Computer Age

Ancestors of Polish Jews who have emigrated to Canada, a born September 21 1934 on the outskirts of Montreal (Westmount), surrounded by contradictions, the Jewish population in a predominantly Christian, English-speaking community in a predominantly Francophone, will be devoted his entire life to The search for balance.

Educated at a Jewish school, left fatherless very young, at age 9. At 15 is part of a trio of country "The Bucksin Boys." In the 16 entered McGill University where he studied English Literature. In 1956 published the first book of poems' Compare Mythologies. " In 1957 he recorded for the Folkways label some poems in a disc devoted to six Canadian poets ( 'Six Montreal Poets'). In 1961 published her second book of poetry "The box of spices of the earth'. Thanks to the good reception of his works get a scholarship and decides to travel in Europe, calling at Greece on the island of Hydra, where he met the muse of one of their best known songs' So long, Marianne ', which has a son (Alex) and live eight years (occasionally returning to America to get money to Cuba during the Bay of Pigs ...)
In this period he wrote the following two books of poems' Flowers for Hitler "and" Parasites of Paradise, 'and his first two novels: "The Favorite Game" and "The Beautiful losers' seen by many as his best work.
While his intention was to devote himself to literature, by the end of the 60 starting to be recognized internationally as a singer (Judy Collins had made known his song 'Suzanne', was invited to participate in 1966 at the Newport Folk Festival, where he was hired on the CBS talent scout John Hammond to record their own songs ...), which encourages you to continue in music, because it provides greater financial benefits ( "I had a real economic problem, and as he had always played the guitar and had been part Groups of country, I decided to try it with music ").

His first album 'The Songs Of Leonard Cohen' (1967) is certainly a great start and was already clearly perceive many of the constants in his future career. Love and goodbye, sanctity and sin, the life and suicide, teachers and learners, solitude in the midst of others or emotional freedom behind bars. In the music is appreciated and the weakness is that the rhythms 3 / 4 and by the apparent simplicity in the instrumentation, nothing should be emphasized more than its appropriate, to achieve the greatest effectiveness as simple as possible.
The disc begins with the classic 'Suzanne': the music invites us to get carried away by the flow of the river, the choral singing of the Sirens seeks to attract and conquer us, and the message informs us that nobody has been able to resist its allure (even the very Jesus-religion-always haunt his lyrics). An invitation to non-combat desire.
Also highlighted "Winter Lady, '' Sisters of Mercy, '' So long, Marianne 'is still a more versions of his songs,' Hey, that's not way to say goodbye 'with a few simple but charming pop choruses, or 'One of us can not be wrong' with a final announces that the first song on the next record because reminds a drunk in a midnight choir.
In 1969 he recorded his second album in Nashville, 'Songs from a room,' with 'Bird on the wire' as the most successful, Kris Kristofferson told her that he would like his tombstone to write the first stanzas, and Joe Cocker did a version that catapulted the song and its author to other countries. Success also has a beautiful theme for the first time is not composed by L. Cohen, 'The Partisan', which explores the unabashedly topic in politics ( "I developed the curious theory that music ended with the Nazis"); The first part is sung in English and French in the second to increase its expressive force with the accompaniment of the choir and a female sound of accordion that places us among the tombs of the battlefield. It remains one of his saddest songs, 'Seems so long ago, Nancy, "based on the suicide of a friend. 'The Butcher' came after a night in his black depression. And the rest of the disc maintains the quality, privacy and the level that was expected of him, though more crude and less instrumental embellishments as the first.
Begins the 70 stops regularly visit Hydra, makes his first European tour with the band's second album "The Army" (the army). In 1971 he recorded in Nashville and with the same band 'Songs of love and hate. " In this record was naked until unsuspected limits. There is no thought, interior or problem that is no longer saved. Contains' Avalanche ',' Last year 's man' with controversial religious content and a choir of children at the end that achieves sweetened. 'Dress rehearsal rag', a song that refuses to sing live ( "Unless I am extremely happy. You can end the life of anyone"). Happy with the record pace country 'No diamonds in the mine. " 'The Melancholy' Famous blue raincoat ', the heartbreaking' Sing another song boys' recorded live a few years earlier, or 'Joan of Arc' looking for true love.

