From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V4 #525 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk JMDL Digest Sunday, November 21 1999 Volume 04 : Number 525 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 http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Joni's Second Fret Sets. ["John Low" ] Re: Wumb Top 100 [catman ] Connecting to the Power of Joan [Catherine Turley ] Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Hendricks/Ross - NJC (probably too long as well) [MGVal@aol.com] Re: Welcome Nicholas [Julian51469@aol.com] Re: Joni vs the Brides of Frankenstein [Julian51469@aol.com] Re: Chris Botti on SNL [FMYFL@aol.com] Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. [Brian Gross ] Quentin Crisp NJC [catman ] Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Chris Botti on SNL [TerryM2442@aol.com] Free Man in Paris(SCJ) [waytoblu@mindspring.com] Tom Rush (njc) [Brian Gross ] Backstreets Back All Right (NJC) [Michael Paz ] Re: Kick Pleat Skirt [MGVal@aol.com] Re: Quentin Crisp NJC ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: Quentin Crisp NJC [David Wright ] Welcome and next Joni!! ["Russell Bowden" ] Re: Quentin Crisp NJC [FMYFL@aol.com] Re: Quentin Crisp NJC ["Patricia O'Connor" ] Tom Rush at McCabe's (SJC) ["Kakki" ] The facts about the music I listen to... (NJC) ["Australian Seashells" ] Re: Hendricks/Ross - NJC (probably too long as well) ["Kakki" ] Re: Tom Rush at McCabe's (SJC) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Welcome and next Joni!! [Nicholas ] Re: The proverbial "what should I buy question" and official de-lurking messa... [Nicholas Subject: Joni's Second Fret Sets. Sometime ago (in Digest #520) Rick Novosel wrote: No doubt Rick has already received considerable advice about this and I’m sure that one of the strong recommendations would have been the “Second Fret Sets” from the 1960s. A couple of months ago I and my fellow Sydney jmdler, Ange, obtained a copy of this tape from our kind and generous mate in SC, the amazing Mr. Bob M., and we have been bewitched by its magic ever since. No doubt many other members of the jmdl would back me up when I say how privileged we all are to have access to this marvelous selection of Joni’s early songs, including some of her (officially) unrecorded ones, sung live in concert and on the radio. And to the large slices of Joni talk, that provide such interesting background to many of her songs. Posting these comments gives me the opportunity to ask a couple of questions: Firstly, I understand (from Bob) that the Second Fret was a folk venue in Philadelphia. I’d really like to know a little more about it. For example: How big / famous was it? What other musicians performed there? How long did it survive? etc. Can anyone help? Secondly, I assume that the radio recordings (including a brief interview with Gordon Lightfoot) are from the WMMR interviews Brian Hinton refers to as being included with Second Fret recordings on a bootleg LP titled “The Posall and the Mosalm” (page 288). Where is / was the radio station WMMR? And, thirdly, on the tape I have there is a cameo appearance by Neil Young singing “Sweet Joan of Saskatoon”. Was this recorded at the Second Fret too? The sound of the audience on this, compared to the audience on the Joni tracks, would seem to suggest a larger venue. (I’m presuming that the Second Fret was small.) Does anyone know? I (and I know Ange, too) would really be grateful for any information that anyone can provide. I just love this tape and am curious to find out more about it. John (in Sydney). ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 09:41:51 +0000 From: catman Subject: Re: Wumb Top 100 Rick-I love STAS too. My choice would be between that and NRH. Today at any rate.Tomorrow? Who knows? bw colin ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 03:28:42 -0700 From: Catherine Turley Subject: Connecting to the Power of Joan The broken strings/open tuning thread happened an at amazingly synchronous time for me (hardly surprising on this list.) But I have recently found opening tunings, and I believe! For the record, I'm not a particularly accomplished musician. I gave up on piano lessons for all the usual bad adolescent reasons, but persevered on the alto sax through high school, until I could no longer take our band's steady diet of what I then considered (and probably still do) lame-o bad jazz. In college I occasionally played sax with some guys who lived in my apartment building and who had a little top-40 cover band. My repertoire with them consisted mostly of licks and solos stolen directly from the English Beat's Saxa. But in spite of my undistinguished musical career, I have, like most jmdlers (it seems), listened to music voraciously since earliest memory. Though modest by the Bob standard, I'm comfortable with the label music slut. However, when I had a child, I realized that I desperately wanted her to grow up in a home where music was *made* as well as listened to, so I bought a keyboard to plink out simple songs, and I bought a guitar (from the budget Ovation line). And I have been struggling with various teach-yourself methods and standard tuning chord charts for some time now without much result or satisfaction. But about a week ago, suffering from a bit of writers block, I decided to do something to distract myself, so I looked up an opening tuning on JM.com, and from the first strum, my guitar was making Joni sounds! I even picked out a rudimentary Coyote before I looked up the tab on jmdl.com. I know that's a normal thing for many of you, but I can hardly express what a thrill it was for me to play it myself. I knew that I had connected to the power of Joan when, after a couple of days of working on Coyote and DJRD, my husband, (whom I've been trying to spare too much Joni exposure), yelled at me from the other room, "I have a headache! Please stop playing those Joni colors, I can feel them in my guts!" (The poor man has been like that since the unfortunate day a few years ago when I programmed Last Chance Lost on infinite replay). Only Joni seems to do that to him. :-) I have to thank Sue and Howard and Mark and Marian and Jim and everyone else who has contributed to the jmdl guitar pages. All of your work has been very very helpful--can't believe I waited so long to put it to use. I've made a little binder of tunings and tabs and I can