums, and galleries.

The above was taken from their brochure

Interested? Here’s the link –> Trinity Arts Conference

The Color Keeper from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

I can remember seeing Larry Norman 34 years ago at a free concert in Lancatser, PA. It was held in Long’s Park and the small crowd who didn’t seem to know him any more than I did, were sitting on blankets thrown helter-skelter, enjoying the sun and sharing in small talk waiting for the show to begin. I was there because someone said there is a free contemporary Christian concert being held in Lancaster. In those days I thoughy contemporary Christian music meant playing hymns in church with electric guitars but my friend said this was supposed to be Christian rock and so I went.

I can remember this guy with straight blonde hair walking across the stage, which was a band shell in the park, carrying his guitar and a chair. Never looking at the audience he placed his chair center stage in front of two mikes: one for his guitar and one for him. There was no introduction; no one to tell us the concert had started. Most of the crowd, myself included, thought he must be some warm-up act. He played for 30 minutes or so and since I could hardly hear him from where I was I just kept talking with those around me until the “real” act showed up. Then he was gone. Someone came on stage and we thought Larry Norman was going to be introduced but instead he just thanked us for coming. My exposure to live Larry Norman is pure Larry Norman: you never know what will be in the Larry Norman package on any given day.

The next day I bought his album ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ so I could hear what he sounded like. It was a keeper and it still is with the exception of a fcouple of rough spots.

Peace be with you Larry, your visit to this planet is over and you are finally home.

Read Christianity Today’s online article about his last concert: this past Friday.

“. . . I set out to write an album that dealt with “family” . . . the songs began to pull in more complex directions . . . the songs began to hint at themes of inevitability, finality, not exactly pre-determination, but a sense of running out of choices, a sense of being at the end of paths taken.”

Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies)

The Cowboy Junkies latest album ‘At The End of Paths Taken’ is indeed a journey that is sometimes hard to follow lyrically but never musically. I don’t mean to imply they are not obtuse but rather like a poetic film that you need to see again to extracts its full meaning. And this is an album you’ll want to listen to again and again. As a package this album is one of their strongest which is surprising most band after 20 plus years are either doing oldies tours or putting out mediocre albums. If you’re familiar with their earlier albums you may find this album a bit edgier. There are three fine samples at their My Space site but you’ll have to buy the album to listen to their best work. And buy it you should.

I do not know if Bob Dylan has been covered by more than any other artist, but there is a website that might prove it true. DylanCover.com has the most extensive list of Dylan covers anywhere in the world. Want to see pictures of every Dylan album made? It’s there. Have a favorite artist? If they covered a Dylan song, it’s here. And the information is not limited to releases in english: Czech anyone? If you are a die hard Dylan fan then this is the site for you. Have fun.

On my travels through You Tube land I came across Tina Dickow’s music; a singer/songwriter with more depth than usual for You Tube. This video of ‘On The Run’ is from her new album Count To Ten. The album is expected to be released in April: you may sample the album at her web sight. Although the video is nothing special, if you listen, you will hear an honest acknowledgment that being able to do what you want “Looks like freedom and smells like fun, but it feels like being on the run.” This seems to suggest an ability to self reflect an ability sorely lacking in many new artist looking to hit it big. Maybe that’s the issue here Tina Dickow seems to be writing for herself, and if we happen to be listening then all the better. Let me know what you think.