From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2005 #263 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org 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, July 1 2005 Volume 2005 : Number 263 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Joni stuff NJC-ish [Lucy Hone ] A "poet of a pianist..." [jrmco1@aol.com] Re: Early Coyote -- What a find!!! [The Boho Dance ] Re: Joni on CBC archives B&W film clip ["Michael Flaherty" ] Re: checking in (njc) [Lori Fye ] Re: Happy Birthday Jimmy! [jrmco1@aol.com] Re: checking in (NJC) ["Barbara L" ] Harry's House question ["Les Irvin" ] Re: Harry's House question [Bob Muller ] Re: checking in (NJC) [Michael Paz ] (njc) Solstice, Blue Transparency and the 3-H Club [littlebreen@comcast.n] Re: (njc) Solstice, Blue Transparency and the 3-H Club [jrmco1@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 08:25:05 +0100 From: Lucy Hone Subject: Re: Joni stuff NJC-ish See below re the exchange between Lori, Smurf and Julius Oh SMURF you have reminded me of all that was fab about 2003 (apart from meeting Frank). Thank you for making me laugh out loud this early in the morning. (I kn ow some of the other comments are from other Fests) but so many of them were from 2003. Sometimes I miss smoking so much........ Standing in the rain with you, under an umbrella, smoking, drinking and laughing so loud and hard my throat hurt, will always be something I hold dearly in my favourite memories book. God that was a good Fest. Please can the money fairy drop in on you so you can come to France. I am only going to be popping in for the last afternoon and evening but it would be good to see you there..... Love and good things to you and all the listers > > Julius wrote: > > >>>Gail walks into my home office this morning and >>> >>> >>goes "Holy sh**! It's >> >> >>>turning into a Jonifest in here!" >>> >>> > >And Lori asked: > > > >>And this is bad, why? >> >> > >It's "bad" because of everything that Julius neglected >to mention that happened to be going on at the home >office: > >Muller was breaking King Cobra bottles on the floor >while Paz and Steve P and Victor were leading a ganja >line >as Alison was marrying Epstein >and Lucy and I were smoking cigarettes >as Stryngs and their little drummer boy were wailing >away >while Jody pitched her tent >just as Jimmy's Ed ran around naked >and knocked over Kakki's martini >onto Hell who quickly froze over >as Mingus was Mingusing >as Catherine was Catherining >and Bree and Marianne hid painted rocks >while John cut the cheese again >as Walt played with his noodles >and while the Covers Frisbees were flying >Ashara was heard crying, "What was I thinking?" >and the Joni music played on and on >and on and on and on and on and on >in Julius's home office. > >Where were you, Lori? > >Didn't you get your welcome packet? > > >END OF LUCYS MAIL ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 07:06:34 -0400 From: jrmco1@aol.com Subject: A "poet of a pianist..." Congratulations, Fred! I'll be tuning in to your jazz signals here. (I hope I can pick them up loud and clear...) http://www.wnyc.org/music/articles/48002?sourceref=rss - -Julius ____ The Heart of Song: Renie Fleming with Fred Hersch Produced by WNYC Radio in collaboration with SchardtMEDIA Hosted by John Schaefer Renie Fleming (Andrew Eccles) Friday, June 17 at 2PM on 93.9 FM on Soundcheck Friday, July 1 at 3PM on 93.9 FM Sunday, July 3 at 6PM on 93.9 FM Monday, July 4 at 2PM on 93.9 FM on Soundcheck World-renowned opera soprano Renie Fleming has fulfilled a life-long dream: to return to her first love, Jazz. "The Heart of Song: Renie Fleming with Fred Hersch" features Fleming in a very personal and insightful conversation-and performing songs you wouldn't usually associate with the world's most beloved diva. Renie Fleming is a great jazz singer and you will hear it for yourself in this one hour special, hosted by WNYC's John Schaefer. ; Slideshow: Renie Fleming & Fred Hersch perform live on Soundcheck (photos by Christine Butler) In "The Heart of Song," we join Fleming in an intimate performance setting, accompanied by collaborator Fred Hersch on the piano, and performing an eclectic set of favorites. The hour includes music from Joni Mitchell's classic 1971 "Blue" release, to the standard "Love for Sale," and features exclusive archival performances from Fleming's earliest days as a young college student. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 14:32:37 +0300 From: The Boho Dance Subject: Re: Early Coyote -- What a find!!! An incredible discovery! I was late - anyone still having it? I' appreciate so much if someone could download it again. Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 09:52:21 "Kate Bennett" wrote: I am not able to download this...anyone else having problems? Solutions? >This week's MP3: Almost certainly the first ever public performance of "Coyote"! This was performed while Joni was traveling with the Rolling Thunder Revue in Augusta, Maine on November 26, 1975. Joni introduced the song by saying that she had written it "yesterday". Download it here: http://s14.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0TX88YUVCCH012L85WLBG7J3SM< ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 07:13:16 -0500 From: "Michael Flaherty" Subject: Re: Joni on CBC archives B&W film clip On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 15:06:40 -0700 (PDT) mags h wrote: > http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-580-3213/life_society/hippies/clip6 > > enjoy! > > Mags... My favorite part is when she says she writes "happy songs". That didn't last ... ;) Michael Flaherty ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 10:22:26 -0500 From: "Donna Binkley" Subject: Re: Happy Birthday Jimmy! Happy Birthday Jimmy! Wish I was there to give you a big ole smooch! Have a wonderful day, love ya, db >>> 6/29/2005 11:15:50 PM >>> A big "Hairy Bear" hug to Jimmy! May all your wishes come true when you make that blow today. OXOX Mingus&Rolls ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 11:19:07 -0400 From: Lori Fye Subject: Re: checking in (njc) Hey Barbara! Nice to see you here again. Toby Lightman still rocks. ; ) Lori ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 11:51:06 -0400 From: jrmco1@aol.com Subject: Re: Happy Birthday Jimmy! Happy Birthday, Dear Jimmy! I'd give you a big birthday kiss, but, um, well... Is Ed still working out? :-) Lifting a flute of Veuve Clicquot in your honor, dear friend. Hope you're making merry. - -Julius - -----Original Message----- From: Donna Binkley To: FMYFL@aol.com; MINGSDANCE@aol.com; joni@smoe.org; NortheastJonifest@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 10:22:26 -0500 Subject: Re: Happy Birthday Jimmy! Happy Birthday Jimmy! Wish I was there to give you a big ole smooch! Have a wonderful day, love ya, db >>> 6/29/2005 11:15:50 PM >>> A big "Hairy Bear" hug to Jimmy! May all your wishes come true when you make that blow today. OXOX Mingus&Rolls ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 17:02:14 +0000 From: "Barbara L" Subject: Re: checking in (NJC) you guys are the best! Thanks so much for welcoming me back to the nest. Bob wish I could go this year--just not in the cards :-( France will never be the same!!! ;-) Yes Lori, don't know what is happening with Toby Lightman, thought we would have heard more from her by now. Been listening to a lot of Joan Osborne's "How Sweet It Is" CD. Smurf and Paz I too am jonesing for a late nite hang with as Paz says '24 part harmony' so glad I posted -- thanks u guys, Love, Barbara ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:47:12 -0600 From: "Les Irvin" Subject: Harry's House question Can someone assist with Danilo's request? Make sure to copy the reply to his email address. - -----Original Message----- From: vaniglio@hotmail.com Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 12:07 PM hello everybody! i just need some information about Harry's House... being Italian i can't understand at all the spoken part between the last verse of centerpiece and the last one of harry's house... would you be so kind to please tell me what joni says? thank you kisses from italy danilo ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 15:58:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: Harry's House question Hello Danilo - here's what I hear Joni saying: (Talking to Harry on phone) "When will you be home, Harry?" (Yelling at a pet, or maybe a child) "Get down off of there!!" (Thinking out loud to herself) "I sure am sick of that sofa..." "When will you be home, Harry?" "I said GET DOWN OFF OF THERE!!" (Again, thinking out loud to herself) "Nothing's any good" (overlapping voices) "When will you be home, Harry?? - Nothin's any good" Then she starts singing..."shining hair & shining skin...." Hope that helps, Danilo - it's a great little melodramatic insertion. Bob, who thinks Italy rocks NP: "Harry's House" Les Irvin wrote: Can someone assist with Danilo's request? Make sure to copy the reply to his email address. - -----Original Message----- From: vaniglio@hotmail.com Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 12:07 PM hello everybody! i just need some information about Harry's House... being Italian i can't understand at all the spoken part between the last verse of centerpiece and the last one of harry's house... would you be so kind to please tell me what joni says? thank you kisses from italy danilo - --------------------------------- Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 