actually play Joni songs (ok, the easy ones, so far) but I just could not make that kind of break through in standard tuning, and I wonder if I'll bother with it again anytime soon. Perhaps having my brain thoroughly washed with Joni tunings for the last two decades has something to do with them seeming much easier to me. With them my guitar is like a different instrument now. For that I owe many thanks to the jmdl guitar people. Regards, Catherine T. in AZ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 07:54:20 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. John said: << No doubt many other members of the jmdl would back me up when I say how privileged we all are to have access to this marvelous selection of Joni’s early songs, including some of her (officially) unrecorded ones, sung live in concert and on the radio. And to the large slices of Joni talk, that provide such interesting background to many of her songs. >> And along that line, I will expand on the tape I've had in heavy rotation the past week called "Joni Mitchell - Looking Out For Love". It's really blown me away. The first section is a Troubadour show from 11/30/69. The set list: Chelsea Morning Cactus Tree Rainy Night House/Blue Boy/Willy/Looking Out For Love (she plays this as a four-song suite with a long piano intro, she even hits a wrong note in Rainy Night House and laughs it off as it's a new song, so she says. Both Sides Now Night In The City Nathan LaFraneer The Gallery (here too, she errs, singing the wrong line, stopping, telling another story, and then doing it from the beginning...about a 6 minute version of Gallery... The second section is more Second Fret stuff, but these sound like radio studio recordings...very clear, and in the case of Both Sides Now, Joni even says she just wrote it 3 days ago! Pretty Cool! The set list: Both Sides Now Circle Game (with some nice harmony vocals thrown in by somebody, I can't recall who although it is mentioned) Just Like Me (Again, sadly, not the entire song, it picks up sometime after the intro) Eastern Rain (really pretty guitar work on this one and she talks about it a little) Blue On Blue (another unreleased Joni song, nothe Bobby Vinton tune! :~)) The final section sounds like it was recorded live at an outside cafe. Ocassionally you can hear a car horn, passing traffic, all the notes say is "Philadelphia 1967". The set list: Gift Of The Magi (yet another unreleased Joni song, maybe her most "morbid Christmas song ever) Melody In Your Name (Here again, she starts in too low a key, calls the song "you little beast", retunes, starts it again, alas, we don't get ALL of it but the ending gets cut out. Dr. Junk The Dentist Man (she tells a story about the North Carolina man the song is based on, it's kind of a Bo Diddley guitar song, pretty funny and light-hearted) So there's the details. I've already copied this for a couple of folks but am glad to get a copy to ANYONE who wants it! And I can put it on CD or tape... If you're interested, just send me a blank 90 minute or a blank CD. I'm happy to share! And of course, if you have Joni to trade, so much the better! Bob Muller 309 West Prentiss Ave. Greenville, SC 29605 Package update: Jimmy, Frank T, Mark D: mailed yesterday Catgirl, Kakki, Jerry: mailing tomorrow Julian, Jamie: mailing Tuesday Raffaele, John Low: in progress ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 09:22:53 EST From: MGVal@aol.com Subject: Hendricks/Ross - NJC (probably too long as well) First and foremost, I have to express my ongoing wonderment at women who can stand and prance around in heels higher than 2 inches. Even wearing nocturnal Keds last night, I still managed to stumble twice on my walk from my car to the jazz club. With that out of the way, I'll say if you have to chance to see this duo, do it! (Or if you are in the Bay Area and have occasion to go to Yoshi's Jazz House, do that. This place was wonderful; terrific acoustics even for my broken ears. Not a bad seat in the house). The show started off with a quick tune by their back-up band. Very standard, very competent jazz quartet: piano, standup bass, drums, guitar. They all had their spot in which to shine on their stuff, but take away the instruments and I'd swear you'd have the "Accountants, Inc. Quartet 10-Key Competition" up on stage. I guess I've gotten way too used to the more eccentric stage appearances of the various groups that pass through Valley what with performers like "Buckethead" and his Kentucky Fried Chicken Hat, but I digress. After they zippity-doo-dah'ed through their tunes, Hendricks and Ross took the stage. There must be a Bay Area connection; not only was the show sold out, but you could tell that the people there loved them. The applause had more of a "we know how good you are" quality to it instead of the usual "show us your stuff" feel. Annie looked great in a long red jersey gown and the aforementioned heels. Jon looked....interesting, with a yachting cap and a long white nautical/lab coat with sensible shoes. Their singing was great fun! They played vocals off of each other and off of the band with Jon's "bub-bub-bub" mimicking a sax blowing low notes and Annie's "eek-eek-eek" (can't quite find the fitting onomatopoeia for this), sounding like a trumpet running up and down the scales. They did a few songs and then Jon left the stage for Annie's solos. She opened right with "Twisted." It's funny how you can get used to one singer's version which can set up a Pavlovian response when you hear the opening bars. I kept expecting to hear Joni's notes and phrasing: her "Twisted" seemed more fun. Annie's rendition, while good, seemed less natural. Not in a bad way, mind you, I was just spoiled by Joni's take on Court and Spark and Hendricks/Ross, of course, has been churning out this tune night after night in Oakland. I felt that she loosened up on other songs and I thoroughly enjoyed her. The best part of the show, however, was yet to come. Hendricks came back on stage for his stint at the wheel and he brought along his daughter! I got the feeling that she was a Bay Area staple from the crowd reaction, but did not get her name. (Julius, did you hear what it was?). She, too, sported those high heels that make my nose bleed and feet sprout corns like a Kansas field. After a duet with her dad, she let loose and belted out a song that just knocked the roof off the