“Musically adventurous…a born storyteller with a rambunctious sense of humor” —Los Angeles Times
After recording and touring with Leonard Cohen for over 10 years on multiple world tours, musician and poet Perla Batalla launched her solo career with Cohen’s encouragement. Since then, she has recorded seven albums, been featured in film and television, and performed and recorded with artists such as Lou Reed, k.d. lang, John Cale, Sonny Rollins, Jackson Browne, Duquende, Luz Casal, Laurie Anderson, David Sandborn, and George Duke.
Cohen's passing in 2016 inspired Batalla to share some of the lesser-known songs of Canada's poet laureate to a younger public and dispel the too-common mischaracterization of Cohen as “The Godfather of Gloom.” The man she knew was, more often than not, motivated by sly humor and the absurd. “In the House of Cohen” features selected songs and rare personal anecdotes that serve to showcase Cohen’s lighter side. The evening reveals the timelessness of Cohen's art through Batalla’s signature cross-cultural style, conveying her sincere respect and deep love for the music, the poetry, and the life of her dear friend.