In this era begins to practice the rites of Zen ( "I've always been given to things like that, disconnect all, do not apparent reason fasting for a week ... must be the religious side is inside of me, that part that seems to want to lift the flight and break away from the earth ").
In 1972 he published a book of poems' The energy of slaves' ( "a caustic review of the policy and the wars that were all over the world"). Also this year began a second tour of Europe with his band for a movie that will 'Bird on the wire' (Terry Palmer) and his album 'Live songs' (1973), coinciding with rumors that abandons the recording career, problems with drugs, break with your partner ( "I felt that everything was against me, even the instruments and microphones will be ruined. I felt tired of everything"). The album contains live versions good, the chorus of prominent Donna Washburn and Jennifer Warren, and as subjects not previously edited the beginning album 'Minute Prologue' alone with his Spanish guitar; 'passing through' on the move by shooting life personified by the figure of Jesus Christ, to the rhythm of country, the long 'Please do not pass me bay', which looks like a preacher who is going to rise in intensity until it ends the broken voice accompanied by the palms of the public; see also 'Tonight will be fine' engraved on its performance in the Isle of Wight in 1970 to add two new stanzas and the last 'Queen Victoria' Recorded at his home in a mobile studio.
In 1974 draws' New skin for the old ceremony, "with changes in his music thanks to the influence of the producer and arranger John Lissauer and the violinist Lewis Furey, who bring new and interesting ideas both in composing and recording. It contains the famous theme "Chelsea Hotel # 2 'dedicated to Janis Joplin,' Lover lover, lover 'compound with the intention of bringing Arabs and Jews, or too classic and based on a religious tradition' Who by fire."

'Death of a ladies' man' (1977): A record that in principle produce rejections and brings to light a disastrous relationship between two people who were water and oil; Phil Spector with his Wall of Sound gets to forget completely that aura of intimacy that always dragged recordings L. Cohen.
But over time ends up being recognized as a different disk in his career but his merits, such as the courage to change and not be anchored in a sound, not give in one iota in the honesty and rawness of his lyrics, or because they do not, the melodies and refrains that perhaps in other voices could have been more successful.
Another major contradiction, that is exactly a great success in producing songs for teen-agers who mix this record, which is based largely on the recognition of the decay and decline that age because in love and sexuality.
As curiosity with the participation of Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg in a chorus of 'Do not go home with your hard-on. "
"Recent songs" (1979) represents a return to calm, with a foray into new sounds by Raffi Armenian Hakopian violin, the lute John Bilekizjian Slav and the group of Texan fussion Passenger expanding the horizons of the country. The rhythm of waltz highlights even more than in other albums, starting with the beautiful 'The guests' and the chorus master of Jennifer Warnes, a version of' A Canadian errant 'to the rhythm of mariachi, another beautiful waltz "The traitor', the Gypsy side by L. Cohen feels that the weakness since he read a couple of Federico García Lorca is reflected in 'The gypsy's wife', accompanied by a violin prominence at the same time beautiful, sad and shocking.
After recording begins a tour of Europe and Australia with the musicians on the disc ( "for the first time I felt safe at the scene ... even me a chance with a theme of interpreting the Bee Gees'). Having trouble with the company when they want to make another disc compilation of the tour, he refuses to consider it not necessary.
What if it is satisfied it is a TV movie for half an hour, designed and written by him and Barrie Wexler, 'I am a hotel', with five stories of love songs based on five his and he appears as a unifying figure all. With her win in 1984 the first prize of the International Festival of Television of Montreaux, Switzerland.
He published a new book 'Book of Mercy' (a collection of psalms), and after five years of silence album sees the light 'Various positions' (1984) with another slight change in the sound, the introduction of keyboards homemade moderate to was an amateur and boxes of pace. For the first time makes a promocinar video-clip for the album, the song chosen is' Dance me to the end of love 'and what makes Dominique Isserman, who would become his companion sentimental. Jennifer Warnes in the chorus sounds better every time. Again mixing religion and sexuality getting another great song 'Hallelujah'. And to demonstrate in times of loss of values that the human level, he considers it fundamental religious ends with a beautiful very personal prayer 'If it be your will. "

While recording this album was working with Lewis Furey (musician who participated in the album 'New skin for the old ceremony'), writing the lyrics of a pop-opera whose music was composed Furay: Night Magic. One of the topics would also 'Various positions,' Nanny 'Hunter's lullaby. " The film premiered in 1985 and went unnoticed, although it took a prize in Canada: Juno Award for best soundtrack.
Leonard Cohen is going through a good period of their lives, reduce tensions and increases the reconocimiemto of his work. Arrives to appear in a chapter of 'Corruption in Miami,' gets a Globe Cristal sell for more than five million albums outside the U.S., but his maturity serves to keep the feet on the ground and be more critical and transparent ever ( "I believe that poetry is necessary for the heart of the person, but I do not think that with her or with the song as a weapon can change the world ... The world just changed from within each).
Participate in a collection dedicated to the Spanish fiftieth anniversary of the death of Federico García Lorca (his admiration for the poet he took the name of his daughter to a Lorca), with the song "Take this Waltz, 'based on' Little waltz Viennese, 'and that was the most famous song from the disc.