place. High, wonderful Phoebe Snow-ish singing. Peter Townsend arm swinging. She was awesome! Loved being on stage and it showed. I would have loved more songs by her. So Jon did his stuff. Of the two, he seems to be the more spontaneous. With the recent Cher thread, he certainly seemed to be the Sonny to Annie's Cher. I found it interesting that when it was time for Annie's solo, he went off stage and spent her entire performance "watching it from the wings," bobbing his head in rhythm to her songs, clapping furiously when she was done. When it was his turn, Annie took off and spent the set in what seemed to be the "green room." When taking their bows, Annie was far more reserved, (indeed, I recall Mark posted that she seemed a bit shy), while Jon was into the audience with hand clasps and kisses. They closed with a ROUSING rendition of "Jumping at the Woodside." Great tune, great version, lots of energy and their vocalizing really meshed with this one. On a non Hendricks/Ross note, it was a real treat to spend the evening with fellow JMDL'er, Julius, even though every time I venture out to meet him, I get furiously lost and wander through parts of the Bay Area that have yet to be charted on any map. He such a delightful person with an instant balm for my frazzled, "where the heck am I now" nerves. Plus, he laughs at all of my monologues, so how can I not enjoy being with him? Once again, I am in awe of the magical power of the JMDL that has brought more special people into my life than I could ever hope to meet while sitting on the sidelines at the local soccer games or wandering down the aisles of the annual Accounting X-Treme Conventions. You guys out there get the chance to connect in person with list members, please do so! And whenever anyone on this list gives a performance review, take it to heart. Thanks Julius for a terrific evening! MG - getting ready to deal with post-babysitter's complaints: "she made me go to bed too early....she wouldn't let me stick burning matches up my toenails.....she made me turn off the tv....she wouldn't let me pour chocolate sauce on my pizza...." ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:13:11 EST From: Julian51469@aol.com Subject: Re: Welcome Nicholas Nicholas writes: << I'm a long-time fan of contemporary folk artists like the Indigo Girls... But, oddly enough, my eclectic 200+ CD collection also includes discs by Bonnie Raitt, Tori Amos (I'm a proud Toriphile), R.E.M., nine inch nails, Loreena McKennitt, Depeche Mode, Joan Osbourne, Annie Lennox, Suzanne Vega, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Sinead, Sarah McLachlan, Cher, Destiny's Child, the Cranberries, and Radiohead. (the list goes on...) >> I'm so excited for you... You are about to embark on a journey that will explain at least half of your CD collection. Our dear Joni, IMHO, is the skeleton key to allmost all the folks you're in to. Be prepared to "come home to mama" so to speak. Welcome to the list and welcome to Joni. YAY!!! Julian ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:34:46 EST From: Julian51469@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni vs the Brides of Frankenstein Dan writes: << Playing to the masses has its own reward. I admire those who can capture the attention of the masses, whose art (indeed it is art!) touches the hearts of so many, if not as deeply as your's does. My respect is not grudging for Garth or Sheryl or Madonna. But I like them... they're good friends. But they haven't stirred my heartstrings as you have. Artists whose work will endure long after they are gone have a different reward, don't they? Why are they not recognised in their time, as they should be? Or are they?>> (My cynical side is coming out here so whatch out folks.) Two of these women are actors and products of a media machine and one of them is a product of her own blood, sweat and tears. Joni, I'm afraid will not be recognized for her greatness in this country too soon due to my feeling that American's have a really hard time with honesty, grey areas, choruses that change, artistic license and social critics. Like most other real artists in the Western arena...when she is gone and only her label reaps her rewards will she be marketed, distributed, taught and honored. We here at JMDL are doing our bestess to get her word out, but you know what they say about beating a dead horse and all... Sorry to get so down on this issue but Madona (who I really respect as a mover and a shaker, physically and socially) and Cher (who I believe has had a long side track with her singing and I'm glad is acting 'cuz that's what she is) are Frankensteins of the recording industry - compelling, ferocious, creations assembled from parts. Joni, through thick and thin has remained whole. Just my own opinion, I hope you know. Thanks, Julian ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:54:33 EST From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: Chris Botti on SNL Julie writes: << Sting was the guest tonight on SNL. He was accompanied by our new favorite jazzman, Chris Botti, known here on the jmdl as Joni's 'wind section.' Did anyone notice that the SNL's director gave Botti and Sting an equal share of camera close-ups? For the second set Sting shared the stage with what seemed to be several Turkish musicians and a vocalist who sang a duet (in Turkish?) while Sting sang a love song of some kind. >> I watched SNL last night just to watch Sting, and I was hoping Chris Botti would be joining him. Well, Julie was right!!! The camera did pan on Chris quite a bit. Both guys did a fab job as did the rest of the musicians. I was so glad that Sting's second song was "Desert Rose". That's my favorite song on the album. The voice of Cheb Mami (who I think is from Albania) is a beautiful compliment to Sting's vocals. The live performance was worth staying up to watch SNL. Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 08:17:31 -0800 (PST) From: Brian Gross Subject: Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. John Low wrote: > A couple of months ago I and my fellow Sydney jmdler, Ange, obtained a copy > of this tape from our kind and generous mate in SC, the amazing Mr. Bob M., > and we have been bewitched by its magic ever since. No doubt many other > members of the jmdl would back me up when I say how privileged we all are to > have access to this marvelous selection of Joni’s early songs, including > some of her (officially) unrecorded ones, sung live in concert and on the > radio. And to the large slices of Joni talk, that provide such interesting > background to many of her songs. > > Posting these comments gives me the opportunity to ask a couple of > questions: > > Firstly, I understand (from Bob) that the Second Fret was a folk venue in > Philadelphia. I’d really like to know a little more about it. For example: > How big / famous was it? What other musicians performed there? How long did > it survive? etc. Can anyone help? The Second Fret was a small (150-200) coffee house on Rittenhouse Square in downtown Philadelphia. By the time I was driving ('71), it was already closed. So I used to take dates instead to the Main Point in suburban Bryn Mawr. Both places were in operation when Joni played the Second Fret, as there is a studio discussion (WMMR tapes) of which club made the better burger. The Main Point (where I saw Janis Ian, Dion, Tom Rush and others perform) remained open until the late 70's. It was recently reincarnated as The Point, just down Lancaster Avenue from the original storefront location. > Secondly, I assume that the radio recordings (including a brief interview > with Gordon Lightfoot) are from the WMMR interviews Brian Hinton refers to > as being included with Second Fret recordings on a bootleg LP titled “The > Posall and the Mosalm” (page 288). Where is / was the radio station WMMR? WMMR is 93.3 MHz here in Philadelphia. Still operating. Gene Shay and Ed Sciacky are still on the air here in Philadelphia, just on other stations. > And, thirdly, on the tape I have there is a cameo appearance by Neil Young > singing “Sweet Joan of Saskatoon”. Was this recorded at the Second Fret too? > The sound of the audience on this, compared to the audience on the Joni > tracks, would seem to suggest a larger venue. (I’m presuming that the Second > Fret was small.) Does anyone know? Don't know about that one. I'll have to relisten to my tapes. > I (and I know Ange, too) would really be grateful for any information that > anyone can provide. I just love this tape and am curious to find out more > about it. These tapes were my Joni-lifeline long before the JMDL. I recorded Gene Shay's Joni archives whenever he broadcast them. And I would listen to them over and over again. The magic of our Lady of the Canyon. And as JamieJake is fond of saying, Much Joni, Brian nw: CNN Headline News ===== "No paper thin walls, no folks above No one else can hear the crazy cries of love" yeah, right __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 16:17:48 +0000 From: catman Subject: Quentin Crisp NJC Quentin Crisp was found dead today at a house Nr Manchester. He was 90 years old. I first became aware of him in the late 70's, 78 I think, thru The Naked Civil Servant, a tv dramatization of his life. I was young then and found him baffling and and an emabarrassment. Now more mature, I have only admiration for the man. He lived life on his terms and succeeded in being himself against the odds. What a lesson in good living he provided for us. If I get to 90 with just a little of his courage and compassion, it will be an achievement. - -- "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:34:54 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni's Second Fret Sets. In a message dated 11/21/99 10:22:59 AM US Central Standard Time, BrianGross@rocketmail.com writes: << Don't know about that one. I'll have to relisten to my tapes. >> Brian, the Neil Young is on the CD tree-release of the Second Fret, not the tape tree... Bob ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:42:54 EST From: TerryM2442@aol.com Subject: Re: Chris Botti on SNL In a message dated 11/21/1999 10:58:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, FMYFL@aol.com writes: << I was so glad that Sting's second song was "Desert Rose". That's my favorite song on the album. >> Mine too, and I could just shoot myself for having missed the show. Terry, still helplessly hoping for Sting tix in Detroit ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:54:49 -0500 From: waytoblu@mindspring.com Subject: Free Man in Paris(SCJ) Good morning to everyone. Last night I did a show at the Somber Reptile in Atlanta and I was quite inspired by the JMDL to add a Joni song to the setlist so earlier in the day I figured out "Free Man in Paris" and performed it with my friend Chris Rotch(from Bootlegg Shaman) on lead guitar. It turned out great and I found it so much fun to sing. We did in the key of E which worked really well with my voice and it just seemed to move so magically. This song has something of a signifigance to me. When I wrote the song "Three Days in Paris" which was about going to France with my (ex)girlfriend(who is French), "Free Man in Paris" was in the forefront of my mind since at times I really felt like a free man in Paris and yet in some ways I found I wasn't free at all but completely trapped in some emotional prison which was quite confusing/disturbing--the more beautiful everything seemed the harder it was to be there. I think, in a large part, just knowing Joni's song about Paris really helped me write mine which was, emotionally, maybe the most difficult song I have ever written. "Three days in Paris, Don't know where they've gone. I thought I was free, But I could have been wrong. I called your home, But the phone wouldn't ring. I wondered why I didn't feel anything." excerpt from "Three Days in Paris" (c)1999 Way to Blue Music I'm inspired to try some more Joni since I had so much fun with this one. Despite what I said earlier, I really am crazy about Joni Mitchell. Victor Setlist 11/20/99 Scarlet Way to Blue Flying Without Wings Birds Broken Candles Wanderlust Accidental Angel Three Days in Paris American Beauty You Make Loving Fun (Fleetwood Mac) Landing on Air Free Man in Paris (Joni Mitchell) Georgia ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 09:11:56 -0800 (PST) From: Brian Gross Subject: Tom Rush (njc) Kakki wrote: > Off tonight to see Tom Rush and actually considering hauling his big > old vinyl album along with me. And hoping, ahem, for Joni content ;-) So tell us Kakki, how was the show last night? Here is the rest of Tom's tour dates. Is anyone here in the Philadelphia area interested in the Dec 5th show? I haven't seen Tom perform live since Thanksgiving night 1975 at the