From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2007 #396 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 Monday, October 1 2007 Volume 2007 : Number 396 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: If, and all the 'adaptations' NJC [jeannie ] Re: MEMO, njc [LCStanley7@aol.com] JM audi-video-fotos ["Barbara Stewart" ] Re: njc, After the rush: new books [Motitan@aol.com] Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 [Victor Johnson ] Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 [Victor Johnson ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:48:07 -0700 (PDT) From: jeannie Subject: Re: If, and all the 'adaptations' NJC Herbie Hancock's album and Frida Kahlo's letters will have to wait until Monday. I have to go water the lawn instead and open the curtains to let what's left of today's sun shine in. It got stifling in here. Time for some fresh air..I'm going outside to get some air... *Correction for Aleda* before I get accused of chopping up Hayden Herrera's name: I meant to say: Aleda, I'm sorry to have to say that you are incorrectly spelling Hayden Herrera's last name. I'm very surprised by any mistake made by you. It's not Herrara like you are spelling it, it's Herrera. I made a mistake down below when I did not delete the 's after Herrera's name. It should read Herrera and not Herrera's. Sorry and Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, too... jeannie wrote: Peace and More Peace, please!Herbie's PS: And Hayden's last name is Herrera's, not Herrara, just to keep everything exact, perfect and precise like you like it, okay? My book was reprinted in Perennial 2002. I quit now, Aleda. You're absolutely right and much to intelligent and I gotta go and not respond to this thread anymore, besides, I do stay clear from those who leech the light out of any room and who wilt the grass they walk on. PS2: You wanna discuss Carlos Santana, maybe? Later, possibly? ;) We may find some common ground where the grass don't wilt because it's astroturf and the light is just a fixture on the ceiling, that's all! I'm late over Yeats, again and again. ajfashion@att.net wrote: -------------- Original message from jeannie : -------------- [several snips] > You don't get me, Aleda. I'm looking beyond all old rules of an ancient game. > > Maybe one day you'll hear clear-headedly beyond all the cheapening sounds you > hear through Kipling's fifth rate sappiness, or through Ayn Rand's pathology, or > Joni's STB, and all of the negative things you hear through my cheapening > stupidities, I imagine, being the poetic critic you are and the dwelling in it > that comes with the critic's package deal. ??????? I have no idea what you're saying in the paragraph above. One day I'll "hear clear-headedly beyond all the cheapening sounds [I] hear through Kipling fifth-rate sappiness". . . . This sentence is incomprehensible. Let me say one thing though: I am not a poetic critic. I am not a "justafiable" [???] critic. Or a poetry critic. Or a critic of poetry. Or a critic of anything. I am merely a human being who likes to think about things deeply, and to try to express those thoughts as clearly and articulately as I can. > > If I could think like you, the justafiable critic, I could also learn how to > listen to Joni in a sleezy like style as she destructs Slouching Towards > Bethlehem in disgust. "Sleezy?" "Sleazy?" Are you suggesting that because I don't like that song that I am listening to it in a sleazy style? That makes no sense. Does not liking a work of art mean one is perceiving it in a sleasy like style? What _is_ a sleazy like style? > > But, I can't Aleda. I can't help but love the way Joni sings that song. That's fine. I don't have any problem with anyone liking that song. I don't have any problem with anyone liking any Joni Mitchell song. Why do you have a problem with my not liking it? > And, maybe you can use a signature stating your disapproval with Joni's > meddling into Yeats' masterpiece and destroying it, and that way you know your > Yeats stands clearly separated from Joni causing the poem any more harm and you > won't have to dwell in defense of your mean ol' daddy, W.B. Yeats any longer. Look, the subject comes up on the list and I respond to it. It's by no means the center of my life. Neither is Yeats or Mitchell for that matter. (And I don't "do" sigs.) > > You were reading Ayn Rand at thirteen? > I can't imagine any 13 year old kid interested in Ayn Rand. > Now, that sounds strange. > I'm interested to know why you find Ayn Rand pathological and as of when into > her studies and after what work of hers you were exposed to, made you come to > the conclusion of a pathological Ayn Rand. I first read Anthem, then We the Living, then The Fountainhead, then Atlas Shrugged. Then her nonfiction books (The Virtue of Selfishness and others whose titles have, mercifully, been lost to the mists of time.) I also read Anna Karenina when I was thirteen. And Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar and I tried to read Hamlet. I also read Nancy Drew. What can I say?