From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2007 #225 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 Website: http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Sunday, June 10 2007 Volume 2007 : Number 225 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- RE: It's Bo [Mark-Leon Thorne ] SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh) ["Kate Bennett" ] Re: Guitarists/bassists [PassScribe@aol.com] favorite guitarists, njc ["Laurent Olszer" ] Been gone a while (njc0 ["Sherelle Smith" ] Re: Guitarists/bassists NJC [Em ] NJC Three Little Fishies [Chuck Eisenhardt ] Re: Favorite Guitarists (NJC) [Motitan@aol.com] Re: NJC Favorite guitarists? [Wtking59@cs.com] My email...NJC [bluefortheroses@aol.com] yo bo, njc [LCStanley7@aol.com] best guitarist, njc [LCStanley7@aol.com] speaking of sgt pepper (sigh) njc ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] Stormy Weather? [Motitan@aol.com] RE: NJC Re: SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh)/now bassists too ["Richard Flynn" ] Re: Stormy Weather? ["Randy Remote" ] RE: Stormy Weather? ["Jim Kauffman" ] Re: Been gone a while (njc0 [Catherine McKay ] RE : Stormy Weather? - my own take (kinda long and with spoilers) [Joseph] Joni on Playreading on bbc World Service ["Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: RE: It's Bo Welcome back, Bo. You seem to think I am a new member but, we've chatted before. I've been on the list now for a couple of years but was on here soon after it started back in the 90s. The World Of Joni Mitchell was a vinyl release back in the early 70s that I've since found out was only released in Australia. Bob Muller tells me that it comes up quite frequently on eBay. Of course, these days, I have every track that was on that release but it was a lovely compilation. It had a dark green cover if I remember with the photograph from the back of STAS on the front. It struck me how lucky you were to have seen your grandmother's end in such coherence. How rare for your grandmother to be able to say those things to you before her passing. So many people's grandparents die through severe illness, dementia or just not even be there when they die. I'm grateful that my grandmother died peacefully in her sleep after working in her garden without sickness or pain. My only regret is that I wasn't there to say good bye. I have no regrets for her. She was an inspiration. Mark in Sydney ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 01:47:55 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh) What about Mark Knopfler & George Harrison! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 10:31:26 +0100 From: missblux@googlemail.com Subject: NJC Subject: RE: It's Bo Hey Bo, I am not sure I have seen your name before so you must have been gone a long time. What a nice post - and thank you for the congratulations! My name is Benedicte, but people have called me Bene, Benny in fact, since my school days. My mother who had chosen my name with great care and got very upset to hear it replaced by a boy's name, would tell my friends when they called that there was no Benny in this house. Out of respect, I tend not to introduce myself as Bene. Anyhow, I am a comparative linguist, and the title of my dissertation was - sorry, its long! - 'The left-headed compound agent-nouns of Latin, Romance, Germanic, Baltic and Slavic. A study of their origin, morphological make-up and geographical spread'. I was looking at words like pickpocket, killjoy, spoilsport, Shakespeare in those languages - all of them have words of a similar structure and they all refer to pickpockets and womanizers and misers and other people with despicable habits. It has been good fun and really interesting, but also horrible in some ways. I am happy with the result and happy it is over. I guess I had a Joni moment some time ago when Marion reported abut a review of the tribute bum that 'Joni Mitchell is an artist who can only do things her own way'. I'm the same... It makes life difficult but it also means that your results are your own. Enough from me though, I hope we will hear more from you. I have never read your posts in the past, but it's nice to have you back ... ;-) Best, Bene Off to spend the weekend in London, doing as little as possible.... - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 08:34:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Peep Richman Subject: RE: It's Bo Hi everyone! I'm alive. The past several months I was lost somewhere in time, somewhere in quicksand where the earth was pulling me down, somewhere that kept me from the solace Joni generously shares....and, when I read a few Digests, I wasn't able to click on joni@smoe.org....and I realized that I hardly knew anyone but I'm thrilled to know we have so many new family members. Ah.....I had the number 1 song on the day I was born but jotted it down and have characteristically lost the piece of paper...or notebook...who knows where the time goes...who knows where my things are? Sometimes it actually hurts to hear Joni. I feel