Main Point. > ************************************************************ > TOM RUSH PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE > ************************************************************ > 12/3 MD Ram's Head/Annapolis 410/268-4545 > 12/4 VA Birchmere/Alexandria 703/549-7500 > 12/5 PA Painted Bride Center/Philadelphia > > 2000 > > 2/25 CT Westport Arts Center/Westport 203/222-7070 > 2/26 RI Greenwich Odeum/East Greenwich 401/885-8160 > > 3/3 MA Company Theater/Norwell 781/871-2787 > 3/4 MA Me & Thee Coffeehouse/Marblehead 617/631-8987 Take care, Brian nw: TDC - The Blasters ===== "No paper thin walls, no folks above No one else can hear the crazy cries of love" yeah, right __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:27:27 -0600 From: Michael Paz Subject: Backstreets Back All Right (NJC) Hello Gang- I got up out of my bed of flu last night to take the boys to the new Sports Arena downtown, to see the Backstreet Boys. We had a wonderful time! I had tears in my eyes most of the night watching the expressions on their faces as they watch the guys be flown in on wires with Back To The Future Neon Glowing Skateboards and all. Julian begged me to take him up on stage so he could dance with them. Mikey sang is heart out to every single song and kept stealing glances at me to see if I was having a good time. I have to admit that I did, and I was caught up in the fun that these guys have. What a life! Some little girls in the row in front of us struck up a conversation with Mikey and his friend that came with us. I was transported back to the day and thought about all the little girls I knew at that age. I was nine when I saw the Beatles at Olympia Stadium in Detroit (one of the high points in history for me). I hope everyone is all right. Welcome to all the newbies from Argentina and beyond. Looking forward to seeing Patrick and his sister later this week for Thanksgiving in New Orleans (along with Paz clan coming from Honduras). It should be a wonderful weekend. Happy holidays to everyone. As usual I have much to be thankful for, especially my Joni family. Love Michael NP-All of My Love-Zep in Zurich (Thanks SO much Julian!) P.S. Has anybody heard from Pat in the last few days? Hey Pat did y2K hit early over there??? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 12:31:06 -0500 From: "Patricia O'Connor" Subject: Kick Pleat Skirt What kind of pleat is a "kick pleat"? As in: She don't like my kick pleat skirt She don't like my eyelids painted green POC NP: For The Roses ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 12:54:32 EST From: MGVal@aol.com Subject: Re: Kick Pleat Skirt In a message dated 11/21/99 9:30:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, p.a.oconnor@worldnet.att.net writes: << What kind of pleat is a "kick pleat"? >> Think Catholic school uniform or a cheerleader's skirt and you have kick pleats. Instead of the skirt having many smaller pleats, (knife pleat, I believe), there are only a few pleats to the whole skirt. When you walk, your legs kick out from between the folds. MG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:15:54 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Quentin Crisp NJC Colin reports: > Quentin Crisp was found dead today at a house Nr Manchester. He was 90 > years old. > I first became aware of him in the late 70's, 78 I think, thru The Naked > Civil Servant, a tv dramatization of his life. I was young then and > found him baffling and and an emabarrassment. > Now more mature, I have only admiration for the man. If anyone wants to see a unique, quirky film that features Quentin Crisp, rent 'Orlando'. It is an adaptation of a Virginia Woolf novel. Quentin Crisp plays Queen Elizabeth I. If anyone does rent this movie or has already seen it, I'd love to know what you think of it. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 13:22:52 -0500 (EST) From: David Wright Subject: Re: Quentin Crisp NJC On Sun, 21 Nov 1999, catman wrote: > Quentin Crisp was found dead today at a house Nr Manchester. This is odd. As I noted a few days ago, Sting wrote a song about Paul Bowles' "The Sheltering Sky"; he wrote a song about Quentin Crisp too ("Englishman in New York," from Nothing Like the Sun). That makes two deaths in the past four days of people who inspired Sting songs! - --David P.S. Cheb Mami, of Sting's SNL appearance, is from Algeria, I think. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:39:50 PST From: "Russell Bowden" Subject: Welcome and next Joni!! Nicholas, Welcome to the Joni Mitchell Theme Park.....Morning Morgantown. Your question is going to attract answers like fresh meat attracts carnivores...practically a Joni virgin and asking the Wolf that Live in Lindsey what to hear next....(see Mingus) I hope your Hejira from having yours ears filled with trash, to lovliness of a Song to a Seagull is a smooth one...there will be spring along the ditches and good times in the cities. There will be crocuses to be bring to school.....mandoling buying sprees on Staten Island...butterflies above our nation(s)..thin men smoking fat cigars and lots of electricity...Hope we will get to see you sometime....maybe in Amsterdam...maybe Rome...In France we kiss on Main St....in dreams we fly...in California we kiss Sunset pigs. So, grab you sleeping roll, bury your coins in People's Park...have some milk, toast and honey at a Chinese Cafe...polish up your shiny toys and seek the Refuge of the Roads that lead to our Queen. Oh, in answer to your question....I am forced to say your next one might be Hejira, Court and Spark, For the Roses or Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Love, Russ ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 14:28:43 EST From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: Quentin Crisp NJC << On Sun, 21 Nov 1999, catman wrote: > Quentin Crisp was found dead today at a house Nr Manchester. >> and David wrote: <> What's really freaky is that after watching Sting on SNL, I've been listening to his music all day and "Englishman in New York" was playing when I saw Colin's post. Eeeerie!!! Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 15:14:30 -0500 From: "Patricia O'Connor" Subject: Re: Quentin Crisp NJC David wrote: >This is odd. As I noted a few days ago, Sting wrote a song about Paul >Bowles' "The Sheltering Sky"; he wrote a song about Quentin Crisp too >("Englishman in New York," from Nothing Like the Sun). That makes two >deaths in the past four days of people who inspired Sting songs! Roxanne!, wherever you are, don't take any unnecessary risks!!! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 12:32:40 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Tom Rush at McCabe's (SJC) Well, Joni was not in the audience last night, but she should have been there. (Unless she was at the earlier show, but I somehow doubt that ;-) However, there was an abundance of prominent folk and blues musicians in the crowd. I wish Steve Dulson could have been there - I know he would have recognized many of them. I recognized quite a few from the Folk party Steve invited me to a few months back. (My old buddy, local blues artist and radio personality Doug MacLeod was there, too, Steve!). At the last minute I balked at hauling my old vinyl "Circle Game" album and then could have kicked myself when I saw virtually everyone arriving with big shopping bags of their old vinyl. So after securing a seat, I went back into the front room and bought Rush's new CD anthology "No Regrets" and turned around and found Rush himself right next to me! So I quickly ripped it opened and was fumbling for a pen when he pulled out his own Sharpie and kindly signed it for me with a quiet smile. The entire night I could not get over how incredibly handsome he is - WOW - but I digress.... I took my seat and seemed surrounded by transplanted New Yorkers all talking about seeing Rush in back in the old days. A guy next to me was talking about seeing Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park in 1964 and how the Doors opened for them! Two guys behind me wanted to quiz me on my Rush knowledge and I immediately let them know "I came to Rush through Joni Mitchell" and that was perfectly O.K. with them and I felt "accepted" by the devotees surrounding me on every side ;-) I took notes and compiled a set list but find it difficult to describe and critique each song because there is just too much to tell, plus I would like to leave some surprises for those here who may be seeing his upcoming shows. He played non-stop for two hours and was accompanied by Joe Mennonna on piano (lots of Jimmy Webb channeling happening), sax (sublime) and vocal harmony. Halfway through the show he was joined by his old friend and co-writer on many songs, Trevor Veitch, who played awesome guitar. (Veitch lives in Studio City these days and, by the way, also appeared on Cher's album "Casablanca Days" ;-). Rush is a consummate entertainer and his stage chatter rivals Joni's. Half the time I thought I was seeing a stand-up comedy act as he related several hilarious stories about his early days at Harvard radio station WHRB, his current life in a log cabin in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and adjusting to the "East Coast vs. West Coast Mind". He played a song about fading short-term memory as one grows older which he said was inspired by a funny remark from singer-songwriter, Cheryl Wheeler. His quick wit is non-stop and we were all giggling constantly throughout the show. After opening with "San Francisco Bay Blues" and a cowboy song about good ole boys in Wyoming having a "Coy-otte" shooting contest that went over like a lead balloon, he said "here's a good song for this time of year by Joni Mitchell" and everyone in the audience gave a collective, awed gasp and started applauding before he even began the song (Urge for Going). The New Yorker nudged me and said "Joni Mitchell" and I smiled indulgently ;-) He performed the song gorgeously and reverently and had everyone completely transfixed. (She shoulda been there). He appeared to be bascially playing the version from the "Hits" songbook - Capo on the 3rd fret, in standard tuning - but it also seemed that he put his own little twist on it and it was awesome. He also did a beautiful version of "These Days" saying it was "written by Jackson Browne when he was only 16 years old and I hate him for it." Another high point for me was his version of the train song written by Bukka White, "Panama Limited", because this is the signature song of afore-mentioned buddy Doug MacLeod, who usually ends each show with it, always playing it stupendously on his National dobro. I loved watching MacLeod's face as Rush played this song. For an encore he played Murray McLaughlin's "Child's Song". He introduced the song saying that back in his day "kids rebelled against their parents and left home but today the kids rebel against their parents and never leave home" ;-D He went on to say that he used to sing the song from the child's perpective and then, later, from the parent's perspective but now, as he and so many of us are saying goodbye to our parents for the last time, he is singing it from the child's perspective once again. He had tears in his eyes throughout the song. For the final encore, Rush played a rousing cover of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love." Ahh, another fine night of seeing a legend in concert. I hope the east coast jmdler's get a chance to see him and look forward to more reports. Kakki NP: Tom Rush - Urge for Going - (Liner notes say "I was playing a club in Detroit called 'The Chessmate' when Joni Mitchell, who had recently started playing the local coffee house circuit, came in and asked the owner if she could do a guest set. Her songs, this one in particular, bowled me over. I ended up recording three of her tunes for the album named after one of them, "The Circle Game") ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 23:53:10 +0800 From: "Australian Seashells" Subject: The facts about the music I listen to... (NJC) Hi listers, I was just musing...I was wondering about all the "Favourite Artists" lists that turn up from time to time. They're great fun! But are these just current personal whim or based on fact, so to speak? Tastes do change, don't they? So - what kind of music do we actually go out and buy? In other words, which music do you HAVE TO HAVE most of and you actually go and buy it? I was quite surprised at some of the result when I actually scanned ALL cd's and records to see of which I seem to have piled up most of: 1- Peter Gabriel / PG & Genesis 2- Joni Mitchell (Joni, you need to please produce a few more albums! We're falling behind here!) 3- Pat Metheny 4- Sting / Police 5- Joe Jackson 6- Pink Floyd 7- Jethro Tull 