From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V3 #458 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk JMDL Digest Tuesday, November 3 1998 Volume 03 : Number 458 The Joni Tour Pages: http://www.jonimitchell.com/Tour98.html http://www.jmdl.com/articles/tour98.htm ------- Join the concert meet and greet lists by sending a message to any of these addresses: -Syracuse@jmdl.com Rochester@jmdl.com CollegePark@jmdl.com -NewYork@jmdl.com Kanata@jmdl.com Atlanta@jmdl.com ------- JoniFest 1999 is coming! Reserve your spot with a $25 fee. Send a blank message to info-jonifest1999@jmdl.com for more info. ------- The Official 1998 Joni Mitchell Internet Community Shirts are available now. Go to http://www.jmdl.com/ for all the details. ------- The Official Joni Mitchell Homepage is maintained by Wally Breese at http://www.jonimitchell.com and contains the latest news, a detailed bio, original interviews and essays, lyrics, and much more. ------- The JMDL website can be found at and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Review Of Gershwin's World (SJC) [Susan Chaloner ] New York Daily News review (excerpt) [Deb Messling ] Season's Greetings (NJC) [kb420@webtv.net (gr8fuldave)] reviews [Deb Messling ] Re: Great review in NY Times!/photo ["Julie Z. Webb" ] Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... ["M & C Urbanski" ] Re: New York Daily News review (excerpt) [IVPAUL42@aol.com] Re: 2-for-1 Sale at CDNOW thru 11/9/98 (NJC) [Jerry Notaro ] Re: smoking on stage(NJC) ["John M. Lind" ] pay per view and tci/south florida [Alex N ] A Lame and infuriating commentary [WirlyPearl@aol.com] Re: Review Of Gershwin's World (SJC) [TerryM2442@aol.com] VOTE! [Kai Wong ] Re: Gershwin's World [Dreamzvill@aol.com] RE: 2-for-1 Sale at CDNOW thru 11/9/98 (NJC) [Michael Yarbrough ] Re: Gershwin's World [Jerry Notaro ] Birthday Greetings (NJC) [Ashara@aol.com] Giving credit . . . [Howard Motyl ] Re: Smokin' On Stage (NJC) [Dreamzvill@aol.com] RE: A Lame and infuriating commentary [Michael Yarbrough ] Syracuse [Susan McNamara ] Middle America hurricane catastrophy ["Winfried Hühn" ] Re: just lurking - njc [Dreamzvill@aol.com] Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... ["Don Rowe" ] NJC: CDNOW -- PLEASE READ [kg@ibm.net (Kenny Grant)] Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... [TerryM2442@aol.com] Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... [PMcfad@aol.com] Missing Mail (NJC) [David Wright ] Re Reviews Of Gershwin's Wolrd [Ken Corral ] Today in Joni History - November 4 [Today in Joni History ] Joni was SMOKIN! [Jeff & Vicki Harris ] Re: RE: A Lame and infuriating commentary [John Lasater ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 00:34:36 -0800 From: Susan Chaloner Subject: Re: Review Of Gershwin's World (SJC) Hey Terry! I already sent this email but I think it might have been pulled over for stryking without a license...so here it is unleashed one more time: > **Mitchell simply sounds silly aping late-period Billie Holiday on "The Man I > Love," with her wobbly vibrato, piercing vowels and hiccup accents. Who the f---k does this Mark Stryker think he is writing shit like this for Free Press?! Yeah, right! That's an oxymoron in the extreme...There has never been a f--kin FREE PRESS and there probably never will be...I'd like to lay 'THIS SNAKE I DON'T LOVE' out to whale shit...Joni gets more repect from rank strangers in the streets...And deep bottom bed players ;~) Joni: "...Darlin', you can't slay these beasts of prey..." Susan L.A: How much Ya wanna bet? I feel lucky "...Auntie Ruthie would have died if she knew we were on the inside..." };~) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 04:25:16 EST From: FredNow@aol.com Subject: Re: Gershwin's World and the ny weekend (now njc but still good stuff) In a message dated 11/2/98 8:10:24 PM, trxschwa@bway.net wrote: >i've loved the ravel adagio for a long time and knew the gershwin >influence, but i don't own a recording of the concerto and as a >non-musician i wasn't sure if herbie was playing the score or not. his >taste is so good, and his touch so gentle, and jazz was seeping into >classical music so much when ravel wrote this, i just couldn't guess. > thanks for clearing that up, fred Specifically, what Herbie does in his arrangement of the second movement is to play an improvised version of the solo piano introduction, and when the orchestra enters he begins to play the written score. Soon, however, he begins to deviate, often playing the written left hand accompaniment while improvising with his right hand. Speaking of Herbie's touch, there's a famous remark from Miles Davis upon first hearing Herbie play a ballad (which was Miles' gauge for judging a pianist ... mine, too) -- whispered in his trademark rasp of a voice -- "Nice touch." Patrick (and anyone else who loves the Ravel G major concerto), you really should have a recording of the original. There are many good ones, one of which is included on Ravel: Orchestral Works, Montreal Symphony, Charles Dutoit - conductor, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in Maurice Ravel, one of the greatest of all composers. This budget priced 4 CD set ($35) contains Ravel's complete orchestral output, which wasn't a lot, and consisted mostly of orchestrated versions of piano pieces, as he was a virtuoso pianist. Another essential work is Ravel's string quartet (almost always paired with Debussy's great quartet) -- the recording I like is by the Ysaye Quartet (named after Eugene Ysaye who led the quartet that first premiered the Debussy). - -Fred ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 11:26:58 +0100 From: "Winfried Hühn" Subject: Re: Nietzsche perspectives (SJC) Juerg Loeffler schrieb: > Why does someone get stuck with an > author? You cannot tell. It's beyond the content of the writings. Those just > serve as a trigger to get "in touch". Nietzsche has a musical soul with this > extraordinary gift (or punishment) of deep psychological insights and the > power of putting them into vivid words. I feel similarities here. Both, > Nietzsche and Joni are dionysan types, they dance and sing, and they are > dedicated to life itself, not any substitutes of it, willing to suffer in > order to stay sensitive. > I