a sharp bang of heart pain as I hear her pure tones, magnificent words that form lyrics that once seemed to be my only saving grace. I've been reading Joni's "Joni Mitchell: The Complete Poems and Lyrics", listening to my mind's ear full of tones and that incredible vocal instrument Joni shares so seemingly effortlessly. My grandmother died on Christmas morning. She was 104 and 4 months old. The last thing she said to me was, "I've always loved you, love you now and will love you always". That was the day I began to choose Joni-lyrics that described my feelings. I haven't been able to stop searching the poetic lines of Joni's lyrics. In silence she urged me back to living. I've always felt, and continue to feel that Joni saves my life. I have a friend who took two of Joni's little paintings that came with one of her Cd's and he was able to enlarge them so that I am seeing such incredible details. The framing of two enlargements of Joni's paintings are a joy-print on my wall. Do I have your name correct?....Bendicte????....many congratulations for the awesome amount of work to complete your dissertation!!!! Can you share the title with me? I want to say hello to everyone and tell all of you that I've missed you...the Digest family...sharing thoughts and posting mine. And with this posting I send to you my warm and sincere greetings...tell you how much I've missed all of my Digest pals and welcome to all of our new members. Mark, where can I find a copy of "The World of Joni Mitchell"? And a hearty welcome to you, Mark! I've planted a garden that I can see right outside the window next to my computer. Greens and yellows with purple and white blooms that are now gently calling for their morning watering with flower-notes of music. Love from Bo ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 20:04:57 +1000 From: Mark-Leon Thorne Subject: Words To Music Hi gang. I have a copy of the 2007 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame broadcast to send out to somebody in the Australia/South Pacific region. To be copied and offered up to the list again. Just so those of us down in this end of the planet gets a good chance at distribution. If there are no takers from this region, I will offer it up again to the Northern Hemisphere. If somebody in this region wants it but doesn't have the facilities to copy it, get in touch with me off list and I will make you a copy. Hell in New Zealand got the last copy. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish long term Joni-lister, Gary Z a wonderful year ahead and a happy belated birthday. He has been a good friend to me and deserves a smoother ride in life than what he has been dealt (excuse the mixed metaphor). Always in my thoughts Mr Zee. You may have seen in your local news that we are experiencing extreme weather conditions here on the east coast with flash floods, tragic deaths and evacuations of entire towns. A family was drowned and crushed when a major highway north of Sydney collapsed. The towns of Singleton, Raymond Terrace and Maitland are being evacuated right now. So far, the death toll is at 6 but that's not as bad as in Oman where the death toll from flash flooding is around 35. Take care out there. Mark in Sydney NP Mmm...Skyscraper, I Love You - Underworld ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 07:49:04 EDT From: PassScribe@aol.com Subject: Re: Guitarists/bassists > From: Em > Subject: Re: SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh)/now bassists too > > ps: who's you all's fave bassists? > speaking of Hot Tuna, I adore Jack Cassidy > also, Graham Maby (used to play with Joe Jackson on his first few > albums in the rockin days and now tours with Joan Baez) > Hey, EM, Maby STILL plays with Joe Jackson (been over 30 years). I saw them together at a Jackson show about a year or so ago in NYC. Kenny B ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 12:59:28 +0200 From: "Laurent Olszer" Subject: favorite guitarists, njc In addition to all the great ones which so many of you have listed, 2 don't seem to make the rounds of this list so they are IMHO: Kevin Eubanks John Mc Laughlin Laurent's 2 cents ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:37:46 +0000 From: "Sherelle Smith" Subject: Been gone a while (njc0 Hi Joni friends, I made a feeble attempt to catch up on digests a couple of weeks ago but I am still miserably overwhelmed. You are all like family so I thought I owed you an explanation as to my abscence. About a week after my wonderful trip to L.A. to see dear Kate and Kakki among other friends, I was still floating on a cloud. Then I came back to earth in a serious crash. I was robbed at gunpoint by two young hooded men. My purse was stolen. I have never had a gun pointed at me and was clueless to the fact that I was being robbed until it was produced and pointed at my knees. As the two took off running and were a safe enough distance away, I screamed for help (which fell on mostly deaf ears) and screamed after them "Just drop it! There's nothing in it! It's not worth it!" The