From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2003 #314 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/joni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Friday, June 6 2003 Volume 2003 : Number 314 Sign up now for JoniFest 2003! http://www.jonifest.com ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: We DO need a regime change...njc [colin ] The Washhouse of Mary of Gethsemane ["Ross, Les" ] NJC The hits just keep on comin' [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Joni & Asia [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: please tag non Joni [Bobsart48@aol.com] RE: [NortheastJonifest] And the Winner of the Jonifest 2003 Logo Contest is...... (njc) ["Heather" ] learnign french njc [colin ] rewriting Joni's songs [twoshoes@sasktel.net] Re: rewriting Joni's songs - NJC ["Donna Binkley" ] What If... ["Kate Bennett" ] RE: [NortheastJonifest] Amandla (NJC) ["Kate Bennett" ] When is it time to quit? sjc ["Mark or Travis" ] RE: When is it time to quit? njc ["Wally Kairuz" ] Today's Library Links: June 6 [ljirvin@jmdl.com] Today in History: June 6 [ljirvin@jmdl.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 09:11:09 +0100 From: colin Subject: Re: We DO need a regime change...njc please remember the NJC tag/ the joni onlies do not want to read this stuff. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 09:25:30 +0100 From: "Ross, Les" Subject: The Washhouse of Mary of Gethsemane I was a single woman still in the flush of youth (and I'll have no cracks from yous, mister morphy!) When I was sent to a convent because I as a pretty thing Considered to be of loose morals and unlikely ever to gaze upon the face of God I was committed without a word to a closed washhouse named after Mary of the Garden of Gethsemane. Quite a few of the young women come here 'with child' In some cases inseminated by their own parent One girl, Bridget, was heavy with child from an unholy union with the local representative of the holy Church of Rome Forced to purge all soiled fabrics clean Each of us heart-heavy female children Toiled in the roiling mists Of the washhouse of Mary of Gethsemane Whores and the Abandoned And supposed Hellions such as I Lasses intimate with the hardships of life and times Condemned without trial into endless and mindless servitude By what right and reason can this establishment, so clearly a stranger to compassion Be so named after a woman renowned of heart and soul Such heart and soul These Nuns, avowed of the Son of God Were they to see for a moment the man to whom they claim to be wed They'd realize the error of their ways and loose the shackles Hidden behind their fumbled prayer beads. Rendering lifeless the verdant paths upon which they stride Blanketing in gloom all within these walls Intent only upon purging unto the bowels of the earth Those of us damned in the washhouse of Mary of Gethsemane Margaret of the Family O'Connell, passed on this day A lippy woman A tease Committed without ceremony to the earth, regardless Wouldn't you think a little chiming of the campanile would have been in order! I know that the time will come when I too will slip unnoticed off this mortal coil Like a plant never having known it's first fragrant flower And after winter has yielded its bitter cold to the first green of the year Not the first green of the year No not even the first green of the year Not the first green of the year. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 08:45:24 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: NJC The hits just keep on comin' In a message dated 6/4/2003 9:28:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, les@jmdl.com writes: > or go to www.larry-d.com and click on the "Buy the CD" > link. Did! Thanks for the alert, Larry. I'm DELIGHTED to support the proliferation of Joni covers on the planet. Can't wait to hear it. Have you signed up for Jonifest yet? It's a GREAT way to be heard and make some EASY sales. Plus, it's just a helluva good time. I have to admit that I'm getting more excited about it with each passing day! Bob NP: REM, "Old Man Kensey" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 08:50:01 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Joni & Asia In a message dated 6/4/2003 9:28:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, les@jmdl.com writes: > Mongolia/Southern Siberia/Manchuria resemble North Dakota and Canada in terms of climate and environment, so I think Joni would be pleased at the analogy. Besides, didn't she say: > "Forget what I meant, what does it mean to you?" Oh absolutely...and you're right, Joni seems more intrigued by what we bring to interpretations of her work more than trying to figure out what she meant, if that makes any sense. And she too has immersed herself in Asian culture, history, and philosophy, so she would be pleased to see your connection. Thanks for expanding your thought on the subject! :~) Bob NP: REM, "Can't Get There From Here" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 08:56:40 EDT From: Bobsart48@aol.com Subject: Re: please tag non Joni Please use the NJC tag bobsart ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 09:34:20 -0400 From: "Heather" Subject: RE: [NortheastJonifest] And the Winner of the Jonifest 2003 Logo Contest is...... (njc) and just think of all that tea we (on the continent at that