22:14:20 -0500 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: checking in (NJC) Meet me in the pool room! > you guys are the best! > > Thanks so much for welcoming me back to the nest. > > Bob wish I could go this year--just not in the cards :-( France will > never be the same!!! ;-) > > Yes Lori, don't know what is happening with Toby Lightman, thought we would > have heard more from her by now. > > Been listening to a lot of Joan Osborne's "How Sweet It Is" CD. > > Smurf and Paz I too am jonesing for a late nite hang with as Paz says '24 > part harmony' > > so glad I posted -- thanks u guys, > Love, > Barbara ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 05:50:58 +0000 From: littlebreen@comcast.net Subject: (njc) Solstice, Blue Transparency and the 3-H Club Solstice, Blue Transparency and the 3-H Club [Severe content warning: this essay is looooong; those who disdain navel-gazing will probably want to skip it; and much of its may seem bleak, although I don't *feel* bleak. Even though there's fairly substantial Joni content, I put "njc" so at least the Joni-onlies would be spared slogging through it. I've been sitting on it for a couple of days, debating whether to put it on the list -- I don't want y'all to worry too much. But here it is. You are warned.] I always feel so cheated that solstice comes so early in the season Big hot days are defeated by autumns eventual treason Cold and dark and twisting snow are speeding toward us even near On the second longest day of the year --Patti Witten, Second Longest Day of the Year, from Land of Souvenirs www.PattiWitten.com There, Ive always wanted to start an essay with a quote from that, my most favorite song of Patti Wittens, all of whose songs are wonderful and whose albums you really should buy. A wise, mature melancholy suffuses many (if not all) of her lyrics, her chromatic melodies and complex chords are gorgeous -- all Joni-worthy, and I can sing no higher praise. The above may seem odd  why worry about the coming fall and winter so early in the season? Its not time to get the urge for going yet - but this is heartbreakingly revealed in the last verse (which I return to below). I hate the summer solstice. Ive been an insomniac since I was little, and long days just exacerbate it; and I hate summer heat, but I solved that problem by moving to San Francisco 15 years ago. I get irritated by tourists wandering the City (which, yes, is capitalized round these parts) this time of year and saying Its so cooooold! Cold, for chrissakes? Its 57? out  dont wear T-shirts and shorts like youre back home in Missouri or Illinois or whatever  wear jeans and a sweatshirt and stop complaining. Go to NAwlins next summer, where you can complain about the heat and the spiciness of the food. Sheesh. Theres another reason I hate this time of year, especially June 27th (this past Monday). What follows is going to seem implausible - and of course I know its coincidental -- but its all true. Many people (more men than women, perhaps) have trouble remembering dates. I have trouble forgetting them. In the wee hours of June 27th, 1987, my then lover Charles committed suicide. No getting around this, it was a mess  I was starting my summer job in a city 50 miles away two days later, and I was stuck with packing up his stuff and shipping it to Indiana, where he was from. I had to call people and tell them. And so on. And then I had to work. Thank god my boss and co-workers were close friends -- they were very supportive, as was my family. I got through it, first in a haze, and then, slowly, realized it wasnt my fault, and moved on - but of course I never forgot. When I met and started dating Chris shortly after I moved here in 1990, and he told me his birthday was June 27th, a soft sad bell tolled, but I didnt dwell on it, and I certainly didnt tell him. By his 30th birthday in 91 he was failing and he begged me not to abandon him - well, of course not - do people do that? I guess some do He had a lot of fight in him but he wasted away and passed in November. I didnt make much of the date at this point  I know some math, some probability theory, and I understood that if for some reason you remember dates, there will be overlaps. I was a little gun-shy about getting involved with another person, I tried to just date guys and not go further, but ultimately I am me, and I met Robert (no, not the one Im with now, the previous Robert). He was okay the first year, then started slipping early in 93 and was in the hospital for most of May and June and yes, he died in the wee hours of June 27th. When the phone rang just before dawn, I was expecting it. I managed to hold off getting officially involved with anyone for almost two years, but during those two