police responded very, very quickly after I called and were very kind and helpful. Miraculously, a few hours later, I received a call from a woman who had found my purse by a fence a few miles away with my credit cards intact. My money, my mp3 player, and my cell phone were stolen though. A detective called to let me know that one outgoing call had been made and to wait a day to report the phone as stolen to give the robber a chance to make more mistakes. He only made the one call though. The detective came over a few days later and took the purse to test for prints. I never wanted to see that purse again anyway. I did keep my wallet though as a reminder of the miracle of it's return intact. Time went by and after I was told that the purse could produce no prints, I gave up on the main perpertrator with the gun ever being caught. Then a week and a half ago, the detective called back saying that he finally spoke to someone at the number called on my phone. It turns out it was the boy's 17 year girlfriend who he had a child by. He is 15 or 16 but is considered a bit of a thug. If I heard correctly his mother traffics drugs in D.C.The detective said he is not one to easily give up so he will keep me posted. There are apparently now bigger fish to fry. I had mixed emotions about hearing from the detective. Part of me wanted to just move on and put the incident behind me. Part of me was happy that there may be some justice in this person being apprehended. Either way, it left me picking up the pieces of my life. I talked with a counselor with the city's crime task force who assessed how I was doing emotionally a few days after the ordeal. She was very nice and said that as long as I was eating, sleeping and able to talk about it in some way, I was on the right track. She said that it is natural to be freaked out about this and to feel that my world was crazy. Very accurate descriptions on both counts! Unfortunately, there are no free programs for victim assistance so I've been trying to do the best I can to cope. I'm thinking about joining an online support group. I am determined not to remain a victim but flashbacks are a bit troubling right now. I am thankful though that no shots were fired. It could have been much worse. That weekend we had five separate teen related shootings (murders) in the area and this past week, five more. Which brings to why I haven't beenwith you for a while. Though I am trying my very best to move forward with my music, this has thrown me for a serious loop. I know everything happens for a reason and one day, I will understand this as well. I live in a very nice area right beside a business park, a major hotel and the national headquarters for the American Diabetes Association. This was a random act of violence as they were just passing through the back way of my apartment complex to the bus stop on the next street. I saw them pass by and made eye contact. Then a neighbor I saw a lot passed by and said good morning. I thought everything was okay and suddenly, there he was. I had no idea they turned back around and came back. That same neighbor came running from the other side of the next apartment building when he heard my screams and took chase after them but they were already too far ahead. God love him for trying and risking his own life. So, I've finally gotten the courage to tell you and let you know that I haven't meant to stay away, it's just been hard to focus lately. Thank you Patti for including me privately on your posts. It was what I needed to get kick-started again. The strangest thing I've discovered is how many other dear friends have gone through this. I was quite surprised. It's a very well kept secret and now I understand why many keep their silence. No one wants to relive those kinds of events. I am speaking out because I wasn't a bad person who deserved this assault. Believe it or not, you blame yourself a lot. No, this was someone who made a choice to do assault someone else, to not think of life as precious. This was a young person with no respect for them self or for others. I am trying to remember that. Love, Sherelle _________________________________________________________________ Make every IM count. Download Messenger and join the im Initiative now. Its free. http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=TAGHM_June07 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 06:44:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Em Subject: Re: Guitarists/bassists NJC - --- PassScribe@aol.com wrote: > Hey, EM, > Maby STILL plays with Joe Jackson (been over 30 years). I saw > them > together at a Jackson show about a year or so ago in NYC. Hi Kenny, I had no idea! I would love to see that show. Does that mean Joe is doing any rock stuff anymore these days? I think I'd learned that after a while his health was not good, and he went through some stuff but then was doing some sort of jazz/jump kind of stuff (sort of Louis Jordan type stuff), but I didn't know if Graham was still with his band. I will have to check out Mr Joe Jackson - see what he's up to. So how did Graham's playing strike you? I remember *noticing* it and being entranced with it, way back when. Trying to follow it, etc. I guess that's what the best bassists do for me, they make me want to pay attention to them, without detracting from the main thrust of the piece. So to me its not so much they are playing "lead" bass, so much as singing some really fascinating, viney descant, that intertwines in some very attractive way. Noel Redding was another one that made me listen to him....no small feat when Jimi Hendrix is the front man! :) Em PS, lol, now I'm having the urge to load my "Look Sharp" CD onto my puter so I can hear it on my stereo. And "I'm the Man". ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:00:29 -0400 From: Chuck Eisenhardt Subject: NJC Three Little Fishies I actually have the sheet music to this song! (.....and they swam, and they swam, right over the dam!...) boop. boop! ChuckE ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:18:08 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Re: Favorite Guitarists (NJC) In a message dated 6/9/2007 2:40:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time, flopit@telkomsa.net writes: frank zappa - --------------------------------- I won't deny Zappa does play a good guitar but I don't like his music at all. And even more so, from what I have seen of him (things I have come across that I have read with him), I don't like him personally. I was made more aware of this when I took a class called "Survey of Rock & Roll" in my freshman year of college. I could tell the teacher was a fan and therefore made us watch some DVD or another of a Zappa concert/film (it had both performances and interviews). Whenever he talked he really, really irritated me. I guess I didn't like his overall attitude or demeanor I suppose. But I won't lie, when he did strap on a guitar, he let go. - -Mon ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:19:58 EDT From: Wtking59@cs.com Subject: Re: NJC Favorite guitarists? Billy Zoom (from X) !!!!!!!!!!!!!! His best solo? Probably the scorching break in "Breathless." XXXOOO, Billy (NOT Zoom) ;-) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 11:27:58 -0400 From: bluefortheroses@aol.com Subject: My email...NJC Can one of the moderators please suspend my email on this list for the next three weeks?B I am going to Europe and will not be able to answer my emails....Thank you!B Rick - -----Original Message----- From: Em To: Kate Bennett ; joni@smoe.org Sent: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 3:20 pm Subject: Re: speaking of sgt pepper (sigh) njc interesting to read that re: the thread @ bassists. Wonder why I didn't hink of Paul before? Gonna listen to some now. m - -- Kate Bennett wrote: > Nice article here- http://www.riprense.com/sgtpepper.htm tand, don't you know that you are free? ell at least in your mind, if you want to be... ..Sly ree your mind and the rest will follow.. .En Vogue ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:27:27 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: yo bo, njc Glad you are back! Way cool your grandmother was 104 and 4mos! Keep posting. Love, Laura ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:34:28 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: best guitarist, njc JOSE FELICIANO without a doubt ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 11:53:50 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: speaking of sgt pepper (sigh) njc Thanks for the link, Kate. When I started buying records, Abbey Road was already in the rearview mirror. Although I was aware of Sgt Pepper's reputation (in Rolling Stone) before I bought it, I made up my own mind. Sgt Pepper is on my desert island list. It's what I call "pop music as literature". Like so many other fans, I think McCartney & Martin made some exceptional stuff. All the best, Jim L. http://www.riprense.com/sgtpepper.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:01:18 -0400 From: "Marianne Rizzo" Subject: It's Bo, njc Bo's back! lOve to you Bo. XO Marianne From: Peep Richman Subject: RE: It's Bo Hi everyone! I'm alive. The past several months I was lost somewhere in time, somewhere in quicksand where the earth was pulling me down, somewhere that kept me from the solace Joni generously shares....and, when I read a few Digests, I wasn't able to click on joni@smoe.org....and I realized that I hardly knew anyone but I'm thrilled to know we have so many new family members. Ah.....I had the number 1 song on the day I was born but jotted it down and have characteristically lost the piece of paper...or notebook...who knows where the time goes...who knows where my things are? . . . . . . . _________________________________________________________________ Need a break? Find your escape route with Live Search Maps. http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?ss=Restaurants~Hotels~Amusement%20Park&cp=33.832922~-117.915659&style=r&lvl=13&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=1118863&encType=1&FORM=MGAC01 