THE UNIFIED HEART OF LEONARD COHEN
WITH CONSPIRACY OF BEARDS,
THE CRUX, & SF POET LAUREATE GENNY LIM
San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards perform their new show, The Unified Heart of Leonard Cohen, celebrating Cohen’s words, music, and contemplations on “The Order of the Unified Heart,” the symbol of two hearts intertwined that appears on the cover of the 1984 poetry collection Book of Mercy. This book inspired the 1985 album Various Positions, which includes some of Cohen’s most iconic songs, including “If It Be Your Will,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah.”
The Crux is a mad scientist’s music laboratory, where songs are presented as theatrical experiments with odd and beautiful intensity: lullabies to drink your morning coffee to, gospel songs for the faithless, pirate shanties for people who get seasick, and swing music for the graceless.
The Crux has appeared as chain-rattling klezmer folk punks, an unhinged revival service, a theatrical film-noir jazz combo, and more. This band is a true North Bay institution with a revolving cast of musicians assembled and coaxed into action by regional impresario Josh Windmiller. The Crux will present Cohen’s New Skin for the Old Ceremony and other favorites.
San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim will open the evening, accompanied by cellist Kathryn Bates.
San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim and cellist Kathryn Bates
Genny Lim is the ninth San Francisco Poet Laureate and recipient of two lifetime achievement awards from PEN Oakland and the city of Berkeley. She has also served as a former SF Arts Commissioner. Lim's award-winning play, Paper Angels, the first Asian American play to air on PBS’s American Playhouse in 1985, has been performed throughout the U.S., Canada and China. She is author of five poetry collections, Winter Place, Child of War, Paper Gods and Rebels, KRA!, La Morte Del Tempo, and co-author and translator of Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, winner of the American Book Award. Lim has worked with past Jazz legends, such as Max Roach and long-time collaborators, Jon Jang, John Santos, Francis Wong and Del Sol Quartet. Their recent show, Facing the Moon: Songs of the Diaspora recently premiered at the Presidio Theater in San Francisco. This marks Genny’s second appearance at the Leonard Cohen Festival.
Cellist Kathryn Bates’ boundless energy for sharing musical experiences has shaped a career that continues to explore the intersections of tradition and innovation. Praised for her “beautifully rounded sound” by the New York Times, Kathryn’s performances are hailed as “electrifying” (Boston Globe), characterized by a dancer’s sense of rhythm and captivating theatricality. As the New Fromm cellist of the Tanglewood Music Center from 2008-2010, she was called the “revelation” (Sequenza 21) of the Elliott Carter 100th Birthday anniversary celebration. In 2010, Kathryn joined the renowned San Francisco-based Del Sol String Quartet.
San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards
San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards is a 30 member male choir that performs dynamic, original, a cappella arrangements of the poetic songs of Leonard Cohen.
Well dressed in suits, ties, and the occasional fedora, the choir brings an energized live choral music experience out of churches and tabernacles and into the taverns, art houses, and theaters of the Bay Area and beyond. Transforming Cohen’s lyrics and simple melodies into complex 4- and 5-part harmonies, and with a wide variety of small ensemble and full choir pieces, Conspiracy of Beards achieves a sound that is both robust and tender. Drawing on influences ranging from jazz and gospel to barbershop and doo-wop, the unique arrangements that choir members create capture all of the emotion and humor of Leonard Cohen’s original music and inspire audiences to ponder common human experiences like romance, heartbreak, politics, sex, longing, and spirituality.
Nick Bear, Deron Cavaletti, Mark Christiansen, Bobby Coleman, Christopher Cook, David de la Torre, Joshu DeLeon, Justin Fraser, Tom Gallagher, Walter German, Ken Greenstein, Daryl Henline, Michael Kinstlick, Sloan Looney, Ben Meyers, Alex Momtchiloff, Mike Oesch, Christopher Pepper, Christophe Silvey, Clay Eugene Smith, Rich Stone, Tim White, Peter Whitehead, Robert Williams, Jeff Wright, Chris Xiques
The Crux
The Crux is a band from Santa Rosa, California. Their sound has been described as "Doc-Watson-by-way-of-Joe-Strummer," and "pirate cabaret." Josh Windmiller and Tim Dixon met while working together in their hometown of Santa Rosa, California. The duo soon began writing songs together, sharing a common vision of "a traveling vaudevillian troupe of music, theater and circus performance."
Audio Angel, Dylan Juhan, Josh Windmiller, Libby, Nate Dittle, Ramesu Amen, Zachary Thorne