years, I had met current Robert; we celebrate April 27th as our anniversary, but thats the anniversary of our meeting. We continued dating other people for the first year, but for the most part only saw each other. It was Robert, not I, who early in 95 suggested we make it official that we wouldnt date other people, and I said, okay, if you promise not to die. I was kidding, of course, we both had full-blown AIDS at the time but were both working full-time and didnt look bad, maybe felt a little tired For health reasons, I had to stop working in late June (yes) of 95, and Robert had to stop working a few months later. Still, neither of us was seriously ill. Another ex-lover committed suicide on the 4th of July, but hed been unhappy for years, and it wasnt much of a surprise; but it was sad anyway. Then in December 1995 I got diagnosed with cancer. I lost all my hair and got down to 155 pounds (Im 66), but somehow, I survived the chemo, and I thought, well, looks like I beat the odds; then came the pneumocyctis diagnosis and a whole bunch of lesser-known AIDS-related diagnoses all at once  this is how people with AIDS go, like old people, all the systems go at once -- and by May of 96 it wasnt looking too good. I remember this period of time rather oddly  theres a haziness to some aspects, fortunately, but at the time I felt transparent, like Joni in her Blue Period, but in more ways than one. I touched bottom at 140 pounds. When youre getting around in a wheelchair and look like death, you become invisible to a lot of people  Id never been that way, but Id never realized how many other people *are* that way. But I also felt a clarity about what was happening: I was probably going to die. I wasnt panicked; I just thought (for some reason) that it was important that I experience it fully and not deny it. I even kept my sense of humor. I thought of myself as being transparent *and* blue (the latter from lack of oxygen). Robert didnt handle it so well - he did panic  and he sort of left me for a little while, but then I didnt die, and then I got a little better, and better still, and Robert moved back in. I wasnt angry at him  I understood perfectly  and I was glad to have him back. Now its been over 11 years since we met, nine years since I was seriously ill; and now hes dying. There are no drugs left for him to take, he looks as skeletal as I did during what I thought was my last illness, and we had the big talk this past weekend. Robert got readdicted to cocaine this past fall. Hes always had a problem with it, long before I knew him, but I didnt realize it at first. He got off it for real in the late 90s (I had to throw him out for him to get the message), but whenever I left him alone here, for various trips East by myself, hed slip. But this past fall, it wasnt a slip, it was a headlong dive. He went through what little savings we had, he went through the credit cards, he went through the little windfall I was going to use to attend this Augusts Eurofest, and finally we bounced last months rent check. At least that got his attention. So now he doesnt have to sneak around, but he no longer has access to what had been our joint bank account; and so he has to ask me for an allowance, which is ridiculous, hes 45, but I told him that while I wouldnt leave him because of illness, I wouldnt let him destroy both of us, and he knew I meant it on both counts. Im feeling that blue transparency again, kind of vulnerable but alert, just like when Id been sick nine years ago. Roberts family is worthless, worse than worthless  his sisters tried (and failed) to remove him from his mothers life  his poor mom has advanced Alzheimers. He struggles to go to the retirement home on the other side of town at least once a week to visit her, even though she sometimes doesnt recognize him anymore. If hes up to it, he even pushes her around the neighborhood in her wheelchair. So Roberts got me and Im not going anywhere. We had to rush him to the ER twice in Mid-June, and I momentarily thought June 27th, here we go again But hes still here, at least til one or another infection finally takes him -- at which time I will become a mess, trust me -- but for now, I'm fine. He had a rare good day this past Tuesday, and I cancelled a lunch I had scheduled with pal Stephan so that Robert and I could go to Golden Gate Park  the Strybing Arboretum is our favorite place, we go there and feed the squirrels. We got groceries at a Safeway afterward, and Robert was going to cook dinner  used to be his job  I hate cooking, but lately Ive been the cook (god help us both)  but after hed started it, he started falling asleep on the couch and I took over before dinner could burn. People who can look, really look at painful and/or complex situations