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 12:24:30 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Stormy Weather? My brother went to one of his friend's houses and saw she owned a cd called "Stormy Weather" with a tracklisting of different female recording artists. Of course, Joni's "Stormy Weather" was on it as well as something by Paula Cole, Gwen Stefani (I hate her...I nearly had a heart attack when my brother said she was on the same cd with Joni), etc. He said he was going to borrow it for me but thought he'd ask me if I had the track (which I don't but know the title). So what is this cd all about? When did it come out? I'm going to look it up on Amazon in a bit here but I always like an insider's view better! What's the scoop? - -Monika ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 12:41:22 -0400 From: "Richard Flynn" Subject: RE: NJC Re: SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh)/now bassists too The late Rick Danko was a remarkably versatile bassist. By the way, Bob--I think that Wilco album is fab! - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Bob Muller Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 9:38 AM To: Em Cc: JMDL Subject: NJC Re: SJC Favorite guitarists? (very long sheesh)/now bassists too That would be Flea, Em. And if you're talking about bassists, ya gotta mention Jaco. Bob NP: Wilco, "Sky Blue Sky" - --------------------------------- Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 10:44:44 -0700 From: "Randy Remote" Subject: Re: Been gone a while (njc0 Dear Sherelle- I am so sorry to hear this has happened to you. You are the sweetest, and the last to deserve something like this. I am very grateful that you were not injured, and that we can all look forward to hearing your sweet singing in the future. Don't let the bastards get you down. RR ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 10:56:23 -0700 From: "Randy Remote" Subject: Re: Stormy Weather? It was a promo CD for the phone company or something. It was a live recording of various singers with orchestra for a benefit show for Don Henley's 'save Walden Woods' project, and apparently whetted Joni's appetite for an orchestral backing band... RR - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 9:24 AM Subject: Stormy Weather? > My brother went to one of his friend's houses and saw she owned a cd > called > "Stormy Weather" with a tracklisting of different female recording > artists. > Of course, Joni's "Stormy Weather" was on it as well as something by > Paula > Cole, Gwen Stefani (I hate her...I nearly had a heart attack when my > brother > said she was on the same cd with Joni), etc. He said he was going to > borrow it > for me but thought he'd ask me if I had the track (which I don't but know > the title). > So what is this cd all about? When did it come out? I'm going to > look > it up on Amazon in a bit here but I always like an insider's view better! > What's the scoop? > -Monika > > > > ************************************** See what's free at > http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 19:18:01 -0400 From: "Jim Kauffman" Subject: RE: Stormy Weather? Monica, Just in case you're not familiar with the song, this is one of the major classics in both the jazz and pop worlds. The most popular version is by Lena Horne, who sang it in the 30's movie of the same name (well worth watching, by the way). As a jazz singer, you have to be able to sing a credible version of "Stormy Weather", "My Funny Valentine", and a couple of dozen others that are absolute classics. - -Jim > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of > Motitan@aol.com > Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 12:25 PM > To: joni@smoe.org > Subject: Stormy Weather? > > My brother went to one of his friend's houses and saw she owned a cd > called > "Stormy Weather" with a tracklisting of different female recording > artists. > Of course, Joni's "Stormy Weather" was on it as well as something by > Paula > Cole, Gwen Stefani (I hate her...I nearly had a heart attack when my > brother > said she was on the same cd with Joni), etc. He said he was going to > borrow it > for me but thought he'd ask me if I had the track (which I don't but know > the title). > So what is this cd all about? When did it come out? I'm going to > look > it up on Amazon in a bit here but I always like an insider's view better! > What's the scoop? > -Monika ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 20:13:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: Been gone a while (njc0 - --- Sherelle Smith wrote: > Hi Joni friends, > > I made a feeble attempt to catch up on digests a > couple of weeks ago but I > am still miserably overwhelmed. You are all like > family so I thought I owed > you an explanation as to my abscence. > Oh, my Lord, Sherelle - what a horrible experience. I got goosebumps reading your story and there were tears in my eyes. I've had my house broken into once and that was bad enough. I can only imagine how scary that must have been. BUT, I