think this is a great thought! Thanks for sharing! One more proof for how advantageous it is to discuss such issues with people from different backgrounds. Juerg, of course, is really close to the subject-matter both locally (Basel, Switzerland, where Nietzsche lived and taught for a long time) and thematically, being a musician himself. I really think now artistic creativity is the key issue to understand Joni's admiration for Nietzsche. > >Winfried, who BTW also gets stomach cramps from listening to Wagner music > > To loosen the cramps try the homeopathic way: listen to Wagners > "Siegfried Idyll". The most peaceful music i know. There's this wonderful > recording with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra directed by > Glenn Gould. It's his last recording (July 1982), and the first one as a > conductor. Not from this world. Sounds very interesting -- thanks for the recommendation. I think I might check that one out! Best, Winfried ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 06:22:52 EST From: RMuRocks@aol.com Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... You Know You're A Joni Addict When... 1. You always go to the Joni section of the record store first, even though YOU HAVE EVERYTHING SHE'S PUT OUT! 2. You think those WWJD bracelets mean "What would Joni Do?" Bob M. in SC Counting down - 5 days til Atlanta! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 07:41:02 -0800 From: Deb Messling Subject: New York Post review (excerpt) Bear in mind that the Post is a crummy little rag... Joni Mitchell, who acted as Dylan's opener, was OK, especially on her older material, such as Big Yellow Taxi and Free Man in Paris (each played very early in her set). But her jazz noodlings didn't fare as well in the vast confines of MSG. She has an excellent band, which would have been riveting in a snug club. But in the Garden, there was many a stifled yawn as J.M. plowed through her material. Her's was hardly an energized performance, yet the fans showed Mitchell loads of appreciation. In fact, the applause was loud enough at the close of her set (when she did the Porky Pig Th-tha-that's all, folks sign-off) that she returned for a very forgettable version of Woodstock. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 07:46:05 -0800 From: Deb Messling Subject: New York Daily News review (excerpt) While Dylan trucks through New York every year, Mitchell has made as many appearances here as the comet Kohoutek. In fact, the Garden show represented her first official Manhattan performance since the '70s. No wonder the audience's opening ovation communicated as much surprise as appreciation. She rewarded them with a better-paced, more finely sung and more varied performance than earlier shows in L.A. or Woodstock. Like any artist committed to constant evolution, Mitchell has cast her earlier work in a new light. Her backup band, corralling drums, bass, pedal steel and trumpet, used classic songs as fresh canvases, comprised of small, wet strokes. In Mitchell's skewering of striving materialists, "Harry's House," the trumpet of Chris Botti sketched a dark sky, while Larry Klein's bass rumbled out the shape of a dangerous landscape. Mitchell's voice has also changed. It's earthier, with more burgundy tones, but still flexible enough to manage the wild terrain of three songs from her epic "Hejira." Mitchell added more upbeat material than usual, including "Free Man in Paris" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," which the band whipped into a major rave-up. She bookended the 15-song set with two 1970 hits, "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Woodstock," the latter turned inside out to become a song of botched opportunities. Extending her interest in jazz, Mitchell gave a take on Billie Holiday's "Comes Love," bringing out its full shrugging wit. Really, the woman should get out more often. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 07:46:06 -0500 (EST) From: kb420@webtv.net (gr8fuldave) Subject: Season's Greetings (NJC) Well it has begun everywhere you turn. So in commemoration of this yearly event a little off topic humor: Suddenly It's Christmas Copyright ©1993 Snowden Music Inc. Suddenly it's Christmas, Right after Hallowe'en. Forget about Thanksgiving; It's just a buffet in between. There's lights and tinsel in the windows; They're stocking up the shelves; Santa's slaving at the North Pole In his sweatshop full of elves. There's got to be a build-up To the day that Christ was born: The halls are decked with pumpkins And the ears of Indian corn. Dragging through the falling leaves In a one-horse open sleigh, Suddenly it's Christmas, Seven weeks before the day. Suddenly it's Christmas, The longest holiday. When they say "Season's Greetings" They mean just what they say: It's a season, it's a marathon, Retail eternity. It's not over till it's over And you throw away the tree. Outside it's positively balmy, In the air nary a nip; Suddenly it's Christmas, Unbuttoned and unzipped. Yes, they're working overtime, Santa's little runts; Christmas comes but once a year And goes on for two months. Christmas carols in December And November, too; It's no wonder we're depressed When the whole thing is through. Finally it's January; Let's sing "Auld Lang Syne"; But here comes another heartache, Shaped like a Valentine. Suddenly it's Christmas, The longest holiday. The season is upon us; A pox, it won't go away. It's a season, it's a marathon, Retail eternity. It's not over till it's over And you throw away the tree. No, it's not over till it's over And you throw away the tree; It's still not over till it's over And you throw away the tree. - -- Loudon Wainwright III gdave NP: Tape of the Day 11/3/91 Grateful Dead & Friends at the Bill Graham Memorial Concert Golden Gate Park, SF, CA. - ----------------------------------------------------------------- DaveBase @ http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stage/2349/index.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 07:47:29 -0800 From: Deb Messling Subject: reviews Oops, realized I failed to cite authors or URLs for these reviews. I get them from Ecola Newstand, at http://www.ecola.com. It's an international directory of newspapers. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 00:42:55 -0500 From: "Julie Z. Webb" Subject: Re: Great review in NY Times!/photo At 12:49 AM 11/3/98 -0400, DSK11 wrote: >November 3, 1998 >Pop Review: Mitchell and Dylan Among Friends Thank you for printing this NY TIMES article DSK11. Im not sure if anyone mentioned that the photograph that accompanies the article is of Joni only. And it's a wonderful, illuminated shot of her face slightly elevated, with her eyes closed in a "lost in the music" expression. This photograph magically captures the legend that she is. -JulieZW >By BEN RATLIFF >NEW YORK -- Bob Dylan is at that stage of cuddly sainthood that Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 08:29:45 -0500 From: "M & C Urbanski" Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... - ---------- > From: RMuRocks@aol.com > To: joni@smoe.org > Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... > Date: Tuesday, November 03, 1998 6:22 AM > > You Know You're A Joni Addict When... > > 1. You always go to the Joni section of the record store first, even though > YOU HAVE EVERYTHING SHE'S PUT OUT! > > 2. You think those WWJD bracelets mean "What would Joni Do?" > > Bob M. in SC > Counting down - 5 days til Atlanta! How did you KNOW!!! You know you're addicted when... Name your daughter Joni and your cat Jericho! When you reply in conversation in Joni lyrics! Marilyn I live in a box of paints ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 01:03:17 -0500 From: "Julie Z. Webb" Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... Bob from the SC wrote: >> You Know You're A Joni Addict When... >> 1. You always go to the Joni section of the record store first, even >though >> YOU HAVE EVERYTHING SHE'S PUT OUT! OR While scanning a magazine or newspaper article, the common name "Mitchell," manages to **immediately** work it's way into your consciousness before any other word. ah huh, yes sireeee it's true, -JulieZW ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 08:53:36 -0500 (EST) From: some millers Subject: stoning dylan/uprising/nietzsche/rock imho, too many are listening to bob, just as many listen to jm, with the wrong set of ears -- the physical pair instead of the metaphysical pair (heart/soul). the spiritual nature of this tour at this point in time can't be ignored or mistaken. dylan's segment of the syracuse show opened with "got to serve somebody" (i.e., the devil or the lord), and featured heartfelt renderings of hard rain is gonna' fall, don't think twice, tangled up in blue, everybody must get stoned, blowin in the wind, and beyond. clearly, dylan is (and always has been) singing of the stonings so widespread in early christian times. "they'll stone you when you are young and able... everybody must get stoned." think about it brothers & sisters. before all the world problems are resolved, each of us, one by one, is going to have to become an activist. to quit living in the man-made "real world" (hell), and get ourselves back to the garden (of eden, heaven). clearly, this tour is intended to spark uprising. the physical and hopefully, metaphysical merger of bob's flock of crusty non conformers, with our tribe. and let us not forget mr. alvin. from dave alvin's 4th of july, throughout jm's centerpiece placement in the performance, to dylan's blowin' in the wind, this was an evening intended to penetrate and irevoccably alter the collective conciousness. of course, as in all things, this is simply my $0.02. if jm was up there in that scoreboard room, i'm sure she was simply watching over her flock, or as chili often pointed out... her lost tribe. leading them safely to water, and hoping they'll drink deep. cool...clear...water. "drink-up now, it's getting-on time to close." closing time in many ways. the harvest is ripe, but the workers few. as for speculation on nietzsche's appeal, consider these words he uttered: "that which doesn't kill me makes me stronger." certainly, anyone that's already braved the stones, slings, and arrows accompanying the great crossing-over from hell to heaven here on earth can relate. in the profound words of rev. al green, can i get a witness? perhaps some "me too's" from some u2 fans... ROCK ('n roll) of ages, cleft for me. love, paul safely back in s. bethlehem, after many worthwhile hours on the road. npimh "i can see clearly now...." p.s. the secret of eternal youth is arrested development (alice roosevelt longworth) soon to be playing: arrested development, "raining revolution." >Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 09:31:03 -0700 >Subject: Some Vehicle >From: "Eric Jaimes" >Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 10:33:35 -0500 >Although I respect Bob Dylan, it is sometimes hard to remember why, >especially in such a juxtaposition as last night. I sat through his set >hoping he would return with Joni for just one duet so I might hear her >voice one more time. It didn't happen. > >When Bob broke into "Everybody Must Get Stoned" and the Garden hopped to >its feet, I sat back and stared at the circular scoreboard box hanging >from the center of the ceiling. There was a crack between the panes >which barely revealed a room behind the score boards, a secret clubhouse >of sorts, accessible only to a privileged few. I imagined for a moment >that I saw a figure in that secret room beckoning to me, secretly, >quietly composed in contrast to the Romper Room antics on display below. > I saw her red dress and caught a glimpse of her face - I don't have to >tell you who it was - and I was able to rise like a ghost and meet her >there in some whirlwind of spirit. > >It's just in dreams we fly; in my dreams, we fly..... > >Cheers, > >Eric ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 09:03:02 EST From: IVPAUL42@aol.com Subject: Re: New York Daily News review (excerpt) In a message dated 11/3/98 7:46:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, messling@enter.net writes: << Her backup band, corralling drums, bass, pedal steel and trumpet, used classic songs as fresh canvases, comprised of small, wet strokes. In Mitchell's skewering of striving materialists, "Harry's House," the trumpet of Chris Botti sketched a dark sky, while Larry Klein's bass rumbled out the shape of a dangerous landscape.