Jennifer Warnes makes a record 'Famous blue raincoat' with well-known songs of L. Cohen and one that is first and who also recorded this in his next book: 'First we take Manhattan'.
His personal status is reflected as ever in the next album 'I'm your man' (1988) ( "the title of the album is not dedicated to anyone in particular. I am who I accept"). This work will represent a big step in his career thanks to her and will be recognized and accepted by the younger generations. Disappeared almost completely guitars to make way for keyboards, with which he had composed his latest songs. The voice choirs and acquire new nuances in this music more mechanical. It is a record with songs that end up being the most successful of them: 'First we take Manhattan,' 'Is not no cure for love,' 'Everybody Knows', I'm your man', "Take this Waltz, '' I can not forget ',' Tower of song '.
Two years later comes a tribute album 'I'm your fan', with names like Pixies, Ian McCulloch, REM, Nick Cave, John Cale ... paying tribute to the master versions, most of them successful.
The next album 'The Future' (1992) ( "In my usual parsimony were added other circumstances, some of them dramatic, and the accident of my son Adam ...") draws attention to the large number of people who appear in the credits . The sound is a blend of all past, re-emerging strings, guitars and winds, apart from the keyboards.
Has less impact, but also makes good songs. Which gives the album title, 'Waiting for the miracle' composed in collaboration with Sharon Robinson, a good soul version of the theme 'Be For Real' by Frederick Knight; success' Closing Time ',' Anthem, 'produced by the famous Actress Rebecca of Mornay ( "It's a good songwriter and his ear is excellent ... I decided to have their opinion to finish details of the disc, in terms of arrangements and melodies"); Democracy ( "I believe that democracy is the religion of the world West ").
In 1994 comes a new recording 'Cohen live in concert "with 13 songs live, all previously published in his records from two different tours, 1988 and 1993, and with the encouragement of the variations with which the author interprets in its concerts. Curiosity as the song 'One of us can not be wrong' was recorded on 20 May 1988 on their actions in the Anoeta Velodrome of San Sebastian.

Before the disc edited live and had decided to retire to a monastery 'Zen' in Los Angeles (California) where he was ordained a monk "Jikan of Dharma" (the quiet). Here follows an austere life of order and discipline, working in the maintenance of the monastery, as a cook, secretary and chauffeur in the tours of Master Roshi. But still writing poetry and composing with the computer and keyboard in his room. Mount Baldy, the monastery has its own website, where the monks talk about their lives and experiences sold a CD containing recordings in the monastery 'Daily Sutras' and, of course, exposes some Jikan poem written during his stay.
Meanwhile the company disks profitable wants his hopes and draws a compilation of their last three albums' More best of '(1997), with two new songs' Never any good' and 'The great event' they know a little by their fans . And a live tour in 1979 'Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979' (2001) (in memory of John Wood, technician 'Passenger', the band that accompanied him on this tour). Any new topics. Good versions of a good time.
After six years of imprisonment decide to return to the worldly noise and returns with an album 'Ten New Songs "(2001), ten new songs (nine years had passed since his last studio disc). All of them composed in collaboration with Sharon Robinson, who is in charge of arrangements and most of the instrumentation. Return to the simplicity in the instrumentation, mattresses and simple percussion keyboard, but in general all too predictable. It is a smaller staff, gave prominence to the entourage of him we have his voice deepening, while weaker, becomes more a poet and musician less. The lyrics are simpler and at the same time more universal, more human. 'In my secret life', 'Here it is,' 'Love Itself,' 'The land of plenty' and most of these songs are beautiful and pleasant to listen but without risk. Feel assured in his life finally at ease with itself, and what we offer is just that, calmness and quietude. Sincerity is what continues to characterize it.
Similar features can be applied to your next studio album "Dear Heather" (2004). In this emphasizes the contribution of a former partner, Anjani Thomas, a female voice that fits the thousand wonders with the help of L.cohen and also in some composition. There is a greater variety of styles and instrumentation makes the album more artistically rich and above the previous one. Start with a theme written by Lord Byron 'Go no more a-roving', 'The letters' Win Wenders uses in his film "Land of Plenty"; believes in his own way on Sept. 11 in' On that day 'is surprising in 'Dear Heather' by the curious instrumentation and way of spelling at times sing in 'Nightingale' returns to the country-folk in a beautiful song dedicated to an intimate companion Anjani Thomas died this year and ends with a live version of a classic country-western, 'Tennessee Waltz' tour of 1985, when he had added a few verses.
Leonard Cohen ages with great dignity, is no longer a student and became a teacher, to tell us that there are no teachers or students, only life, and all part of it until death comes.