am SO glad that YOU are well and unhurt. I hope your family and friends are close by to comfort you. Courage, my love. You have people who love you and care about you. Catherine Toronto ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2007 03:33:46 +0200 (CEST) From: Joseph Palis Subject: RE : Stormy Weather? - my own take (kinda long and with spoilers) I have that album, too. It was produced by Don Henley for the Walden Woods Project in 1998. Vince Mendoza conducted the orchestra and arranged the songs. I am not sure if this was the encounter that later made Joni decide to come up with an orchestral album with Vince. Here's the track listing and some unsolicited comments: (1) Gwen Steafni - Almost Blue It was a nice jazz-noir LA-type of intro with Gwen singing Elvis Costello's song. Her voice may not sound particualrly idiomatic for this type of arrangement but she acquitted herself pretty well. Or at least says me. She located the longing of the song and the faux ache in her voice worked well in the whole proceedings. A nice intro if there is one. Not a fan of Gwen Stefani myself but I give props when a performance is a good performance no matter who sings it. (2) Paula Cole - You've Changed Arguably the best performance of the night. Paula's feral wail was in sync with the Bill Carey's composition. And the consistency of her voice despite the different key changes made me wish she should devote an album of standards that has this type of repertoire. She reminds you of the way Lee Wiley and Irene Kral marries the haunting melody with the heartbreaking lyrics very effectively. One of the three vocal highlights in the album. (3) Shawn Colvin - But Beautiful Just like Stefani, I thought Colvin's sweet and cozy voice is not a fit for James Van Heusen's song, but she did a faithful rendition of the song and showed a side of her she has not shown much to her fans -- a nice tremolo in her voice. I must admit that her first notes were a bit nervous and tentative, but her unhurried style seems to savor the lyrics as she discovers them. I have not heard her sing a standard before but after hearing this, my fan-ship for her grew even more. (4) Trisha Yearwood - Good Guy I am always of the opinion that country singers and theater singers have some of the best voices in the business. Trisha's voice has this lovely upper range that has been used effectively in the past in songs as different as "How Do I Live" to Bernstein's "I Have A Love". And the song she opted to sing for this album sits perfectly with her voice's fach with its floated high notes and sudden key changes. Trisha sold the song for me but I wished she sang something like "Two For The Road" or "My Funny Valentine" which would no doubt bring out the best qualities of her voice. (5) Sandra Bernhard - Is That All There Is? Sandra Bernhard was one of the surprise performers (for me at least) in this recording although I am aware that she can sing (I even own one of her albums called "Excuses For Bad Behavior, Pt. 1"). But in this song made famous by Peggy Lee, Sandra's persona and celebrity-status came wonderfully together to create a song/speech patter hat would rival some of the best cabaret performances out there. Maybe because she is an actress too, she brought out the irony of the song that had the audience under her spell. But the one thing that impressed me was her effortless ability to sing a high note in a sudden surge of sound that totally blew me away. I consider this the second highlight of the evening. (6) Sheryl Crow - Good Morning Heartache So many singers have sung this song putting their individual stamps on it that I was expecting Sheryl to wow me. Having heard her sing in tribute albums that had her perform "Solitaire", "One Less Bell to Answer", etc. I was ready for her. But the odd thing is, I was left cold by her performance. It was not a terrible performance nor was it a memorable one, but she somehow sang the song faithfully without even a whiff of attitude or a brief segue to her own style of singing. It was a song. She sang it. End of story. The disappointment I felt was akin to hearing Nellie McKay's spiritless version of "Chelsea Morning" at the Joni Tribute last year in NYC. Crow should have sung something like "Come To The Supermarket in Old Peking" to fully capitalize on her ability to sing gritty yet fun. None of that here. (7) Natalie Cole - They Can't Take That Away From Me With the great applause greeting Cole before she even sang the first bar of this Gershwin tune, made me smile (I like spontaneous applause in live albums). Cole could have killed this song having sung that song with Frank Sinatra in his own Duets album, plus the fact that Cole has been releasing standards albums at this point in her career. But it was not enough to move me. I don't know why. It was sung as though in a recording but there was no 'awk', did not elicit chills from me, nor did she change time signatures to show how familiar she is with this type of repertoire. Nada. I was thinking maybe she should have sung something like "The