Allison Crowe's Tidings: Music for the season and all time

Allison Crowe's concert visit this past Summer was such a foot-stompin' good time that she was booking a return date before she'd even left our Sunshine Coast. On Friday, November 30, at 8 p.m., the musician, much-loved and acclaimed for her exciting voice and piano and her warm nature, brings her Tidings concert to Gibson's Heritage Playhouse with special guest, Del Crowe.

Tidings, a seasonal celebration in song, stirs together traditional Christmas carols and holiday favourites with Crowe's organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, gospel and soul. "The Yuletide find of the year," says The Record. "Be prepared to be amazed," says Christmasreviews.com. "Allison Crowe is a stunningly talented performer."

The 26-year-old musician has just returned to Canada from the UK where she was a sensation at the John Lennon Northern Lights Festival. In Scotland, at the three-day event recently crowned the UK's "Best New Festival", her audience included members of John Lennon's family alongside the Queen's Master of Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The Scotsman reports: "Canadian angel Allison Crowe gave one of the
weekend's most magical moments". Earning a standing ovation, "Her rendition of Lennon's 'In My Life' (almost literally) brought the house down."

Festival Director Mike Merritt describes Allison Crowe's performance as "awesome" and "spine-tingling", adding: "Allison has put Canada well and truly on the map here!"

Learning from the paths of Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco and Loreena McKennitt, Allison Crowe puts her own stamp of freedom on artistic and commercial success. "Treat yourself to one of the mightiest talents on the singer-songwriter scene today," says Bob Muller, curator of song covers at JoniMitchell.com.

If the name of the artist who opens the concert Friday night sounds familiar, it is - Del Crowe is Allison's Father. A tasteful guitarist and singer, too shy for decades to take to the stage, his daughter's confidence inspired Crowe to start performing publicly: "My first real gig was at age 56... old dogs can learn new tricks." He's now a regular on the Vancouver Island scene, often in a duo or trio setting. He loves to share tunes not heard much anymore - from the songbooks of Brook Benton, John Sebastian (The Loving Spoonful), Jimmy Cox, Bessie Smith and more.

Tidings concert tickets are available at: Coast Books, Gaia's Fair Trade, Hallmark Cards (Gibsons); MELOmania (Roberts Creek); Ashley's Books & Records, Talewind Books, Wind Song Gallery (Sechelt); & Harbour Spirit (Madeira Park) Advance: $20 general/$15 students and seniors. (Door: $22/$17)