Part soul diva, part folk troubadour, part jazz improviser, part revolutionary, part visual artist, Coco Love Alcorn is a multifaceted gem reflecting back the world as she experiences it. The Vancouver Province calls her voice extraordinary. The Star Phoenix calls it stunning. As a songwriter and vocalist, she effortlessly embraces her diverse musical influences—jazz, pop, r&b and folk—melding them seamlessly into her own distinctive and compelling sound. Her expansive stylistic, dynamic and emotional range, along with her vocal prowess, have made her a sought-after performer, respected by her peers and cherished by her fans. More than anything however, it’s her love of improvising and her willingness to engage fearlessly with the audience that have made Coco Love Alcorn a singular and powerful force on the Canadian music scene for over a decade.
With her frequent appearances across Canada in support of her most recent cds, Sugar and Coco Love Solo, Coco continues to gain new devotees from coast-to-coast with her songs about love, life, social awareness–and new fan favourite Fiori Modena: a love song for my bicycle. Whether she’s performing solo or in a band setting, her gift for joyful spontaneity ensures each concert is unique from the last.
‘Sugar’ is a delightfully nuanced, down-tempo treasure. Featuring co-writes with Lennie Gallant, Kevin Coles and Coco’s father, Canadian jazz artist John Alcorn, the album explores themes of the heart and the spirit. Produced by Juno Award winner Steve Dawson, this cd is a remarkably assured work from a critically acclaimed artist whose time has truly come. Since its official release on Black Hen Music, Sugar has received much enthusiastic support from press and radio across Canada.
‘Coco Love Solo’ is a new collection of seven songs sold only at live shows. Performed and recorded over the course of a single evening in her own home, Solo includes Revolution, a fiery piece of writing that’s become a staple of her personal appearances. Fans are raving about this project–its quirky and honest collection of songs and its highly distinctive packaging. Coco and her husband graphic artist Simon Farla assemble these silk-screened albums individually. Each includes a hand-bound 20 page booklet of drawings, words and photos. This is artistry in its most profoundly intimate form.
Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia then growing up between there Vancouver and Toronto, Coco Love Alcorn is through-and-through Canadian. Her parents both come from families of highly creative and accomplished individuals–designers, writers, filmmakers, actors, visual artists and musicians. With this background, Coco was almost certainly destined to be a creative soul.
Since the release of her self-titled debut cd in 1995, Coco’s career has included a number of personal highlights. She has a longstanding touring and recording relationship with Canadian music icons 54.40. She was discovered by folk legend Ani DiFranco, and subsequently invited to join her usa tour as the opening act. She has enjoyed success in the realm of licensing, with multiple song placements on popular American tv shows like The Dead Zone (usa Network) and The L Word (Showtime). These shows are currently airing all over the world and have built Coco’s name with a growing international audience.
Coco has crisscrossed Canada numerous times in her own right, played many music festivals (including Lilith Fair) and made countless tv and radio appearances. She has five albums under her own name and two electronica side projects. She has appeared on close to 50 albums as a featured guest or backing vocalist. The long list of artists she’s worked with on stage or in the studio include Burton Cummings, Chantal Kreviazuk, Jesse Cooke, Chin Injeti (Bass is Base), Kinnie Starr & Loudon Wainwright III.