8- Miles Davis 9- Angelique Kidjo & The Beatles and Robben Ford, head-to-head.. But how mainstream! I didn't know HOW fond I actually was of Jethro Tull... And Joe Jackson seems to be rather seductive, too. Hmm. What about you? What have you guys hidden under the carpet? Let us know what you ACTUALLY do need lots of.. and no cheating...Looking forward to some interesting results, Simone ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 19:55:12 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: RE: Quentin Crisp NJC i didn't think much of the movie [or the book either, though i like woolf very much], but i loved the idea of casting crisp as the QUEEN OF ENGLAND. the scene in the queen's bedroom is very sweet. i'm sure that i saw the movie again i would like it a lot better. if i remember it well, i found the leading actress irritating for some reason. > If anyone wants to see a unique, quirky film that features Quentin > Crisp, rent 'Orlando'. It is an adaptation of a Virginia Woolf novel. > Quentin Crisp plays Queen Elizabeth I. If anyone does rent this movie > or has already seen it, I'd love to know what you think of it. > > Mark in Seattle > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 15:05:29 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Hendricks/Ross - NJC (probably too long as well) MG, I'm so glad you and Julius caught the show. You wrote: > After they zippity-doo-dah'ed through their tunes, Hendricks and Ross took > the stage. There must be a Bay Area connection; not only was the show sold > out, but you could tell that the people there loved them. The applause had > more of a "we know how good you are" quality to it instead of the usual "show > us your stuff" feel. I forgot to mention back in my review that Jon told me he has had a home in the Bay area for years and that it is where he raised his kids. I think he said the place is somewhere in Marin. Kakki ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 15:10:34 -0800 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Connecting to the Power of Joan Catherine, What I and, no doubt, the rest of us, would give to hear an alto sax player added to the group at Joni Tribute Fest in New Orleans!! Wow! Not to mention you and Steve Dulson doing a duet on dulcimer. You must sign up and join the "band"! Kakki > For the record, I'm not a particularly accomplished musician. I gave up > on piano lessons for all the usual bad adolescent reasons, but > persevered on the alto sax through high school, until I could no longer > take our band's steady diet of what I then considered (and probably > still do) lame-o bad jazz. In college I occasionally played sax with > some guys who lived in my apartment building and who had a little top-40 > cover band. My repertoire with them consisted mostly of licks and solos > stolen directly from the English Beat's Saxa. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 18:15:29 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Tom Rush at McCabe's (SJC) Kakki, Thanks for the wonderful review! How big was the venue Tom was playing in? I'm just wondering if he DOES come to the East Coast which local venue he might be in... Bob NP: Joni talking to Tony Hale, Rock Master Class interview ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 18:53:04 -0500 From: Nicholas Subject: Re: Welcome and next Joni!! On 11/21/99 1:39 PM, Russell Bowden at rustytrazom@hotmail.com wrote: > Welcome to the Joni Mitchell Theme Park.....Morning Morgantown. I actually lived in Morgantown for a few years (for undergraduate studies) before venturing to Boston. :) Beautiful little city... [snip colourful and witty reply] > > Oh, in answer to your question....I am forced to say your next one might be > Hejira, Court and Spark, For the Roses or Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Russ, Thanks so much for the inventive and insightful little welcome. All of you Joniphiles seem like a cool crowd. I'm glad I found my way to your little community! :) Several have suggested For the Roses, so I may give it a go next time I make it to the CD store. :) Thanks again for the note... Hugs, Nick ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 19:10:20 -0500 From: Nicholas Subject: Re: The proverbial "what should I buy question" and official de-lurking messa... On Sat, 20 Nov 1999 08:26:13 EST, SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > Nicholas delurks: > > << The subject says it all... I've been lurking for a few days and I thought > I'd say hello and ask a Joni-related question.>> > > Welcome Nicholas! You have definitely found the right spot for admiration > (not obsessive fanatical worhip ;~) ) of all things Joni... Thanks Bob! All of you have been so kind. I'm looking forward to contributing as well as reading about Joni from her fellow fans... it's the best way to learn about an artist. > << there's something > refreshing about both Joni and the album Blue. The album/artist are > complex, simple, happy, devastatingly sad, political, silly and serious > depending on which track you're listening to. >> > > This is a wonderfully honest assessmant of Blue, and one of the constant > topics here...the music public has branded Blue as some kind of depressive > thing, but as you say, it's Joni at her various bests; songwriting, singing, > dulcimer, piano, guitar, and songs that run the gamut of emotions... I think the key is to just give Blue a chance. Some of us are so used to hearing heavily produced, technofied radio mixes that something so raw can be overlooked or misinterpreted. Blue took a long time to grow on me, but now it would rate up as one of the best CD's I've ever purchased! And, as I said before, the title cut is probably tied with an Indigo Girls song (Hammer and a Nail) as my favorite folk song. > << So I was wondering which album you suggest I buy next? Joni has such a > vast > body of work that I'm not sure where to go from here... >> > > > Depends on what your strategy is...you can start with STAS (Song to a > Seagull), and move forward chronologically to trace her growth, you can try > and see what we collective nuts recommend and tally up the results, or you > can just pick 'em up at random...the good news is, you can't lose! Just don't > expect them all to be "Blue-like"...Joni dabbles in a bit of everything and > does it all extrememly well. That's the best trait in an artist... It's