>> You can always pick out a bad writer by his or her overanxious and incorrect use of "comprised." Oddly enough, I couldn't even get the above paragraph sent at first because my spell/grammar checker correctly wanted to change "comprised" to "composed." <> I'm partly colorblind to red tones. What sound does burgundy make, other than "plop, plop" as you pour it into a glass? Paul I ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 09:03:11 -0400 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: 2-for-1 Sale at CDNOW thru 11/9/98 (NJC) Thanks, again, to the ever vigilant Kenny. But make sure you add the html to the address. It didn't get highlighted in the translation so you hipsters won't get there if you just click on it. Jerry 2 more days 'til Joni. I'm jumping out of my skin!!!!! Kenny Grant wrote: > Here's a URL for a "buy one -- get one free" deal available at CDNOW, for my > fellow bargain-lovers on the list! > > http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=722122508/rl=/RP/BXGY/classics_bogo_pp. > html > > -Kenny ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 06:19:03 -0800 From: Louis Lynch Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V3 #456 Just returned from New York. Joni was fabulous! Great voice and wonderful renditions of "Black Crow", "Amelia" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter". Plus "Comes Love" was an added bonus -- it alone was worth the ticket prices. Her band was tight, and her guitar playing was amazing. After listening to Joni's sweet voice and beautiful poetry for over an hour, Bob Dylan was a real let-down. His singing was the pits, and the lyrics were unintelligible. At times, he sounded a little like Cartman on South Park, so nasal and off-pitch. It took a while before I could even recognize some of his standards ("Tangled up in Blue"), especially when the arrangements were changed. But Dylan, with his three-chord blues riffs and heavy beat rocked the crowd. They were dancing in the aisles. Musically, it was the same-old-same-old. But it seemed to be what some of the crowd wanted -- something so they could stand up and shake their butts and do the Grateful Dead groove-dance. But for all the money Dylan makes, I wish he would hire someone who can sing! For the price of the ticket, I would have preferred to see Joni alone, though. The whole effect was like someone taking away your diamonds and giving you a pile of dirt. After the concert, I am even more of a Joni fan, but no longer a Dylan fan. My friends and I all agreed that we wouldn't walk across the street to hear him again. But Joni, ah, we'd follow her to the ends of the earth! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 09:16:59 -0500 From: "John M. Lind" Subject: Re: smoking on stage(NJC) Lori wrote: >Just for the sake of discussion, if cigarettes were NOT a "nicotine delivery system" and were NOT addictive or harmful in any way, would you or would you not find the act of smoking sexy? Visually romantic, perhaps(and this only because of trained response), but 'sexy'? No. Even if you removed all the carcinogens(sp?) in tobacco so there was no tar, nicotine, etc, it still smells horible and tastes worse in my opinion. Besides, your lungs are designed for one purpose: to process oxygen into the blood stream. The leading cause of death in fires is smoke inhalation, correct?. *Any* time you breathe smoke into your lungs it's bad for you. Some types of smoke are just less harmful than others. Smoking a cigarette is not as bad as breathing deeply over a stack of burning tires, but it's still worse than not inhaling any smoke at all. John~ NP "The Dreaming" Kate Bush ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 06:18:55 -0800 (PST) From: Alex N Subject: pay per view and tci/south florida I just saw an ad for "An Evening with Joni Mitchell" to be broadcast this Friday on a local South Florida pay per view station. YIPPEE!!! I'm surprised because it sounded like the show was only being aired on a certain type of satellite channel but I only have regular cable. And the show is only $19.95!!!! The number to call is 800-697-7801. Don't make any plans for Friday night!!! _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 09:30:02 EST From: WirlyPearl@aol.com Subject: A Lame and infuriating commentary I was so excited to finally read an article on Joni in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinal but it turns out to be this lame commentary by a writer, J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun. Here goes: BOB AND JONI TOUR MAY BE A GREAT ONE, BUT NOT A HOT ONE Despite our reputation for being skittish about high are, Americans do appreciate the value of the classics. Put up a show of Van Gogh of Vermeer, and we'll pack a museum; screen a new print of Gone With the Wind or The Wizard of Oz, and we'll forsake our VCRs for the movie theater. After all, it's not often we get to experience a masterwork in the flesh. So when it was announced that Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell would be touring together, most rock fans thought, "Wow! What a classic bill!" What they didn't think was: "I better go buy tickets>" Even though these two are among the most recognizable and revered names in rock, the Bob and Joni Show is not shaping up as Tour of the Year. Although the two are playing a fewe big arenas, like Madison Square Garden in New York, most of the tour stops are at smaller coliseums and college athletic centers. In most cities, good seats are still very much available - so much so that in Sunrise, Fla. where the tour was tentatively slated for Nov 14 at the National Car Rental Center, it was quietly scratched from the lineup before tickets even went on sale. Why isn''t this tour a bigger deal? It woud be easy enought to blame the demographics. The typical arena-rock concert audience wasn't even born when Dylan was jamming with The Band at Big Pink, or Mitchell was coming down with A Case of You. But neither were they born when Mick Jagger firt brayed It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, and that hasn't stopped the Stones from packing stadiums on ther last few tours. No, a more likely reason people aren't rushing to see Dylan and Mitchell is that they know what they're likely to get. Dylan, in