Linda Cohen

(Born: 1947 - Died: 23 January 2009) Philadelphia guitarist and teacher was writing sensual, potent acoustic-guitar-led instrumentals and recording uneasily lilting, eerily atmospheric records. In Philly's late '60s and early '70s, she was part of a free scene of open-minded radio stations and record labels. While avant-garde stalwarts Charles Cohen (Theremin, oscillator), Jefferson Cain (sitar, autoharp), Mandrake Memorial's Craig Anderton (production, Celeste) and Michael Kac (harpsichord) played on her albums, photographer Doug Randall, graphic designer Milton Glaser and manager David Carroll were behind the scenes making her cover art and booking her gigs. In the late 1960s, at the Second Fret on Sansom Street, Cohen opened for Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Joni Mitchell, John Fahey and Dave Van Ronk, whose blues-inspired guitar playing influenced her style. By age 22, she'd been introduced to Poppy/United Artists label head Kevin Eggers, who not only released records by Townes Van Zandt but with his next label, Tomato, introduced the world to Philip Glass. Originally Cohen was going to make her records for Eggers solo, like her demos. But Buchla synth-innovator Charles Cohen suggested getting their mutual pal Anderton to produce a version of these songs with his band, Anomoli. Their looming, arbitrary backgrounds made sense behind the plinking, ricocheting richness of Linda Cohen's compositions on Leda and Lake of Light (1972 and '73, respectively).