one of the things I like about another personal fave, Tori Amos... she dabbles in everything, especially on Boys for Pele. So I'm very open-minded when it comes to an artist--I'll listen to a CD for a couple months before making a judgement on it. Usually the ones I absolutely hate on the first listen, become favorites over time. The initial dislike is usually because the music wasn't what I "expected" from an artist... but any good artist challenges the listener. :) > Again, welcome, and happy hunting! Take time out from your grad studies to > share your thoughts about your Joni finds... Most definitely!!! The good news is that many of Joni's discs are often priced at bargain rates. I picked up Blue for $8.99 (US$), which was a STEAL in my opinion! Tower Records and Newbury Comics here in Boston regularly put overstocked Joni CD's on sale. My new hobby will be to take this overstocked inventory off their hands. ;-) OK... I need to get back to work now, but I just wanted to thank you and everyone else for the kind welcome. Talk to you soon! Nicholas ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 16:44:09 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Orlando & Mrs. Dalloway (was Quentin Crisp) NJC Wally replied to my post about 'Orlando' > i didn't think much of the movie [or the book either, though i like woolf > very much], but i loved the idea of casting crisp as the QUEEN OF ENGLAND. > the scene in the queen's bedroom is very sweet. i'm sure that i saw the > movie again i would like it a lot better. if i remember it well, i found the > leading actress irritating for some reason. Well 'Orlando' is the only Virginia Woolf I've ever read and I read it because of this movie. I believe the movie was made on a shoestring budget but manages to look pretty darn good in spite of it. The lead actress' name is Tilda Swinton. Odd. I thought she was one of the best things about the film. She has a beautiful & innocent androgyny about her that was perfect for the role, imo. Another film adaptation of a Woolf novel that is very striking is 'Mrs. Dalloway'. That one stars the magnificent Vanessa Redgrave. A beautiful performance in a lovely film. Both of these movies have an enigmatic quality about them. 'Orlando' is more whimsical, however, & 'Mrs. Dalloway' more reflective.... Both leave a lot open to the viewer's interpretation. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 21:24:40 EST From: CaTGirl627@aol.com Subject: Re: Yet another Top 100 list - WUMB In a message dated 11/20/1999 9:44:18 AM Eastern Standard Time, chucke@tiac.net writes: << WUMB, Boston-area's mostly-acoustic and folk radio station just finished counting down yet another millennial listener-voted top-100 albums list. Joni scored big-time... #77 Hejira #67 Clouds #19 Ladies of the Canyon #9 Court & Spark #1 Blue >> NOW this is more like it!!! Catgirl ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 21:38:18 EST From: JRMCo1@aol.com Subject: Hendricks, Ross and Rush One of my life's pleasures is reading performance reviews on our JMDL. I just love how MG and kakki have woven homespun details about these two concerts into the musical fabric of our lives. I wrapped their reviews around me like a warm, familiar comforter on this nippy Northern California afternoon. Thanks, you two, and everyone else who posts reviews. Please, keep 'em coming. Rush and Hendricks & Ross both played here in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. Regret that I missed Tom, but I guess two out of three ain't bad. I never told anyone that I'm not nostalgic and shows like these remind me why. The Hendricks and Ross concert was a joyous romp down jazz memory lane. Many of the memories from before my time. Annie Ross sang a song called, I think, "They're Not Gone" memorializing legends like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lady Day, Ella, Sarah Vaughn and Theolonious Monk, among others, even as oversized black and white photos of many of these greats hung hauntingly on the venue walls like poltergeists of the jazz milieu's dearly departed. The showmanship of this pair becomes their musical exuberance -- from their elegantly smooth hand gestures as they sang, bowed or introduced the accompanying quartet, to Hendricks's hilarious mimicry of a tipsy man during their audience sing-along rendition of "Hand Me the Bottle." Consummate old-school show biz stand-outs, that's what they are. They don't make 'em like that anymore. It was a special treat to take in the show with our MG. Being there with her was like a rendevous with a life-long friend to experience a shared passion. We needed to only glance at each other briefly as they introduced "Twisted" ...the rest was understood. Plus, by her grace, I now have a copy of the heralded "Jonifest Box Set" and have heard my dear friend Ashara's lovely voice for the first time in addition to the incredibly gifted sounds of Paz, Marian, et al. I'm looking forward to listening to it in its entirety. Thanks so much for everything, Mary G. Here's a tidbit of JC I culled from the LA Times for those of you in the market for Christmas music with a jazz bent: ** (two stars out of four) "Fourplay: Snowbound" (Warner Bros.). "It may be smooth jazz, but it's smooth jazz with an edge. Bob James, Larry Carlton, Harvey Mason and Nathan East are too good to get slogged down in rhythmic pablum. Their renderings of familiar items such as "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Amazing Grace," like their versions of the more unexpected "River" (from Joni Mitchell) and "Snowbound" (from Walter Becker and Donald Fagen), are delivered with consistent musical intelligence and an ineffable sense of inner swing." I'm going to give it a listen and maybe buy it for the Chistmas compilation I put together annually for family members. Ooh, I've gone on and on. Sorry. To close: I hope everyone is well. Looking forward to meeting many and seeing many familiar faces in the New Orleans come Spring. - -Julius ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V4 #525 ************************** The Song and Album Voting Booths are open! Cast your votes by clicking the links at http://www.jmdl.com/gallery username: jimdle password: siquomb ------- Don't forget about these ongoing projects: Glossary project: Send a blank message to for all the details. 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?