Computer Age

Ancestors of Polish Jews who emigrated to Canada, was a 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 finding the balance.

Educated in a Jewish school, no father is very young, at age 9. At 15 is part of a trio of country "Bucksin The Boys." At 16 he entered the McGill University where he studied English Literature. In 1956 he published the first book of poems' Compare Mythologies. " In 1957 she recorded for the Folkways label some poems in a record dedicated to six Canadian poets ( 'Six Montreal Poets'). In 1961, published his second book of poetry' The box of spices from the land. Thanks to the good reception of his works get a scholarship and decides to travel around Europe, visited Greece, the island of Hydra, where he met the muse of one of his most famous 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 two books of poems' Flowers for Hitler "and" Parasites of Paradise, 'and his first two novels: "The Favorite Game" and "The Beautiful losers' regarded by many as his best work.
While his intention was to devote himself to literature, at the end of the 60 starting to be recognized internationally as a singer (Judy Collins had issued his song 'Suzanne', was invited to participate in the 1966 Newport Folk Festival, where it recruits on the CBS talent scout John Hammond to record their own songs ...), which encourages it to continue in music, because it provides greater financial benefits ( "I had a real economic problem, and had always played guitar and had been part country group, I decided to try it with music ").

His first album 'The Songs Of Leonard Cohen' (1967) is undoubtedly a great start and is clearly perceived many of the constants in his future career. Love and adios, sanctity and sin, the life and suicide, teachers and learners, in the solitude of others or emotional freedom behind bars. The music is appreciated and the weakness is that the rhythms 3 / 4 and by the apparent simplicity in the instrumentation, nothing should stand out more than its share, to achieve the greatest effectiveness as simple as possible.
The disc begins with the classic 'Suzanne' music invites us to get carried away by the river, the choral singing of the sirens are seeking to attract and conquer, and the message informs us that no one has managed to resist its allure (even the Jesus-religion-always haunt his lyrics). An invitation to not fight the desire.
Also highlighted "Winter Lady, '' Sisters of Mercy, '' So Long, Marianne 'is still one more versions of his songs,' Hey, that's not way to say goodbye 'to some simple but charming pop choruses, or 'One of us can not be wrong' with a final song that announces the first of the next record because reminds a drunk in a midnight choir.
In 1969 she recorded her second album in Nashville, "Songs from a room, 'with' Bird on the wire 'as a major success, Kris Kristofferson said it would like on your tombstone to write the first stanzas, and Joe Cocker did a version and the song that catapulted the 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 theme in blatantly political ( "I developed the curious theory that the 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 a female choir and accordion sound that puts us among the tombs of the battlefield. It remains one of the 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 expected of him, though more crude and less than the first instrumental embellishments.
Start the 70s, no longer 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. " This album naked to unsuspected limits. No thought, interior or problem that is no longer saved. Contains' Avalanche ',' Last year 's man' with controversial religious and children's choir at the end that achieves dulcificarla. 'Dress rehearsal rag', a song that refuses to sing live ( "Unless I am extremely happy. You can kill anyone's life"). 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 'seeking true love.

In this era begins to practice the rites of Zen ( "I've always been given to things like that, disconnect all, making no apparent reason fasting for a week ... must be the religious party is inside me, this party seems to want to lift the flight away from the earth ").
In 1972 he published the poetry book 'The energy of slaves "(" a caustic review of the policy and the wars that had the world "). Also this year began a second tour of Europe with his band to leave a film "Bird on the wire '(Terry Palmer) and his album' Live songs' (1973), coinciding with rumors of leaving the career, problems with drugs, break with your partner ( "I felt like everything was against me, including the instruments and microphones down. I felt tired of everything"). The album contains live versions good, choirs Featured 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 embodied in the figure of Jesus Christ, to the beat of country, the long 'Please do not pass me bay', which looks like a preacher who goes up in intensity until the end with broken voices accompanied by the palms of the public; is also 'Tonight will be fine' engraved on its performance in the Isle of Wight in 1970 which added two new stanzas and the last 'Queen Victoria' Recorded at his home in a mobile studio.
In 1974 removed 'New skin for the old ceremony, "with changes in their music through the influence of producer and arranger John Lissauer and violinist Lewis Furey, who bring new and interesting ideas both in composing and recording. It contains the famous song 'Chelsea Hotel # 2' dedicated to Janis Joplin, 'Lover lover, lover' compound with the intention of bringing Arabs and Jews, or the classic and also based on a religious tradition 'Who by fire.

