Although much of Leonard Cohen’s poems and music oeuvre is engraved in my cellular memory, I decided that a major refreshment was in order. I have the Live in London Concert, 2008 DVD. That will be the subject of this post.

Most of Cohen’s concerts run 2-3 hours; this concert goes 2 ½ hours and enriches any viewer’s soul enough to regret that it doesn’t go on longer. The band for this tour plays as one; each musician is masterful individually; the sum total, led by our hero (the mighty and humble Leonard) is entrancing.

Sample clip 1   Sample clip 2    Sample clip 3

The band comprises:

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Roscoe Beck (Musical Director, Bass, & Background Vocals)


Neil Larsen (Keyboard, notably the Hammond B3)


Bob Metzger (Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar & Vocal)


Javier Mas (Bandurria, Laud, Archilaud, & 12-String Guitar)


Rafael Bernardo Gayol (Drums & Percussion)


Dino Soldo (Keyboard, Saxophone, Wind Instruments & Vocal)


Sharon Robinson (Vocals)

   
The Webb Sisters - Charley & Hattie (Vocals)

When I was living in San Francisco in the ’80s, I decided, in a modestly flush moment, to buy myself a real Panama Hat. Already known to me was that those hats are actually made in Ecuador. They were shipped to the world via Panama, so the designation Panama stuck, right up to today.

In San Francisco, the goto guy was Michael Harris, the owner of Paul’s Hat Works way out on Geary between 25th and 26th. The firm was founded in 1918; Michael bought it in 1980, then retired in 2009; presently, 4 artistic young ladies continue the tradition of Paul’s Hat Works. Yea for continuity! I haven’t been there lately, but back then it was like walking into a shop right out of Charles Dickens. Curious, ancient-looking steam machines for shaping hats made a gentle, engaging pssst, pssst, pssst sound. Antique hat boxes, many hat forms, many hats, and tools I knew nothing about filled the shop.

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Michael Harris in his hat making shop

I don’t usually conflate the terms art and craft in the same sentence, but Michael is an exquisite craftsman and true artist at the same time - his palette is palm straw and felt. He showed me about a dozen hats in ready-to-finish condition and explained the differences in quality and price. They needed their edges finished, blocking, an interior sweat band, and an exterior hat band. I chose one, then I got fitted with a machine called a conformateur that showed Michael the exact shape of my head. The conformateur looks dangerous and perhaps painful, but it was just a bit heavy.

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A conformateur

I chose a fine 1940s blue/gray grosgrain ribbon for the hatband; Michael still had some wonderful old hat band ribbons in stock. My hat was ready in a few weeks, and to this day, it is one of my preferred possessions.

As they say in the Michelin Guide: “Worth a Detour”

Paul’s Hat Works, 6128 Geary, San Francisco, CA 94121 (415) 221-5332


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Alan wearing his superb Panama hat