--I was a kid who liked to read. This is neither the time nor the place to go into why I think Rand is pathological. You might want to check into the memoirs of Nathaniel Branden and Barbara Branden if you're interested in this topic. I'm not exactly going out on a limb in this conclusion; Rand was, as it were, pretty bent in many, many ways. Not sure why it's important to you, but as I recall I came to the conclusion Rand's philosophy was 'disturbing' by the time I was 16. Details of her personal life only came to light much later (thus my from-a-distance diagnosis of her pathology). > > And now, how did, "poor Frida" get into my post? > I put her there, Aleda! > That is how la pobresita de Frida got there. > > Three decades with Frida and three with Joni, too? > Now that sounds cool! > > The book you mentioned, 'Frida-A Biography of Frida Kahlo' by Hayden Herrera > is far from my favorite reference. And, a couple nights ago, even my son > mentioned the tackiness of the book cover with Salma Hayak's picture on it and > not Frida's. That a major turn-off though I can appreciate Hayden Herrera's > total immersion into Frida's world and the time it took for her her to research > so many, many minor details that makes the book feel not all that inviting. My copy of this book is copyrighted in 1983, so it came out before (what I like to call) the Madonna-ization of Kahlo. There's a Kahlo self-portrait on the cover of mine. I'm sure Herrara's publisher decided to cash in on the people whose first exposure to Kahlo was from the Julie Taymor film. So don't blame Herrara for the Salma Hayak picture. Herrara's is, for now, the definitive biography of Kahlo. I'm sure as time goes by there will be others. I, too, have many other books on Kahlo, including a cookbook! I guess what I find bewildering is how a couple of people who post on this list display what comes off as a rather anti- intellectual stand. When I love an artist (whether it be Joni Mitchell or Frida Kahlo or Dante--whom I'm currently immersed in), I like to find out as much I can about that person and his or her work. I like to be exposed to opinions that are in concert with mine and opinions that are not-- because that's how I learn. I am incredibly ignorant about some of the finer points of music--the use of instruments, the more complex aspects of Mitchell's compositions and arrangements--and yet I'm thrilled to read posts on the list by people who know about these things, especially those by musicians or music critics. Those posts widen and enrich my appreciation of Mitchell. If someone wrote about the use of piano, as opposed to guitar, in a Mitchell song I loved, I certainly wouldn't take that person to the woodshed for sharing sophisticated musical knowledge about a song I'm crazy about. I'd be--and have been--grateful to learn something. Aleda - --------------------------------- Catch up on fall's hot new shows on Yahoo! TV. Watch previews, get listings, and more! - --------------------------------- Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:13:51 +0000 From: ajfashion@att.net Subject: Re: MEMO, njc - -------------- Original message from LCStanley7@aol.com: -------------- > MEMO > > No booing Joni on the list. > No using the remote to kill sacred cows. > All must wear pleated skirt, especially if their name is Bob and they > are from Boston. > The inner circle password chorus must be chanted before skinny dipping > at the Full Moon. > You must love to dance to be here. > > The Mismanagement Thanks Laura! Please keep them coming, because apparently I've missed quite a few. What do I have to do to learn the inner circle password? (And please don't say listen to "Slouching Toward Bethlehem" a dozen times in a row.) xxxx Aleda ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:27:55 -0700 (PDT) From: David Sapp Subject: Re: was Bjork's boho dance now Herbie's missing Case I received my Herbie along with Shine of course through Amazon and ACOY is definitely on my CD and is also listed on the website as an Amazon exclusive. So go figure. I am loving Shine but I'm really speechless until I feel I have something more intelligent to say about it. Suffice it to say some of it was immediately accessible and some of the other tunes pose more of a challenge... but that's a discussion for another time... signing off for now, Peace, David - --------------------------------- Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:54:10 -0700 From: "William Elliott" Subject: Favorite Shine Lyrics The question: Is there a phrase in SHINE that particularly jumps out and grooves you? I like the dazzling