Canadian/American singer, composer and transgender activist Beverly Glenn-Copeland is returning to the stage this summer for the Kingston Pride Festival on June 16th, in advance of re-issuing his album ‘Primal Prayer’ this summer:
RELEASE — Throughout a fifty year recording career, legendary Canadian/American singer, composer and transgender activist Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music has defied categorisation and genre. Today, he is delighted to announce the release of the lead single ‘La Vita’, off his forthcoming re-issue of his extraordinary but little-known album ‘Primal Prayer‘ on August 16th.
To celebrate the impending re-issue, Glenn has given the world a taste of the album and shared a video for lead track ‘La Vita’, which premieres today, animated by Australian artist Greta Larkins, featuring artwork by Chard Chenier.
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As a piece of music, La Vita is life-affirming and without comparison or precedent. An operatic soprano, performed by the late Maggie Hollis, is tethered to earth by the ostinato of a xylophone, warm synth pads, strings and percussion – before Glenn himself enters the fray, his soulful voice melding with that of the soprano.
Glenn himself described the creation of the song: “I have always felt that the music I transcribe is piped in, so to speak, on wave lengths to which I am attuned. I woke up one morning speaking passable Italian. I wrote this song. By the end of the day, I no longer spoke Italian. Short, but sweet. The heart-centered operatic voice you hear is that of the late Maggie Hollis, who was a dear friend. This is the first cut on my Primal Prayer album of 2004/2005.”
The diverse work of Glenn has been gathering momentum and recognition in recent years thanks to a reissue of the extraordinary folk-jazz of his debut self-titled album (1970) and the widespread discovery of his acclaimed synth-explorations of his masterpiece Keyboard Fantasies (1986).
‘Primal Prayer’ was originally self-released in 2004 under the nom de plume ‘Phynix’ to a small but appreciative audience. It’s 8 tracks are a rhythmically complex and wildly creative fusion of jazz, world, dance and classical genres.
This northern summer Glenn will undertake the most extensive tour of his 75 years including shows at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Winnipeg Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, Kingston Pride and Folk On The Rocks and headline shows in Toronto and Victoria, BC. See below for Glenn’s full tour dates.
Stream/Share/: Beverly Glenn-Copeland ‘La Vita’
TRACKLIST
La Vita
Back to Bachland
Heaven In Your Heart
On the Road
This Side of Grace
In the Image
Primal Prayer
Between the Veils
A Little Talk
A Song and Many Moons
TOUR DATES
12 June – Toronto, ON – Jam Factory (tickets)
16 June – Kingston Pride Festival (tickets)
18 June – Winnipeg Jazz Festival (tickets)
21 June – Saskatchewan Jazz Festival (tickets)
23 June – Victoria, BC – Upstairs Cabaret (tickets)
25 June – Vancouver International Jazz Festival (tickets)
4 July – Montreal Jazz Festival (tickets)
6 July – Quebec – Festival Off Quebec (tickets)
12-14 July – Folk On The Rocks, Yellowknife (tickets)
19-21 July – Dawson City Music Festival (tickets)
25-28 July – Calgary Folk Festival (tickets)
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Photo (cropped): Beverly Glenn-Copeland on Facebook
