Leonard Cohen Under Review: 1934-1977 engages a cadre of music
jurors & legislators to pontificate about this provocative priest of the
heart. It begins with Cohen’s birth in Montréal, Canada and follows
the young epistemologist into the secret world of poetic wonderment, examining
his passion for literature and his Jewish heritage, in particular the holocaust
of WWII. This is followed by his immersion into the poetic works of Federico
García Lorca, T.S. Eliot, and John Keats.
In 1955, Cohen migrates to NYC’s Greenwich Village and observes the frenzy
of activity including the wild ravings of the beat poets. Archival footage of
the young Canadian poet in a multitude of settings is cut between observations
and musings by various Cohen biographers. Ever the restless wanderer, Cohen
then discovers the Greek island of Hydra to further investigate the ever-growing
matters of the heart. It was here that he completed two novels between the years
1960 and 1965.
By 1966, Cohen was back in Greenwich ensconced at the legendary Chelsea Hotel
cavorting with the likes of Lou Reed and Andy Warhol. It was here that he met
singer Judy Collins, whom upon hearing Cohen’s newly minted compositions,
recorded three for her masterful album, Wildflowers. Shortly
after this fortuitous connection with ms. Collins, he minted a deal of his own
with Columbia Records and entered the studio with a young producer named John
Simon. On the DVD, the producer recalls Cohen’s first sessions for the
album Songs From Leonard Cohen.
In the next segment, we see Cohen moving to Franklin, Tennessee. Here he would
solicit the talents of producer Bob Johnston whose credits include Bob Dylan,
Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Simon and Garfunkel. This collaboration would
produce Cohen’s next two releases: Songs From A Room
and Songs Of Love And Hate. Cohen’s band leader at the time
was musician Ron Cornelius, who discusses the process of recording and touring
with Cohen in the early 70s on the DVD.
John Lisauer, producer of 1974’s New Skin For The Old Ceremony,
gives discourse on the inner workings of Cohen’s studio etiquette while
back- up singer Ronnee Blakey and engineer Larry Levine discuss the making of
Cohen’s strange concoction, Death Of A Ladies Man, his
collaboration with the mad monk of sound Phil Spector in 1977. Leonard
Cohen Under Review: 1934-1977 offers an insightful look at a compelling
and enigmatic figure, well edited and respectfully adorned.
~ Lanny Cordola
