Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance

Seven months after his father's death, Adam Cohen retired to a converted garage in his backyard near Leonard's house to work with his father again and be in the company of his voice. From their previous collaboration on You Want It Darker some musical sketches remained, often just vocals. Leonard had asked his son to complete this work .

The remarkable new album was created in a variety of places. Javier Mas, the great Spanish laudist who had accompanied Leonard on stage during his eight-year tour, flew from Barcelona to Los Angeles to capture the spirit of the artist on Leonard's own guitar. In Berlin at the People Festival music event, Adam invited some friends and fellow musicians to contribute to the album. Damien Rice and Leslie Feist sang. Richard Reed Parry from Arcade Fire played bass. Bryce Dessner from The National played guitar, composer Dustin O'Halloran can be heard at the piano. The Berlin choir Cantus Domus sang and the S t a r g a z e orchestra played. In Montreal the famous producer Daniel Lanois stopped by at the sessions and contributed his arrangements in a wonderful way. The Shaar Hashomayim Choir, who played such an important part in creating the sound of the last album, contributed to a song, and Patrick Watson brought his inimitable talent as co-producer to a song. Back in Los Angeles Jennifer Warnes, one of the guardians of Leonard's creative flame, sang background vocals, Beck played guitar and jew's harp. Michael Chaves, who had recorded and mixed the album You Want It Darker so elegantly, did the engineering and mixing .

Thanks For The Dance is thus an unexpected blessing, a gift of beauty and strength. Leonard Cohen's voice is not muted. The dance goes on.