'Death of a ladies' man' (1977): A record that normally produces rejections and brings to light a disastrous relationship between two people who were water and oil, with its Phil Spector wall of sound get to forget completely this aura of intimacy that always dragged recordings L. Cohen.
But just in time to be 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 cede one iota in the honesty and rawness of his lyrics, or why not, the melodies and choruses that perhaps other voices could have been more successful.
Another major contradiction, that it is a great success in producing songs for teen-agers who mix this record that is largely based on the recognition of the decay and decline that age because in love and sexuality.
As a curiosity, with the participation of Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg in the 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 Passenger Fussion expand the horizons of the country. The rhythm of waltz stressed even more than in other albums, starting with the beautiful 'The guests' and the chorus master of Jennifer Warnes, a version of' Un canadien errant 'to the beat of mariachi, another beautiful waltz' The traitor ', the gitano side by L. Cohen feels weak since read a couple of Federico García Lorca is reflected in 'The gypsy's wife', accompanied by a violin major role while 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 ... I even risked a subject to interpret the Bee Gees). Having trouble with the record company when they want to make another record of the tour, he refuses to consider it not necessary.
What if it is satisfied is a TV movie for half an hour, created 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 the unifying figure all. In 1984 she won first prize in the International Festival of Television Montreaux, Switzerland.
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 a small change in the sound, the introduction of keyboards Caseiros moderate to was an amateur and drum machines. For the first time a video clip promocinar the disc, the song chosen is' Dance me to the end of love 'and it makes Dominique Isserman, who would become his 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 human values that it considers essential religious ends with a very nice personal prayer 'If it be your will. "

While recording this album was working with Lewis Furey (musician who participated on 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 issues would also 'Various positions,' Nanny 'Hunter's lullaby. The film premiered in 1985 and went unnoticed, although it took a prize in Canada, the Juno Award for best soundtrack.
Leonard Cohen is going through a good period of his life, decrease tension and increase the reconocimiemto of his work. Arrives to appear in a chapter of 'Corruption in Miami', received a Crystal Globe for selling more than five million albums outside the U.S., but his maturity helps 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 it or the song as a weapon can change the world ... The world just changed from within each one).
Participates in a collection dedicated to the Spanish fiftieth anniversary of the death of Federico García Lorca (his admiration for the poet will take to put the name of a daughter Lorca yours) with the song 'Take this waltz,' based on 'Little waltz Vienna, 'and it ended up being the most famous song from the disc.

Jennifer Warnes album takes a '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'.
Their personal status is reflected as usual 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 and through it will be recognized and accepted by the younger generations. Disappear almost completely guitars to make way for keyboards, with which he had composed his latest songs. The voice choirs and acquire new nuances in the music more mechanical. It's an album 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 tragic, as the accident of my son Adam ...") draws attention to the many people who appear in the credits . The sound is a mixture of all the previous ones, will appear 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' 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 have to finish his view details of the disk, 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 released his records from two different tours, 1988 and 1993 and the lure of variations with which the author interprets his concerts. Curiosity as the song 'One of us can not be wrong' was recorded on 20 May 1988 in its activities in Anoeta Velodrome of San Sebastian.

Before you edit the live album had already decided to retire to a monastery 'Zen' in Los Angeles (California) where he was ordained a monk "Dharma Jikan" (silent). Here follows an austere life of order and discipline, working in the maintenance of the monastery as a cook, secretary and driver for 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 about their lives and experiences, a CD of recordings sold in the monastery 'Daily Sutras' and, no, Jikan sets a poem written during his stay.
Meanwhile, the record company wants a return on their hopes and draws a record of their last three albums' best of More "(1997), with two new songs' Never any good 'and' The great event 'to know that his little fans . And a live tour in 1979 'Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979' (2001) (in memory of John Wood, technical 'Passenger', the band that accompanied him on this tour). No matter again. Good versions of a good time.
After six years of detention decide to return to daily noise and returns with an album 'Ten New Songs "(2001), ten new songs (nine years had passed since his last studio album). All of them composed in collaboration with Sharon Robinson, who is in charge of the arrangements and most of the instrumentation. Back to simplicity in the instrumentation, mattresses simple percussion and keyboard, but in general all very predictable. The album is less personal, gave prominence to the guests, it remains his voice deepening, while weaker, more becomes less poet and musician. The lyrics are simple 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 their lives finally comfortable with himself, and what we offer is just that, tranquility and calmness. Sincerity is what continues to characterize.
Similar features can be applied to your next studio album "Dear Heather" (2004). This highlights the contribution of a former collaborator, Anjani Thomas, a female voice that fits with the many wonders of L.cohen and also help in any composition. There is a greater variety of styles and instrumentation, and 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 September 11 in' On that day 'surprising in 'Dear Heather' for implementation and the curious way of spelling at times sing in 'Nightingale' return to country-folk in a beautiful song dedicated to an intimate companion Anjani Thomas died this year and ends with a live version a classic country-western, 'Tennessee Waltz', the 1985 tour, which had added a few verses.
Leonard Cohen ages with great dignity, is no longer student and teacher has become, to say that there are no teachers or students, only life, and all part of it until death comes.