particular, has developed a reputation for uneven (and, at times, nearly unlistenable) performances. Mitchell's standing has not been colored by Dylan's sort of seemin indif- ference to the audience. The problem for many listeneres is that Mitchell's music has lost its appeal. Her most recent album, Taming the Tiger, is unrepentantly uncommercial. A quarter-century ago, a bill like Dylan and Mitchell would have been a no-brainer. Today, it's easy to see why even those who own CD's of Blonde on Blonde and Blue and Ladies of the Canyon and Highway 61 Revisited would think twice befor buying tickets. But musicians aren't frozen in time the way recordings are. Talented young bands don't make their living performing classic singles the way orchestras perform symphonies. The rock era has always celebrated the singer as much as the song. Just as no one in the art world expected to see Picasso paint Guernica for the 600th time, it's a bit unreasonable for rock fans to expect Bob Dylan to do Lake a Rolling Stone every night, just as passionately as he did in 1965. "I have to compete with myself and often get panned for not playing my old stuff," Mitchell complained to Billboard recently. And she's right to be angry about it. The only people holding concert tickets should be those who want to hear what she's doing today. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 09:37:30 EST From: TerryM2442@aol.com Subject: Re: Review Of Gershwin's World (SJC) Anyone wishing to write Mark Stryker, author of the stinging Gershwin review in the Detroit Free Press, here's his address. stryker@freepress.com Terry ------------------------------ Date: 3 Nov 98 10:02:22 EST From: Kai Wong Subject: VOTE! I sent in my absentee ballot last week and hope all of you will find time to vote today. Wonder who joni is supporting for Governor of California? Davis I presume, and Barbara Boxer for senator, I hope, but you never know. Kai in Taiwan, so glad to hear the good news from Wally Clinton/Gore 2000 (Hillary, that is) Kai ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:15:13 EST From: Dreamzvill@aol.com Subject: Re: Gershwin's World FredNow - Thanks for your cool take on the Gershwin LP...can't wait to get it! Gershwin has been a hero of mine for quite awhile...he seems to have been one of the first musicians to blend (and so beautifully!) white and black music. There was a series of events, just loaded with synchronicity, that especially brought Gershwin to my attention back in '94, and I'd love to share it with you. I had seen a movie with Mary Steenburgen (can't recall the title), in which she plays a mousy little lady who longs to become a torch singer. She sings a lovely version of Gershwin's "What'll I Do". The song just blew me away with its simplicity and purity of feeling! Almost the very same week, I saw an episode of what I believe was "The Young Indiana Jones" in which he meets a young George Gershwin, playing piano in some smoky club. Something was triggered in me...I wanted to know more about this Gershwin character. I went to library and checked out his biography. Incredible what that man accomplished in his lifetime! I was surprised to read that he died so young - of a brain tumor at the age of 39! Something about the description of his symptoms and illness triggered something else. My daughter had been ill with a mysterious malady (thought originally to be respiratory in nature; she had difficulty breathing) for over a year. Reading about Gershwin's illness, I felt an overwhelming need to hurry up and find out what was wrong with my little girl (then not quite 11). Within a month, she was scheduled to have her adenoids removed. As soon as she was opened up for surgery, they realized their mistake...it wasn't swollen adenoids that were the problem, it was a tumor the size of a golf ball on her brain stem, an extremely life-threatening condition. They told me to get her to UCLA Medical Center ASAP, and within 2 weeks, she was undergoing treatment. 25 hours of surgery in 1 week, 2 months in a halo brace, 4 weeks in UCLA, 6 weeks in a rehab hospital. She's a tough cookie, and she survived it all. Today, she may have her scars, but she's fine, and one very cool, music-lovin' 15-year-old. So, every time I think of Gershwin, I think ... there are things in life that can't really be explained, but it sure feels like we're being looked out for. Thanks for everything, George! Love, Susan C. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:16:09 -0500 From: Michael Yarbrough Subject: RE: 2-for-1 Sale at CDNOW thru 11/9/98 (NJC) Jerry wrote: <<>> Also be sure to change to your own shopping cart or create one if you don't have one--the URL posted takes you into *Kenny's* shopping cart, and methinks nice as he is he has no intentions of buying the entire JMDL some CDs. :-) - --Michael NP: Busta Rhymes, _When Disaster Strikes_ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:27:07 -0500 From: Michael Yarbrough Subject: RE: A Lame and infuriating commentary Pearl wrote: <<>> What's infuriating about it? He gives Joni kudos for not resting on her laurels, and says her anger at being expected to transform herself into a jukebox is justified. To wit: But musicians aren't frozen in time the way recordings are. Talented young bands don't make their living performing classic singles the way orchestras perform symphonies. The rock era has always celebrated the singer as much as the song. Just as no one in the art world expected to see Picasso paint Guernica for the 600th time, it's a bit unreasonable for rock fans to expect Bob Dylan to do Lake a Rolling Stone every night, just as passionately as he did in 1965. "I have to compete with myself and often get panned for not playing my old stuff," Mitchell complained to Billboard recently. And she's right to be angry about it. The only people holding concert tickets should be those who want to hear what she's doing today. - --Michael NP: Busta Rhymes, _When Disaster Strikes_ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:22:43 -0500 (EST) From: John Lasater Subject: Re: A Lame and infuriating commentary On Tue, 3 Nov 1998 WirlyPearl@aol.com wrote: > I was so excited to finally read an article on Joni in the Ft. Lauderdale > Sun Sentinal but it