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09 Mar 13 - 06:30 AM (#3488315) Subject: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: Johnny J Debra Cowan, Edinburgh Folk Club, Wednesday 13th March 2013 "Debra Cowan was once asked what kind of songs she writes. Her reply? "Bad ones." Besides, there are so many good songs out there written by others and they should be sung." Her captivating warm alto carries each folk song she chooses with such emotion that you'll forget that they were written by others. She performs a cappella and with guitar in the great tradition of folk singers like Joan Baez and Judy Collins, with a clear vocal that calls forth the ghosts of long past but can also offer a more modern urban landscape. In her newest release Fond Desire Farewell, she's taken contemporary and time-honored public domain songs and put them in a modern setting. As a young girl she idolized Julie Andrews and in her teens discovered Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span. At the age of 21 she needed escape out of a small Midwestern town so she threw darts at a map and ended up in northern California where she attended college, sang in bars, and eventually found work as a math teacher. She continued her discovery of folk with English singers like Sandy Denny and Scottish singers like Ray Fisher. Debra started performing in California 35 years ago and began touring in 1998, with frequent stops in the US and UK, from folk clubs to festivals like the New Bedford Summerfest and the Dunbar Folk Festival in Scotland. That led her to where she is now, a full-time singer who bridges the old and new with a refreshing stage presence — she may start with a moving ballad like "Rainbow," a profile of one woman's courage, and segue into "Johnny Be Fair," about a poor lass who can't marry anyone in town because, well, she's related to everyone. Debra's shared the stage with artists as varied as Tret Fure and John Roberts and has also collaborated with well-known guitarists Brooks Williams and Bill Cooley (Kathy Mattea). In 2011, she recorded nine songs encompassing the singing part of Marilyn from Si Kahn's musical production, "Silver Spoon". She's performed in many prestigious UK folk clubs and for six months in the late 90's held a residency at Sandy' Bell's Bar, Edinburgh's premier folk music pub, following in the footsteps of Scottish musicians such as Dick Gaughan and Aly Bain. She was a formal showcase artist at the International Folk Alliance Conference in 2009 and 2005, and a formal showcase artist at three of the five regional Folk Alliance Conferences. She has performed twice on the nationally syndicated live radio show Folkstage, hosted by Rich Warren. Her earlier recordings Dad's Dinner Pail and Other Songs from the Helen Hartness Flanders Collection and The Long Grey Line brought her praise from both the US and abroad. In 2006 her version of "Walloping Window Blind" was featured in SingOut! . Also that year, her rendition of Richard Thompson's "Has He Got a Friend For Me" was included in the Free-Reed Records box set RT-The Life and Times of Richard Thompson." "She is blessed with a beautiful voice and a deep appreciation for the tradition… each song is a new story to be shared and experienced." Ron Olesko, host "Traditions" WFDU, Teaneck, NJ http://debracowan.com/ Pleasance Cabaret Bar at 20.00 £10, £8(conc), £6(members) |
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09 Mar 13 - 07:12 AM (#3488326) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: stallion was superb in York last week |
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09 Mar 13 - 07:13 AM (#3488327) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: MartinRyan Forgive my ignorance, please but.... where's that? :>)> I'll be in Edinburgh that night, as it happens, and might be tempted to make my way. Regards |
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09 Mar 13 - 10:09 AM (#3488379) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: jacqui.c Martin - get there if you can. This lady is much too good to miss. |
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09 Mar 13 - 01:09 PM (#3488456) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: ChanteyLass I agree with jacqi.c, but I'll add " . . . and tell everyone you know to come, too." |
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10 Mar 13 - 07:06 AM (#3488633) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: GUEST,JHW Monday 11th March at Aycliffe Village Folk Club in The North Briton a mile from A1M junction 59 in Co. Durham |
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10 Mar 13 - 07:57 AM (#3488657) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: Johnny J Martin, Rather than have you go all the way down to Co Durham, why not come to us at The Pleasance cabaret Bar, edinburgh. See here http://www.theskinny.co.uk/venue/5950-edinburgh_folk_club |
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14 Mar 13 - 06:34 AM (#3490159) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: MartinRyan Couldn't make it last night - now looking for something for Edinburgh tonight (Mar. 14)! Thanks for trying... Regards |
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14 Mar 13 - 11:52 AM (#3490274) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: GUEST,Mortified of Morningside A fine singer of traditional and contemporary song. I preferred her interpretations of more contemporary material to the unaccompanied ballads though. Unfortunately, the evening was spoiled by the encore which was in extremely bad taste and verging on blasphemy. It made very uncomfortable listening even for someone who has not been unknown to utter the occasional swear word and who isn't particularly religious. Such a shame and so unnecessary. |
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16 Mar 13 - 07:28 AM (#3491018) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: MartinRyan Having missed out on this gig, and being obliged to fly home before Friday's Worlds End (?) song session, we managed to hear a few tunes on Thursday night in Sandy Bell's. Nice music and some fascinating people-watching... Regards |
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16 Mar 13 - 08:21 AM (#3491043) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: Jack Campin Okay, so what did Debra finish with? Bigot of the Year deserves a song, if that was the occasion... |
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16 Mar 13 - 08:36 AM (#3491050) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: maeve Debra sings such good songs I can't imagine what would upset a person enough to post that here, "Mortified." It would have been more effective - and much more honest- to take it up with Herself while she was right there. Failing that, send her your observations via her website. |
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16 Mar 13 - 01:14 PM (#3491152) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: GloriaJ I've got a pretty good idea what the song was, as we had a singing session in yorkshire a couple of nights before this gig and she sang a humourous ditty about God (occasionally a risky option) which was all about if you transgress from the "ways of the Lord" He'll "f.. you up,he'll f.. you up" etc. You have to take a few risks in performing,and Debra's a lovely woman,unlikely to want to deliberately offend.I wasnt there, but most people were probably ROFLing |
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17 Mar 13 - 05:25 AM (#3491323) Subject: RE: Debra Cowan at Edinburgh Folk Club From: stallion I concur with Gloria, Deb just gets better and better I would like to have heard the song, yes and pushing the edge out is ok we live in a diverse society and as G said most people would be ROFL and I don't see anything wrong with using the vernacular of the building site it has become the norm now. M of M, I think we respect the right to your opinion but might point out that Deb has a diverse audience and puts stuff in their for everyone, always difficult to please everyone all of the time! Oh and agree Deb is a lovely person and a friend. |