The longevity of a Canadian icon anchors a decade-long project that two celebrated Greater Victoria performers take to stages across the province this summer.
When Glenna Garramone and Oliver Swain first took Tower of Song: a creative tribute to Leonard Cohen on the road, they used to say they were two of the biggest Cohen fans you乌鸦传媒檇 ever meet.
It was part of the banter in the show.
The quip seemed harmless enough until they toured a bit and met superfans with lyrics tattooed on their bodies.
The seed of the show was planted in 2011 while Garramone lived in Vancouver. She fully figured the performance to 乌鸦传媒減ay tribute to one of Canada乌鸦传媒檚 most amazing poets and singers and songwriters乌鸦传媒� was a one-night deal.
Inspired by the the concept of a dialogue between artists, the show is rooted in the Tower of Song verse: 乌鸦传媒淚 said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get? Hank Williams hasn't answered yet; But I hear him coughing all night long; Oh, a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song.乌鸦传媒�
That conversation transcends time and space. Every person has their own tower of inspiration, no matter their art from.
乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e looking to them for this inspiration and you kind of overhear what they乌鸦传媒檙e doing through the tower walls,乌鸦传媒� Garramone said.
That same inspiration likely led her to invite Swain 乌鸦传媒� who she乌鸦传媒檇 heard perform an impressive Cohen song before 乌鸦传媒� and together, they were reminded of the power of harmony.
The tribute performance became an annual activity the next year, this time in Victoria.
乌鸦传媒淚 see it as sacred ground. His poems and songs are loved by so many. There乌鸦传媒檚 a bit of a risk,乌鸦传媒� Garramone admits. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 about bringing our own voices and our own interpretations to his material.乌鸦传媒�
Audiences responded and since then, they乌鸦传媒檝e performed it at festivals, theatres and folk clubs more than 200 times 乌鸦传媒� from Victoria to Cohen乌鸦传媒檚 homeland of Montreal.
乌鸦传媒淭he project took on a life and a momentum of its own in the last 10 years,乌鸦传媒� she said.
Songs are added, removed, reinterpreted and even Cohen's spoken word built around music.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 more a conversation between two people. Every song we乌鸦传媒檝e chosen to include in the show has its own kind of magic.乌鸦传媒�
Aside from the duo乌鸦传媒檚 compelling vocal harmonies, Garramone brings piano, guitar and percussion to the show, while Swain adds standup base, banjo and guitar.
Tower of Song: a creative tribute to Leonard Cohen is back on the road with shows in Sidney, Harrison, Keremeos, Kelowna, Duncan and Salt Spring Island this summer.
It all starts Sunday at Sidney乌鸦传媒檚 Mary Winspear Centre where fans will enjoy another local talent with the addition of Daniel Lapp. Mixing in other musical flavours creates some of Garramone乌鸦传媒檚 favourite shows because they乌鸦传媒檙e 乌鸦传媒渂ringing out these different sonic textures, different musical palettes.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒�(Lapp) can really paint with so many colours sonically and it乌鸦传媒檚 really fun to work with someone who has such a diverse range of expression.乌鸦传媒�
Garramone remembers fondly being onstage in Kelowna for the project乌鸦传媒檚 sold-out CD release 10 years ago and looks forward to the return on July 19 at Rotary Centre for the Arts.
The venues this summer run the gamut from The Grist Mill outdoors in Keremeos on July 18, to likely their largest audience in the Duncan乌鸦传媒檚 Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on Sept. 21. They perform the day before at ArtSpring Theatre on Salt Spring Island.
Among the fun is the July 20 Harrison Festival of the Arts.
乌鸦传媒淪ummer is festival time, so any time I get to participate in a festival whether it乌鸦传媒檚 on stage or as an audience member I feel lucky,乌鸦传媒� Garramone said.
The Victoria singer anticipates it could be collaboration that continues as long as they have the energy. Cohen乌鸦传媒檚 songs are durable and flexible, they withstand 乌鸦传媒� and even hold up 乌鸦传媒� as a work of art with their treatments, Garramone said.
乌鸦传媒淗e didn乌鸦传媒檛 release any duds, there乌鸦传媒檚 a lifetime of songs to work with.乌鸦传媒�
For more information on show dates and times,