turns out to be this lame commentary by a writer, > J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun. Here goes: I don't really think this is a lame or infuriating commentary. Most of his comments seem valid to me; I do object to the fact that he implies that somehow Joni and Bob's recent music is obviously inferior to their earlier works ("it's easy to see why those who own CDs of Blonde on Blonde and Blue and Ladies of the Canyon and Highway 61 revisited would think twice before buying tickets.") Have these theoretical non-ticket buyers never heard _Time Out of Mind_, or _Night Ride Home_ (or HOSL, for that matter.) And if they haven't, why not? Time Out of Mind, was picked by just about every respected critic as the best album of last year, and many argued it was Dylan's best album of all time. At the very least, I would think a respected music critic would be aware of this stuff, and to simply ignore it to make a point is pure laziness. Also, the comparison to the Rolling Stones is a weak one, because Mick and Keef will prostitute themselves and their music for the sake of a gazillion dollar ad campaign from a beer company. Joni and Bob would never have that level of promotion for one of their tours, and as far as I know, "Just Like A Woman" and "All I Want" have never been used to sell Budweiser. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 10:35:29 -0400 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: Gershwin's World Dreamzvill@aol.com wrote: > > I had seen a movie with Mary Steenburgen (can't recall the title), in which > she plays a mousy little lady who longs to become a torch singer. She sings a > lovely version of Gershwin's "What'll I Do". The song just blew me away with > its simplicity and purity of feeling! Almost the very same week, I saw an > episode of what I believe was "The Young Indiana Jones" in which he meets a > young George Gershwin, playing piano in some smoky club. > Something was triggered in me...I wanted to know more about this Gershwin > character. I went to library and checked out his biography. Incredible what > that man accomplished in his lifetime! I was surprised to read that he died so > young - of a brain tumor at the age of 39! What'll I Do is a great song, but it was composed by Irving Berlin, not Gershwin. Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:30:51 EST From: Ashara@aol.com Subject: Birthday Greetings (NJC) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUANE!!!! THE BIG 4-0!!!!!! Hugs, Ashara ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 09:41:06 -0600 From: Howard Motyl Subject: Giving credit . . . Susan L.A. signed off a post with this: "...Is it too much to ask? I want a comfortable bed that won't hurt my back..."-Mary Chapin Carpenter Would just like to point out that while, yes, Mary Chapin *did* sing these words in Passionate Kisses, that Lucinda Williams actually *wrote* the words . . . my mother always told me I was too technical and someday it would get me in trouble. Howard M NP: White Noise of an Office Environment ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:47:01 EST From: Dreamzvill@aol.com Subject: Re: Smokin' On Stage (NJC) Hey Andy... That's ok about the smoking comment. It's kind of a weird dichotomous situation we've grown up with...back in the '30's-'50's, smoking was definitely portrayed as sexy, and we are still affected by those powerful images!!! Some of our parents are PAYING for those powerful images, with emphysema, cancer, and heart disease. My husband has been a smoker since he was 10 years old; he has tried quitting so many times, and it's got him in a powerful grip. I want him to quit. But sometimes, I'll look at him lighting up one of the ole Marlboros, and the light will be just SO, and I'll think, "God, that looks so sexy!" Yeah, it's disgusting. God damn Philip Morris, anyway. Love, susan C. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:51:23 -0500 From: Michael Yarbrough Subject: RE: A Lame and infuriating commentary John L. wrote: <<>> He didn't. He implied it was less commercial, not inferior. And he's right. <<>> It seemed to me he was taking the Stones to task for prostituting themselves; i.e rock bands shouldn't just play the same old hits from many years ago over and over for money. - --Michael NP: still Busta ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 10:50:15 EST From: Dreamzvill@aol.com Subject: Re: smoking on stage (NJC) Lori in San Antonio - As to whether or not we would find smoking sexy if it weren't unhealthy/addictive: It's that oral thing, y'know! :) Luv, Susan C. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 11:25:57 -0400 From: Susan McNamara Subject: Daily News review of MSG show ========================= On a Bill With Bob, Joni Gets Back to the Garden Rock messiahs don't often share the same bill. But Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan the two most literate musicians of the last 40 years are following up a series of West Coast shows in the spring with a Northeast swing that brought them to the Garden on Nov. 1. While Dylan trucks through New York every year, Mitchell has made as many appearances here as the comet Kohoutek. In fact, the Garden show represented her first official Manhattan performance since the '70s. No wonder the audience's opening ovation communicated as much surprise as appreciation. She rewarded them with a better-paced, more finely sung and more varied performance than earlier shows in L.A. or Woodstock. Joni Mitchell Like any artist committed to constant evolution, Mitchell has cast her earlier work in a new light. Her backup band, corralling drums, bass, pedal steel and trumpet, used classic songs as fresh canvases, comprised of small, wet strokes. In Mitchell's skewering of striving materialists, "Harry's House," the trumpet of Chris Botti sketched a dark sky, while Larry Klein's bass rumbled out the shape of a dangerous landscape. Mitchell's voice has also changed. It's earthier, with more burgundy tones, but still flexible enough to manage the wild terrain of three songs from her epic "Hejira." Mitchell added more upbeat material than usual, including "Free Man in Paris" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," which the band whipped into a major