Blue Alert (album)

Untitled

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Robert Christgau	link

Blue Alert is a jazz album recorded by Anjani, girlfriend and longtime backing singer of iconic Canadian singer-songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen, who also produced the album and wrote the lyrics. Also on the production team was John Lissauer, known for having previously produced two of Cohen's albums: New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974) and Various Positions (1984).

The album was released in Canada on May 2, in USA on May 19, and in Europe on June 5, 2006, by Columbia Records. It debuted at #16 of Billboard's Top 200 Jazz Albums.

Track listing

1. "Blue Alert" – 5:39
2. "Innermost Door" – 3:16
3. "The Golden Gate" – 3:08
4. "Half the Perfect World" – 4:06
5. "Nightingale" – 3:00
6. "No One After You" – 4:09
7. "Never Got to Love You" – 4:36
8. "The Mist" – 3:08
9. "Crazy to Love You" – 4:51
10. "Thanks for the Dance" – 4:38

All songs written by Anjani Thomas (music) and Leonard Cohen (lyrics).

"Nightingale" was previously recorded by Cohen on Dear Heather. "The Mist" contains lyrical elements from "As the Mist Leaves No Scar", the same poem "True Love Leaves No Traces" is based on (see Death of a Ladies' Man). Later (2012), Leonard Cohen recorded his own version of "Crazy to Love You" for Old Ideas.

Personnel

• Leonard Cohen – Arranger, Producer
• Larry Corbett – Cello
• Bruce Dukov – Violin
• Danny Frankel – Drums
• Pamela Goldsmith – Viola
• Brian Leonard – Violin
• Greg Leisz – Lap Steel Guitar
• John Lissauer – Clarinet, Arranger, Keyboards, Baritone Saxophone
• Jeremy Lubbock – String Arrangements
• Lian Lunson – Photography, Video Producer, Video Director
• Stephen Marcussen – Mastering
• Michael Petit – Graphic Design, Booklet
• Ed Sanders – Producer, Engineer, Mixing

External links

• Anjani's Homepage
• Blue Alert Homepage
• Trusting the Force: Into the Heart of Blue Alert - Music Box, April 2007 (Vol. 14, #4)
• Review by Pico Iyer in Shambhala Sun Magazine