Very Thought of You" or "Lover, Come Back To Me", or maybe even "Downtown Train". (8) Stevie Nicks - At Last I must admit I am one of the few people who don't care for this song at all. It has an odd meter and I just thought the song's progression is unexciting, but boy did Stevie Nicks sang her heart out for this. Sounding like a more wounded Etta James with a touch of Helen Humes and later-period Sylvia Syms, Stevie poured all her emotions this song demands from singers. I actually liked the song because it sounded better on her voice and, may I say, tessitura. Beautiful rendition, hands down. (9) Bjork - Gloomy Sunday They say that no one should sing this song that was trademarked by Billie Holiday because comparisons are inevitable (but then check out Sinead O'Connor's version of this from her own "Am I Not Your Girl" album and see how this song can be approached differently with the same gravitas as Billie). But did Bjork eclipsed both versions in my estimation. I know this may sound sacrilegious and iconoclastic but Bjork gave me mega chills with her version of this song. Much like her Selma character in "Dancer in the Dark", Bjork has this elfin quality taht sounds so ethereal, so much like air really. Like some truly truly cathartic feeling I experienced in my lifetime -- those were things that were evoked by her singular and quietly spectacular performance. Although (or maybe because) she is an acquired taste, those shifting sands of experiences she conjured while singing this song made me almost believe that the song came about because of the innate breathy helplessness of her voice that located the heart and soul of the song as I imagined it. Definitely the third highlight of the night. While vocally Yearwood topped everyone, Bjork is the emotional center of the whole proceedings. The applause given her by the audience -- near the end of the song when she gasped her last note -- made my hair stand as I vicariously imagine what the audience witnessed when they saw this performance. (10) Joni Mitchell - Stormy Weather While to my ears, the applause for Cole is for her celebrityhood, and for Bjork as a bonechilling resposne to an unbelievable performance, the applause given to Joni is one reserved for an icon of eternal staying power -- or at least that is how it sounded to my ears. It was almost deafening and Vince Mendoza's dense orchestrations made sense because it created a semblance of atmospheric calamity. Plus I think it is a savvy programming to have someone of Joni's caliber to sing the last song as the night's grande dame. She started with a rather shaky "Don't know why...." then eased into the song's tale of a lost love. The deep contralto that Joni has become by this period truly fleshed out the song's sadcore quality. Not one to sing a song straight, Joni took liberties in some passages that at first made you fear she will not execute them successfully as she was going for the bluesy high notes using I think, her mid-range but the song became richer by those improvisations. A strong performance indeed and a nice way to end the evening's program. In other words, go get this CD when you can. It has its little rewards and some of the songs may well speak to you in ways they did not for me. Joseph in Chapel Hill np: Au Revoir Simone - Fallen Snow Motitan@aol.com a icrit : My brother went to one of his friend's houses and saw she owned a cd called "Stormy Weather" with a tracklisting of different female recording artists. Of course, Joni's "Stormy Weather" was on it as well as something by Paula Cole, Gwen Stefani (I hate her...I nearly had a heart attack when my brother said she was on the same cd with Joni), etc. He said he was going to borrow it for me but thought he'd ask me if I had the track (which I don't but know the title). So what is this cd all about? When did it come out? I'm going to look it up on Amazon in a bit here but I always like an insider's view better! What's the scoop? - -Monika ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. - --------------------------------- Nouveau Yahoo! Mail : Messenger intigri et stockage illimiti - Essayez le ! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2007 02:18:20 +0100 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Joni on Playreading on bbc World Service Chelsea Morning is part of the play '20 Cigarettes' that's playing at the moment. Joy. - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2007 22:35:46 EDT From: Dflahm@aol.com Subject: Re: RE : Stormy Weather? - my own take (kinda long and with spoilers) Can you supply an intelligible, usable, communicable definition of "tessitura?" I'd be grateful (THIS IS NOT A JOKE) ****************************************************************************** ****** "Gloomy Sunday" was given magnificent nightly readings, for a week or two, by Ruth Brown (with Don Pullen on organ!) at the Village Gate in NYC about 1974. DAVID LAHM ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2007 #225 ***************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------