rave-up. She bookended the 15-song set with two 1970 hits, "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Woodstock," the latter turned inside out to become a song of botched opportunities. Extending her interest in jazz, Mitchell gave a take on Billie Holiday's "Comes Love," bringing out its full shrugging wit. Really, the woman should get out more often. While Dylan hardly ever stays home, Nov. 1's show broke significantly with patterns of his recent live performances. Dylan has been on a roll for most of this decade by playing the most aggressive rock of his career. At the Garden, the band took a far more low-key route, stressing acoustic numbers and more graceful intonations. In "I Want You," he excised the original's sprightly rhythm and played up the gorgeous tune. In "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," he sucked out the sarcasm to go for something strikingly direct. Dylan's also assumed nearly all the lead-guitar playing, which had force on its side if hardly the technical finesse of head axman Larry Campbell. But, then, Dylan's uncommonly giddy mood seemed to define this event. He smiled and chatted often and took pains to sing with more care, especially in a surprise cover of Charles Aznavour's "The Times We've Known." A warm and fuzzy messiah? Consider it yet another side of Bob Dylan. Jim Farber, NY Daily News, 11/3/98 ____________________ /____________________\ ||-------------------|| || Sue McNamara || || sem8@cornell.edu || ||___________________|| || O etch-a-sketch O || \___________________/ "It's all a dream she has awake" - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 11:28:19 -0400 From: Susan McNamara Subject: Syracuse Here is the set list from last night in Syracuse and I will try to have the rest of my report and photos by the end of the day at this familiar address . I really enjoyed myself and Dylan was phenomenal!! Although I didn't get to meet Joni personally it's always an incredible thrill being so close to her while she's doing what she does best--mesmerizing!!! - -------- Big Yellow Taxi Just Like This Train Night Ride Home Crazy Cries of Love Free Man in Paris Harry's House Black Crow Amelia Hejira Don Juan's Reckless Daughter Sex Kills Magdalene Laundries Trouble Man Comes Love encore Woodstock ____________________ /____________________\ ||-------------------|| || Sue McNamara || || sem8@cornell.edu || ||___________________|| || O etch-a-sketch O || \___________________/ "It's all a dream she has awake" - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 17:40:58 +0100 From: "Winfried Hühn" Subject: Middle America hurricane catastrophy Michael, how have you and your people been? Please let us know if there's a way for us to help. Winfried ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 12:22:01 -0500 From: heather Subject: just lurking - njc hi all - i'm going to just lurk for a while. i have about 30 stitches in my right hand and it takes forever to type left handed. i'm really enjoying the reviews! please keep rolling 'em in. lots-o-love heather ps- my vcr is all ready for friday night! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 12:41:51 EST From: Dreamzvill@aol.com Subject: Re: just lurking - njc Heather - What sort of fun did you engage in to be worthy of so much stitchery??! :) Happy healing!!! From one who was lucky enough to be right handed and have my left stitched - -up, Susan C. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 09:46:08 PST From: "Don Rowe" Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... You Know You're A Joni Addict When ... 1. Your significant other notices your "Gershwin's World" CD and their first comment is, "Joni Mitchell's on this?" 2. You have a dream that a recording studio has been built next door to an ante-bellum (SP?) mansion in Natchez, MS, and while at your family reunion, you tour the studio and discover that Joni's recording there -- and she graciously agrees to help you out on vocals for your demo. (Yep, I really did have this dream!) 3. You can name the muzak Joni tune in 3 notes. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 12:47:19 -0500 From: Michael Yarbrough Subject: One extra ticket available for College Park I am still trying to sell one ticket for Thursday's show in College Park, MD (just outside DC) for it's face value + Ticketmaster charges = $45. It's a good seat. Please contact me at mwyarbro@zzapp.org if you are interested in this ticket. Thanks! - --Michael NP: Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions, _The Anthology 1961 - 1977_ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 09:57:08 -0800 From: Susan Chaloner Subject: Re: Giving credit . . . Howard Motyl makes sure Lucinda Williams gets credit for her "Passionate Kisses." > my mother always told me I was too technical and someday it would get me > in trouble. Thank you Howard! I stand officially corrected if not technically perfect ;~D > NP: White Noise of an Office Environment Really Howard Dear! You should get out more };~D Susan L.A. "...Aim above morality..."-Ruth Gordon ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 98 17:56:23 GMT From: kg@ibm.net (Kenny Grant) Subject: NJC: CDNOW -- PLEASE READ DON'T POST CDNOW URLs to DISCUSSION LISTS!!! Just found out that unlike Music Blvd, CDNOW's URLs become PERSONALIZED as soon as you visit... I called them and they said there's no problem, and there's been no activity on my account, cause you can't place an order without a password and other info. Still, the best idea is to just CLICK AROUND! When they have a sale, there's always a big banner on their home page. -Kenny On 11/3/98 6:47AM, "Ken (Slarty)" wrote: Hi Kenny By using that url I ended up in your shopping cart (which also shows you home address). Hey Ken, With all the tape trades I do my address is practically public record anyway :-) -Kenny ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:23:15 EST From: TerryM2442@aol.com Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... In a message dated 11/3/98 12:49:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, dgrowe@hotmail.com writes: << 3. You can name the muzak Joni tune in 3 notes. >> I can name that song in...TWO notes. Terry ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:37:39 