Where the Crowe flies
Allison Crowe, Canada's
bicoastal singer-songwriter, combines talent and
emotion. For her, singing is more an emotional act
than subject-matter delivery.
Crowe performs Jan. 31 at Edmonds Center for the
Arts.
"I sing about my life, the universal things that are
going on around me. If I'm putting a lot of myself
into it, it often makes the audience feel good and
relate, feel a little relief, a bit of therapy.
Crowe, 27, was born in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island but
lives in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
Billie Woods, a talented photographer and musician
who joined Allison on three European tours last
year, will open.
Crowe started her own label, Rubenesque Records ("I
like Reubens and that style of woman").
"I'm pretty stubborn. I wanted to be in control
creatively and in business. I had the inspiration of
(independent artists) Ani DiFranco and Loreena
McKennitt.
"And I use the label as a platform for up-and-coming
artists … to have an opening spot on some shows and
the opportunity to perform."
The Internet has been a huge factor in Crowe's
success.
"It's a way to get music out there. I share all my
music. It's a key to traveling the world. People
download and listen in, get in touch and ask whether
I'd play (in their towns).
"You can buy CDs as well as download on iTunes.
People do buy CDs anyway. They want to support you
if they like what they're hearing. And people even
send donations to support the arts."
There's a reason for the support.
Bob Muller, song curator at
www.jonimitchell.com, said, "Treat yourself to
one of the mightiest talents on the
singer-songwriter scene today."
And NPR Radio host Ross Hocker called her
performance: "The most honest, heartfelt and
directly intimate concert in my entire life."
Her set list is an eclectic mix of styles, newer and
older, covers of Beatles' songs, originals, blues
and more. Expect to hear distant echoes of Leonard
Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, jazz and
Broadway.
Crowe often covers other artists' songs.
"Sometimes it's nice to put on someone else's shoes,
in a sense, to try on another song. I generally pick
a song that I love, or speaks to me personally; one
I can put my spin on.
Take Cohen's "Hallelujah," a lengthy song
with so many verses (up to 15, depending on the
source) that most singers sing only a section. She
heard the Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright versions
and liked Wainwright's piano arrangement.
It worked beyond her wildest dreams. Her version has
collected more than 2 million hits on YouTube.
"It's crazy, eh?
The classically trained Crowe has a big
four-to-five-octave voice, although she won't range
that far in performances.
Two songs on her new CD, "Little Light,"
are "Disease" and "Hold Back," two
sets of lyrics that aren't light pop.
"I'm not good on light pop," she said.
The first was an old song of Crowe's that evolved;
it's her take on eating disorders.
"Hold Back" is fairly new.
"It came with what's going on in my life the last
couple years … figuring out who you are and what's
going on and what you can and can't put up with."
Crowe performs mostly on the piano but will have a
set with the guitar. She'll be a solo act but soon
will be working with a band.
Saturday, expect the combination of talent and
emotion to win the night.