time) threw into the ocean years ago to protest being taxed. a lot of good THAT did. heather - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@jmdl.com [mailto:owner-joni@jmdl.com]On Behalf Of colin Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 7:57 PM To: Catherine McKay Cc: lfye@cresapartners.com; Maggie McNally; joni@smoe.org Subject: Re: [NortheastJonifest] And the Winner of the Jonifest 2003 Logo Contest is...... (njc) >Nope. That would make you Canadian. > wrong. it makes you British. we are taxed to the hilt here. Imagine earning 54000 and only getting 33600 and then paying hefty tax on stuff you buy...... > > >===== >Catherine >Toronto > >______________________________________________________________________ >Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 10:05:54 EDT From: Murphycopy@aol.com Subject: Re: The Washhouse of Mary of Gethsemane -- NJC Les Ross writes: << Rendering lifeless the verdant paths upon which they stride Blanketing in gloom all within these walls >> Hey, mister! Sounds like Shakespeare to me! --Bob ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 11:16:29 -0400 From: "Maggie McNally" Subject: RE: come to Canada /Re: We DO need a regime change... ...and, in late summer, you'll have the cycling world's WORLD CUP in Hamilton, Ontario!! Maggie -----Original Message----- From: Little Bird [mailto:littlebird3333@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 10:28 PM To: joni@smoe.org Subject: come to Canada /Re: We DO need a regime change... The air is cleaner The people are nicer Things are cheaper Plus... We have a maple leaf on our flag We have animals on our coins We have a Queen (not me) We have SARS...d'oh, never mind! And... Joni Mitchell was born here! Need I say more? So, come on up y'all! And bring your Yankee yachts! Canucks rule! Andrew __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM). http://calendar.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 11:46:37 -0400 From: AsharaProducLLC@aol.com Subject: Amandla (NJC) Stephen and I just saw an incredibly moving film about apartheid and the songs, music and dance that carried the black people throughout this horrendous time. I cannot even begin to tell you how much this film moved me. I started crying from the first 5 minutes into it, and continued throughout. It was SO well done, and SO powerful! To me, it validates so strongly what I have always known- the amazing power of music, song, and dance. I highly recommend this movie if it comes your way. Hugs, Ashara ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 12:14:15 -0400 From: AsharaJM@aol.com Subject: Re: come to Canada /Re: We DO need a regime change...(NJC) OK...... :-D Hugs, Ashara ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 17:27:59 +0100 From: colin Subject: france trip advice njc The only trips I ahev done have been 'road trips' where i drove and stopped where i wanted, or going to particular destination. this time we want to go to a place and stay there, more or less. We want to go to the French alps, to Chambery. From there we can reach Switzerland and Italy easily-not far. So i am not sure what to do. The trip to Chambery is 540 miles once we get across the channel. So I can either drive all day or do it n two. Lets say two. and two days back. i.e. 27 and 28 to get there and 5 and 6 to get back. so 7 days. It seems logical to me to book the hotel for 28/8 to 4/9 inclusive. We can use it as our base and visit all those places in easy reach. I have not really planned such a trip before. Does this sound okay to anyone? bw colin ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 17:31:35 +0100 From: colin Subject: learnign french njc has anyone used the software one can buy for learning a language(the basics)? are they any good? bw colin ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 11:42:43 -0600 From: twoshoes@sasktel.net Subject: rewriting Joni's songs Seriously, if these aren't collected and sent to Joni as a birthday gift this November, our J will be denied many, many laughs. I really don't think we should do that to her. She'd love these. Well, who wouldn't? Kate ~~ http://xoetc.antville.org Who does she think she is, Anaos Nin? ~~ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 12:57:39 -0500 From: "Donna Binkley" Subject: Re: rewriting Joni's songs - NJC Kate, I have been printing them out to put in a folder and bring to Jonifest. I tried to get them all and hope that I have. Guess i'll put it on the giveaway table. Donna >>> 6/5/2003 12:42:43 PM >>> Seriously, if these aren't collected and sent to Joni as a birthday gift this November, our J will be denied many, many laughs. I really don't think we should do that to her. She'd love these. Well, who wouldn't? Kate ~~ http://xoetc.antville.org Who does she think she is, Anaos Nin? ~~ This message has been scanned by the E250. This message has been scanned by the E250. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 13:59:38 -0700 From: Dawn Burns Subject: Re: NJC - We DO need a regime change... sorry jmdlers, about the njc notation - didn't notice it wasn't on original note...... >... she doesn't turn that same brand of logic on the left wing, which would be just as easy, which is why she is >suspect IMHO. If your really a critical thinker, you can tear both extreme wings of >the political spectrum to shreds. > no question - one can certainly take on both extremes - however her audience in this instance subscribes to the left, so it's not surprising that she didn't flip her logic for them. > >I think "irony" and "humor" are polite words for relentless sarcasm, which is >what she falls back on when she's lapsing into conspiracy theory. > relentless sarcasm isn't altogether the worse thing in the world, especially where bubba's actions are concerned. as for the idea of conspiracy theory, i can't address that point without knowing whether her research of political structures is objective or not. i'm not interested in arguing the definitions of conspiracy theory and its ties to extremism here on the joni list, although i don't think conspiracism is always impractical or irrational - i also didn't need a definition of the word idealogue - again, i have no problem accepting the fact that you reject roy's contention. >Probably most of the people who think like Roy will merely faction off left wing votes on far-fetched left wing candidates (Socialists, Greens, etc) and simply help Dubya get elected again. > looks like we may have to suffer through another 4 years of him with or without the "far-fetched" left wing element. peace, dawn ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 14:01:44 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: What If... this was great! so were the suessified joni songs! >Inspired by Smurf's Seuss parody, I cranked out one based on the premise that Ernest Lawrence Thayer (Casey At The Bat) wrote "The Last Time I Saw Richard":< www.katebennett.com "Lyrically, it's a work of art overall. Brilliant writing, absolutely." Indie-music.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 14:01:56 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: RE: [NortheastJonifest] Amandla (NJC) a friend of mine also highly highly recommended this film as incredibly inspiring...i hope it comes to our town... www.katebennett.com "Lyrically, it's a work of art overall. Brilliant writing, absolutely." Indie-music.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 14:01:59 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: Re: We DO need a regime change...NJC i just read the article (or was it a speech?)...anyway i'm suprised anyone would find this to be far left, or a conspiracy theory, etc...much of what she spoke of is common knowledge & factual...i am not sure why she would be expected to criticize the political left when the gist of her argument about democracy & the powerful influences that are eroding it... HELLO! 2 days ago the FCC passed a further deregulation of our media! who needs conspiracy theories when you can go right to the source of the ideology behind this administration? straight from the source: http://www.newamericancentury.org (& signed by members Jeb Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, I. Lewis Libby, and Elliot Abrams) all, btw, written prior to 9/11/01 & & prior to Bush's presidency: it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire transform US forces  to fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theatre wars" the processis likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event- like a new Pearl Harbor. to increase defense spending significantly "in time the art of warfare on air, land, and sea, will be vastly different than it is today, and combat will take place in new dimensions: in space, cyber-space, and perhaps the world of microbes. advanced forms of biological warfare that can target specific genotypes (that) may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror to a politically useful tool http://truthout.org/docs_03/051803H.shtml - >>Arundhati Roy just seems to be living in la-la land of far left wing conspiracy theories and isn't really going to do anything for anyone that will help people in a practical way.< www.katebennett.com "Lyrically, it's a work of art overall. Brilliant writing, absolutely." Indie-music.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 16:06:22 -0500 From: "Cynthia Vickery" Subject: jimmy & ed (NJC) happy anniversary!!!! many more years of happiest to you, you two sexy things!! i know i'm early, but i'll be leaving for new orleans bright and early tomorrow. hmmmm..... bet while i'm there, i could have a drink in your honor, couldn't i? ;oD cindy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 20:10:29 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: When is it time to quit? sjc I had an unusual live music experience last night. Anita O'Day was the headliner at Seattle's Jazz Alley for 2 nights and I was curious to see what kind of show she would put on. So I got my friends Melanie & Val who had accompanied Travis & I to the Gorge in 98 to see the Joni/Bob/Van concert to join me in a night on the town. We ate well prepared and spicy tavern food at the Two Bells Tavern, an establishment known in Seattle for its juicy burgers. Then we walked the few blocks, the weather being particularly fine, to Jazz Alley. I have several of Anita's cds, mostly from the 50s and early 60s. I knew she was still around and remembered reading something about her still performing. I also knew that she was getting up there in years. But having experienced the seemingly inexhaustible energy and still brilliant talent of Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross a couple of years ago, I had high hopes that Anita would be one of those singers like Alberta Hunter who managed to retain her vitality and vigor into her later years. Unfortunately, my hunch was not a good one. I just looked up Anita's date of birth on her web site. The woman is 83 years old. The show was prefaced by video footage from live performances projected on a large screen, some dating back to the 40s but mostly from the early 60s. These clips showed an animated and upbeat Anita at her peak. But last night she shuffled on stage, stood mostly with her back to the audience so she could look at music sheets on the piano and still couldn't get out about 2/3rds of the lyrics to the songs she sang. Her pitch was erratic and the notes she did hit she had trouble sustaining. During gaps she made feeble attempts to scat or motioned to the band to play over the muffed lyrics. The Bob Kaye trio did the best they could to support her, ably playing piano, bass and drum, giving her cues and trying to fill in wherever possible. But ultimately this ghost of a performance was painful to watch. During a break, after watching some more film clips that included some of her performance from the vintage Newport Jazz festival film 'Jazz on A Summer's Day', we decided to leave rather than watch the poor woman struggle through another handful of songs. The audience was very supportive of Anita. It was clear that most of those present recognized this woman's place in the pantheon of great jazz singers. The voice never had the clarity or range of Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan or touched quite the emotional depths that Billie Holiday did. Maybe that's why she never attained the same exalted position in jazz posterity that those women did. But when I listen to vintage Anita O'Day, I hear elements of each of those singers. Her singing was amazingly agile, jumping all over her range or scatting up and down with an ease that rivaled both Ella and Sarah. Sometimes you would hear echoes of Sassy's slide or, more often than not, she would hit each note in a vocal run with dead-on precision with no slide at all. I hear a brightness in her singing like Ella had but I also hear darker, richer tones and a way of bending the notes that is reminiscent of Sarah. And Anita's voice has a definite rasp to it, much like Lady Day's did. Not being a jazz expert, I get the impression that she really came into her own with the advent of bop. She could swing a song like nobody's business. Rhythm seems to be in her blood. Ultimately she created her own unique sound. I imagine that quite a few people that heard her last night were content to experience even the faintest echo of her genius. She was clearly one of a kind. So why does someone who was considered to be one of the top performers in her field keep trying to do it, long after the ability to perform has deserted her? Was last night an off night? Is she so driven by her love for the music to keep getting on that stage whether she is up to it or not? Or is she in dire financial straights and needs the money just to keep body and soul together? Suppose that, against all odds and laws of probability, 20 years from now Joni is still performing in small clubs. Suppose she has arthritis and can't play guitar or piano anymore. Suppose her voice has deteriorated to the point where she can't hit any of the notes anymore and her mental faculties are such that she can't remember most of her own lyrics. Would you go to see her? Would you still feel the old thrill of being in her presence and hearing her live? Would you be satisfied with memories of a genius at work projected onto something that could hardly even be called a performance? When should a performer hang it up and retire? I don't regret going last night. I bought a DVD of a 1963 performance in Tokyo that is only available at her gigs or through her website and also picked up a cd that Anita had signed earlier in the day. So if she does need the money, I'm glad I could help Anita out in a small way and it's certainly nice to have an autographed cd. I enjoyed the time spent with Mel & Val and I can say that I saw Anita O'Day, was in the same room with her. But I don't really feel like I can say that I saw her perform. I can't quite put the experience into perspective and would appreciate hearing anyone else's thoughts about it. I suppose if Anita really, really wants to keep on keeping on, she has earned the right to do so. What does anyone else think? How much slack does legendary status demand we cut a performer who, for whatever reason, does not deliver a competent performance? I would love to hear from some of the musicians on the list about this. Thanks for reading (if you've made it this far.) Mark E. in Seattle PS: I listened to the soundtrack of 'Short Cuts' on the way home. Does anyone else own this record? It seemed somehow appropriate as I was driving home. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 00:31:33 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: RE: When is it time to quit? njc mark, how sad! i love anita and i would have been devastated to see her (and HEAR her) in such decadence. birgit nilsson, one of the greatest sopranos of all time, retired when she was in her 60's. she could have gone on if she had wanted to: the audiences would always be there to cheer. however, in a press conference she said: "the time has come to confine my singing to the bathroom" and with that she retired. i think that one knows when it is time to quit. the hard thing is to have the heart, the humor and the humility. wally ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 01:13:33 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: 25 f*cking years today!!!!!!! njc the BF has graciously allowed me, despicable mortal though i am, to take the stand and declare: H A P P Y 25TH A N N I V E R S A R Y BEAUTIFUL JIMMY AND YUMMY WAIT-TILL-I-LAY-HANDS-ON-YOU ED!!!!!!!! how can they have been together for 25 years when they're both twentysomethings. are they surgically improved? is it the florida weather? vast quantities of orange juice every day? i want to look like them!!!!!!! or maybe just look like ONE of them and have the other. oh well... you two come to jonifest and make a bitter old queen happy, ya hear? WELL, COME ON, PEOPLE! the BF is tapping its pretty little foot impatiently and already asking for my head. do greet the sunny ones now! love, wally ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 00:41:45 -0400 From: "Lama, Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Shawn Colvin, in praise of. njc ALBUM: "STEADY ON" TRACK: "DEAD OF THE NIGHT" This track means the world to me. Like a piano solo I witnessed one night at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, like "Starship Trooper" by Yes, like Pat Metheny's guitar solo on the Shadows & Light version of "Amelia", like "Sweet Bird" in the "Come In From The Cold" video. Each of these songs gives me an inner ear sensation. It seems as if the artist is beyond the grave and is teleporting backwards into This life. They are Outside somehow. The visual image I get is that of an artist on the roof, describing the scene outside for those of us inside the Cave by telepathy. Some songs are better left as mysteries. I don't want to know if "Sweet Bird" is about a jar of Noxema or that "Starship Trooper" was inspired by a science fiction novel. They work for me because I don't understand them. They work because they capture the Wonder, like a lightening bug in a jar. Lama ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 22:32:25 -0700 From: Randy Remote Subject: Re: When is it time to quit? sjc Mark or Travis wrote: > So why does someone who was considered to be one of the top performers > in her field keep trying to do it, long after the ability to perform > has deserted her? Was last night an off night? Is she so driven by > her love for the music to keep getting on that stage whether she is up > to it or not? Or is she in dire financial straights and needs the > money just to keep body and soul together? Considering the way the record business was set up then, she probably made nothing from her recordings, had no savings or retirement plan, and has no other choice than to trade on her past to stay alive. That would be my guess, but maybe she just feels like she loves music so much, she wants to keep doing it. > Suppose that, against all odds and laws of probability, 20 years from > now Joni is still performing in small clubs. > Suppose she has > arthritis and can't play guitar or piano anymore. Apparently she has already given up both! > Suppose her voice > has deteriorated to the point where she can't hit any of the notes Dude, now you're really trying to get me into trouble. But to answer your question, yes, I would still go and see her. It might be a sad reminder of what she (and myself) used to be, but whatever, sorrow has been her forte anyway. But Joni will never be in a position where she has to do that for financial reasons. She could scale back her lifestyle and live on royalties, and presumably investments and savings. And age doesn't always mean a decline in musical abilities. Stephane Grappelli and Cab Calloway were still fantastic right up until their deaths in their 80's. > How much > slack does legendary status demand we cut a performer who, for > whatever reason, does not deliver a competent performance? I guess it's a case of diminishing returns. At some point, everyone in Seattle who wants to see her will, and if it's not cutting the mustard, they won't come back a second time. Still, it's impressive that she can get up there and do anything at 83, and it's good that you were able to lend her support. RR ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 02:02:05 -0400 From: ljirvin@jmdl.com Subject: Today's Library Links: June 6 On June 6 the following item was published: 1974: "Top 20: The Times, They Are A-Middlin'" - Rolling Stone (Review - Album, with photographs) http://www.jmdl.com/articles/view.cfm?id=298 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 02:02:05 -0400 From: ljirvin@jmdl.com Subject: Today in History: June 6 1986: Joni and Larry (along with Steve and Michele) were at the Forum in Inglewood, California to see U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and others perform at an Amnesty International benefit. - ---- For a comprehensive reference to Joni's appearances, consult Joni Mitchell ~ A Chronology of Appearances: http://www.jonimitchell.com/appearances.html ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2003 #314 ***************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she? 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