with clarity and then put their feelings into words as brilliantly as Joni and Patti do are a godsend to me at times like these. I met a friend of spirit He drank and womanized/(or: A drunk with sages eyes) And I sat before his sanity I was holding back from crying He saw my complications And he mirrored me back simplified And we laughed how our perfection Would always be denied "Heart and humor and humility" He said "Will lighten up your heavy load" I left him [then] for the refuge of the roads It takes cheerful resignation Heart and humility That's all it takes A cheerful person told me Nobody's harder on me than me How could they be And, nobody's harder on you than you [snip] I wish her heart I know these battles Deep in the dark When the spooks of memories rattle Ghosts of the future Phantoms of the past Rattle, rattle, rattle In the spoon and the glass Two versions of what I assume was the same meeting. Both are funny, as she tempers the seemingly wise advice with the fact that hes a drunk, hes cheerful by nature, or both  so hes got one of the Three Hs, humor, down already. Ive always been puzzled when people have told me that Joni always seemed so serious to them or more recently, that shes so bitter, when I think of her as having incredible perception  she is a realist -- but I also think of her as laughing most of the time, perhaps because Ive seen her and read her interviewed more often than the average joe. In Moon, Joni seems to be using the word heart in its sense of courage, but when I think of the Three Hs, I also include the sense of kindness. Spooks of memories, phantoms of the past and ghosts of the future rattling and rattling certainly contribute to my insomnia. My sense of humor keeps me sane  lest you think Id one big pile of steaming gloom, Ill share an Emily Latella moment with you  I recently got three Rufus Wainwright CDs in the mail. As often happens when I cant sleep and I dont want to bother Robert, I put the headphones on and hit play on whatever CD was last loaded on, in this case Want Two. I hadnt looked at the booklet much and when a song came on that seemed to be saying over and over again An old whore dying/gets me goin in the mornin I was mildly shocked  what did the protagonist have against old whores? Such a bouncy song, too! Well, when the sun came up I looked at the booklet, and thats when my Emily Latella moment came: Old Whores Diet. Oh. Thats odd. What does an old whore ea  oh. OHHHH!!! Thats very different. Never mind. Humility? Well, Im humbler than Mussolini, although anyone reading these pages may think Im a little prone to navel-gazing Here at last is the final verse of Patti Wittens Second longest Day of the Year: Back to town we turned around went looking for our friends To celebrate returnings and leavings and beginnings and the end Jim will tease us as he fights for breath and remind us why we are really here On the second longest day of the year - --Patti Witten, Second Longest Day of the Year, from Land of Souvenirs Oh, so thats why shes dwelling on the waning of the days so early in the season! (Another Emily Latella moment?) Well, now the days are getting shorter  maybe Ill get more sleep, but I doubt it  and at least I know why I am really here. Thanks for listening -- wish me heart, Love to all, Walt - -- Let the walls go tumbling down Falling on the ground And all the dogs go running free The wild and gentle dogs Kenneled in me ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 02:19:09 -0400 From: jrmco1@aol.com Subject: Re: (njc) Solstice, Blue Transparency and the 3-H Club Such sweet sorrow, Walt. Thank you. Beautifully written. I'm glad you don't feel bleak. After reading your essay, neither do I. More like, proud. I feel a certain positive momentum. And I can certainly use it. Thanks again for passing it on. - -Julius - -----Original Message----- From: littlebreen@comcast.net To: joni@smoe.org I always feel so cheated that solstice comes so early in the season Big hot days are defeated by autumns eventual treason Cold and dark and twisting snow are speeding toward us even near On the second longest day of the year --Patti Witten, Second Longest Day of the Year, from Land of Souvenirs www.PattiWitten.com There, Ive always wanted to start an essay with a quote from that, my most favorite song of Patti Wittens, all of whose songs are wonderful and whose albums you really should buy. A wise, mature melancholy suffuses many (if not all) of her lyrics, her chromatic melodies and complex chords are gorgeous -- all Joni-worthy, and I can sing no higher praise. ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2005 #263 ***************************** ------- 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? (http://www.siquomb.com/siquomb.cfm)