EST From: PMcfad@aol.com Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... when you start to buy multiple copies of the same joni discs so you dont have to worry about moving them from your home, your car, or your office. when you buy joni discs for people who haven't asked for them - that makes you a pusher, not a user pj ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 13:50:11 -0500 (EST) From: David Wright Subject: Missing Mail (NJC) Hello all, we had a computer crash in our flat (and don't know when it'll be back up -- I'm in a cafe). Could somebody please forward me digests 452-455? And anyone who sent me mail privately Sunday or Monday please resend it? Thanks very much. Sorry for bandwidth. - --David ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 98 11:01:20 -0800 From: Ken Corral Subject: Re Reviews Of Gershwin's Wolrd From the latest digest quoting a Free press review by MARK STRYKER **Mitchell simply sounds silly aping late-period Billie Holiday on "The Man I Love," with her wobbly vibrato, piercing vowels and hiccup accents. Hancock, on organ and piano, disappears into pop-soul oblivion on W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" behind Wonder's harmonica and vocal. And an alternate view from the review in last Sunday's (November 1st) L.A. Times Calendar Section by Don Heckman: "What appears instead is a sequence of unusually thoughtful takes on Gershwin (and the others)-- the most unexpected of which are Mitchell's renderings of "The Man I Love" and "Summertime." Although her "Mingus"-era forays into jazz aroused understandable skepticism in the jazz community, she phrases here with authority and understanding. Although the perspective she brings to the music does not flow--as it does for most jazz singers--from blues and gospel sources, it nonetheless offers a compelling view of music that is usually heard in a far different style." And for the record: I TOTALLY disagree that Mitchell is "aping" Billie Holiday. Someone on the list made a similar comment a few days ago and it is just WRONG. In fact, I would say Joni has taken great care not to present readings that are too close to Holiday's. KenC- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 12:04:00 +0000 From: Today in Joni History Subject: Today in Joni History - November 4 1996: Joni appears on the Late Show with David Letterman. Check out pictures and a summary of member comments about the performance at: http://www.jmdl.com/articles/961104.htm - -------- Know a date or month specific Joni tidbit? Send it off to JoniFact@jmdl.com and we'll add it to the list. - -------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 14:19:03 -0500 From: Jeff & Vicki Harris Subject: Joni was SMOKIN! Okay, Okay...with all the discussion about Joni's smoking, I have to ask... Do any other smokers on this list find that you crave a cig when you hear Joni's music? Vicki ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 14:23:05 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time) From: John Lasater Subject: Re: RE: A Lame and infuriating commentary I wrote: > << Bob's recent music is obviously inferior to their earlier works>>> > Michael Y. wrote: > He didn't. He implied it was less commercial, not inferior. And > he's right. > No, he *stated* that it was less commercial, and I think one could argue that he's wrong about that. (When was she ever really commercial? And I think there's a difference between "being commercially successful," and "releasing commercial music.") I concluded that statements like "The problem for many listeners is that Mitchell's music has lost its appeal," and " it's easy to see why even those who own CD's of Blonde on Blonde and Blue and Ladies of the Canyon and Highway 61 Revisited would think twice" meant that J.D. thought that Dylan and Joni's recent work was inferior...otherwise, he would have said something to contradict that impression, such as "Mitchell has been blacklisted from Top 40 radio for more than half of her career, but she continues to create exciting, innovative pop music." I guess it just bothered me that Considine seemed reluctant to offer up an opinion (HIS opinion) on the quality of their recent music. Dylan "has a reputation" for unlistenable performances? Again, that's a statement that implies something negative without really saying anything. I always thought that being a critic was all about sharing your opinion with your audience. C'mon, J.D., tell us what you REALLY think. jhl1@acpub.duke.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 14:46:40 -0500 (EST) From: "Gerald Notaro (LIB)" Subject: Re: Joni was SMOKIN! Only when the listening has brought me to orgasm. Jerry On Tue, 3 Nov 1998, Jeff & Vicki Harris wrote: > Okay, Okay...with all the discussion about Joni's smoking, I have to > ask... > > Do any other smokers on this list find that you crave a cig when you > hear Joni's music? > > Vicki > > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 98 19:46:54 GMT From: kg@ibm.net (Kenny Grant) Subject: Re: You Know You're a Joni Addict When... You SNEAK out of the house to see a Joni concert without telling your significant other where you are going :-) -Kenny who went to the concert with his S.O., but met a few people at the show who did the above! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 11:51:00 -0800 From: jan gyn Subject: Re: just lurking - njc Whoa, I had heard that some of the Joni hecklers had gotten punched out. Hope your hand heals! - -jan hi all - >i'm going to just lurk for a while. i have about 30 stitches in my right >hand and it takes forever to type left handed. >i'm really enjoying the reviews! please keep rolling 'em in. >lots-o-love >heather > >ps- my vcr is all ready for friday night! > ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V3 #458 ************************** Don't forget about these ongoing projects: FAQ Project: Help compile the JMDL FAQ. Do you have mailing list-related questions? -send them to Trivia Project: Send your Joni trivia questions and/or answers to Today in History Project: Know of a date-specific Joni fact? -send it to ------- Post messages to the list at Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe joni-digest" to ------- Siquomb, isn't she?