darkness restoring us in deep sleep and what we throw away and keep, which is a great segue to Rev. Pearson discarding the heaven/hell scam which has empowered Christianity, in particular, for eons. Similar to John Murray and Thomas Potter, who introduced the idea of Christian Universalism to America in the 18th century, espousing the ideas that God is not the thunderbolt-hurling task-master but a loving force and hell/heaven are human constructs. These were pretty radical (even dangerous) ideas to introduce in a Puritan era. This idea is also referenced in If I Had A Heart...I like the verbal, visual, aural reference to Dickens, Rembrandt, and Beethoven coupled with the smell of sod. JM should be made an honorary Unitarian Universalist. Click for free info on rehab treatments for drug & alcohol dependency.

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Unlimited Email Storage – POP3 – Calendar – SMS – Translator – Much More! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:06:05 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: Re: MEMO, njc In a message dated 9/30/07 5:14:03 PM, ajfashion@att.net writes: > > What do I have to do to learn the inner circle password? > (And please don't say listen to "Slouching Toward Bethlehem" > a dozen times in a row.) > > Play it backwards and look at yourself in the mirror. It will appear above your head. ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:28:35 -0400 From: "Barbara Stewart" Subject: JM audi-video-fotos This banner ad for Shine on The Nation webstie has an interview w/Joni.. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?pid=237751 Hope it's still there when you click in... B from : Barbara L.Stewart, MLS Library - Sesame Workshop 1 Lincoln Plaza, 4th fl, NYC, NY 10023 USA tel: 212-875-6393 fax: 212-875-7309 barbara.stewart@sesameworkshop.org "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." - ML King ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:46:56 -0400 From: lmontelione@netscape.net Subject: Green Flag Song Hi Everyone, I've been literally submerged in Joni-land lately what with learning all new music of Shine and enjoying immensely Herbie Hancock's River the Joni Letters!? I did come up for a breath to drive from the shore of NJ?to Mulberry Street NYC and take in the Green Flag Song exhibit. It was impressive, to say the least.? The images are haunting -- mostly war, death, even a triptych of crucifixion.? I spent a few hours there.?? Shine was playing over and over in accompaniment.? Many people were coming in from the crowded street.? There was a guest book for comments, in which?lots of?people wrote lovely things to Joni.? I purchased a catalogue which will be signed by Joni tonight and then sent to me.??? It was a great experience -- part two of the current Joni Trilogy --?now to see the Ballet!? I did hear from the exhibit curator that it will be screened at the Woodstock Film Festival on October 10th. Also, I have heard from a very reliable source that the Joni segment is tentatively scheduled for 11/4 on CBS Sunday Morning. much Joni to all, Linda P.S.? It was great spending some time with you, CC, at the gallery. ________________________________________________________________________ Check Out the new free AIM(R) Mail -- Unlimited storage and industry-leading spam and email virus protection. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:17:58 -0400 From: "Jim Kauffman" Subject: RE: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 I know not everyone on this list is into jazz, but after nearly a week I can't take Herbie Hancock's River off my CD player (except for Shine, of course). It's not Cole Porter, it's not Rogers & Hart, it's not Duke Ellington--it's Joni, given her songwriting props like never before. These are guy who played with Miles Davis when they were in short pants, creating a totally new kind of music. In their current prime, they can play anything they want and sell lots of CDs and pack concert houses. Hancock and Shorter have created astonishing music in the last ten years, breaking out of their fusion experiments into pure, delicious art. And they've chosen Joni's music to shine on. Joni must be as proud of this as anything anyone's ever done with her music. This is a level of respect and admiration by the world's finest musicians that none of her peers have ever achieved. None. Not Dylan, not the Beatles, not the Stones, not James Taylor or Jackson Browne. And nevermind the honor. This is a wonderful work of art that stands completely on its own merits--no "tribute" album here. This is a career peak that songwriters and musicians only dream of. Congratulations, Joni! Jim K. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:56:28 +0000 From: ajfashion@att.net Subject: Re: MEMO, njc - -------------- Original message from LCStanley7@aol.com: -------------- > In a message dated 9/30/07 5:14:03 PM, ajfashion@att.net writes: > > What do I have to do to learn the inner circle password? > > (And please don't say listen to "Slouching Toward Bethlehem" > > a dozen times in a row.) > > Play it backwards and look at yourself in the mirror. It will appear above > your head. OK, I'm a boomer and know how to find the dirty words in Louie, Louie by slowing it down to 33 or 16, and how to spin an album backwards to see if, indeed, Paul was dead, but how do I make my IPod or a CD go backwards? You all are very tricky and exclusive, lol. Aleda ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:36:52 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: Re: MEMO, njc In a message dated 9/30/07 7:56:34 PM, ajfashion@att.net writes: > > how > do I make my IPod or a CD go backwards? > Press rewind on your CD player while it is playing and listen real quick. Might work on an iPod too? ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 01:43:21 +0000 From: ajfashion@att.net Subject: Re: MEMO, njc - -------------- Original message from LCStanley7@aol.com: -------------- In a message dated 9/30/07 7:56:34 PM, ajfashion@att.net writes: how do I make my IPod or a CD go backwards? Press rewind on your CD player while it is playing and listen real quick. Might work on an iPod too? ____________________________________________________ Listen real quick? Hahahahahahaa. It's clear you just don't want me at the nekkid swimming parties on the night of the full moon. But I'd still appreciate knowing which days we're supposed to wear the cheerleader outfits, since I have a thing about being properly attired for any given situation. Unfortunately the only pleated skirt I have is a leopard print (which, BTW, I have never worn). Do you think it would be OK, what with the Taming-the-Tiger tie-in? And can I wear bronze slingbacks rather than saddle shoes? TIA, Aleda ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:53:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Flaherty Subject: RE: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 Jim Kauffman wrote: >>>Joni must be as proud of this as anything anyone's ever done with her music. This is a level of respect and admiration by the world's finest musicians that none of her peers have ever achieved. None. Not Dylan, not the Beatles, not the Stones, not James Taylor or Jackson Browne. I couldn't agree more, Jim. Joni is in a different league than the other songwriters of her generation, and having musicians of this caliber take her this seriously is evidence of that. Michael Flaherty - --------------------------------- Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:25:39 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: weird gigs #2 (njc) The biggest difference between this gig and the other one was that this one paid very well so therefore it was worth doing on some level. Anyway, I think I was being overly optimistic last week, thinking that this piano I had to play couldn't be that bad...it looked really nice on the outside so I thought it would sound as nice as it looked...I couldn't have been more wrong. If you read my earlier post, this was a gig playing a piano that was turned into a wine cellar of sorts, at the wine convention in Atlanta. There was no weight in the keys and the sound was obnoxious and ringy, and there was a huge dropoff in sound any time I played any keys that weren't in the middle three octaves. I could hardly hear what I was doing and what was worse, a band set up pretty near where the booth was and was played the whole time through a p.a., filling the exhibit hall, so I had to play this piano for four hours with a band playing right next door that was 20 times louder than me...plus the owner of the exhibit kept the volume really low, so he could talk to potential buyers, making it almost impossible to even hear myself play. I did get to take a break every hour (thank god). And I had to do this two days in a row. I guess at some point I just put myself on autopilot and played and played...whatever came to mind. From a woodworking standpoint, this piano was gorgeous, and truly a work of art and you would think, with a price of 35,000 dollars, they would have installed decent electronics, or install a keyboard that was at least halfway decent, but it was total crap. They totally cut corners. Of course, anyone who would buy something like this is more interested in the wine than having a piano that is actually enjoyable to play. Musically, its just a horrible idea. I don't know how I made it through the whole thing...I guess I just remembered I was getting paid. I am so glad its over. Victor, watching Sunday night NFL and trying to memorize Puccini and Donizetti at the same time ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:20:29 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Re: njc, After the rush: new books In a message dated 9/30/2007 3:10:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time, loveuconn@hotmail.com writes: Has anyone read "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me" by Pattie Boyd and Penny Junor? - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah ok. So that is out then? I will in the near future after I get through a couple of books I have now. I bet it's an interesting read. - -Monika ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:36:46 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 On Sep 30, 2007, at 9:53 PM, Michael Flaherty wrote: > I couldn't agree more, Jim. Joni is in a different league than the > other songwriters of her generation, and having musicians of this > caliber take her this seriously is evidence of that. > > Michael Flaherty I'm looking forward to getting the Herbie Hancock cd from Amazon, hopefully this week. I think it's awesome that this project was done, and can't wait to hear it. However, I don't think Joni belongs in a league by herself. Jazz musicians have been playing Stevie Wonder songs for years. The music of the Grateful Dead was recently arranged in a classical symphonic work. Joni's great but she's not above all the other songwriters of her generation. Victor ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:10:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Peep Richman Subject: Bo...Sunday night in response to most recent Digest Hi!!! The recent postings indicate that so many JMDLers have been provoked or evoked to express some really very intense and sometimes disturbing threads. I either come away from reading a Digest feeling really out-of-it....plain right down and dirty DUMB.....sometimes confused and even (a BIG one for me...) the confusion bubbles down deeper into negativity. Just have to tell you this: I LEARN so much from participating/reading/and posting my immediate reactions and responses to a particular posting and/or Digest. I am really fascinated by the event of Joni sharing the amazing gift of "Shine" and seemingly evoking/provoking...who cares which one?....so much related and unrelated strong emotion. Does anyone else find this interesting????????? Anyhow....I'll do some thinking and write more later. BUT...a HUGE thank you to Patti for telling us about Dr. Sacks' new book. He's amazing. Jeannie and Aleda....I have to find your original postings and follow them through to begin to understand what's being exchanged between you....in a bit of a fog right now. As so many of us were....I sat in a similar fashion to a 15 year old waiting to hear her/his "idol" being interviewed and AGAIN this "Sunday Morning" was so disappointing. I really thought we'd see Joni because "Shine" was released this week. For me...(switching gears, here), Joni's words "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" continues to enrich my view of the circumstances of my life, the lives of others, our planet, war, peace(?), protest...and the list goes on.... Later.... Love, Peace and here's to enjoying the richness of thinking, feeling and having an arena to SHARE (or "Shine"?) with this Digest family. Bo - --------------------------------- Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:14:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Flaherty Subject: Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 Victor Johnson wrote: >>> However, I don't think Joni belongs in a league by herself. Jazz musicians have been playing Stevie Wonder songs for years. The music of the Grateful Dead was recently arranged in a classical symphonic work. Joni's great but she's not above all the other songwriters of her generation. I doubt that Herbie or Wayne (or Jaco or ... any other jazz musician I care about) would agree with you. Metallica has been arranged for classical players too. I don't know what else to say. I mean, if you really believe the Grateful Dead wrote as great of songs as Joni, there's not much I can say (or would want to say) to dissuade you. Michael Flaherty - --------------------------------- Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:18:40 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: RE: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 Very true, and I had the same thought when I went to Wall To Wall Joni in NYC back in '02. There was a long string of previous honorees; mostly classical composers, and others like Rodgers, Gershwin, Porter, Joni was the ONLY entry from the rock/pop era. Also cool that people like US can recognize that while so many others are oblivious to it. Makes us kinda special too. Bob NP: Foo Fighters, "X-Static" - --------------------------------- Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:23:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: was Bjork's boho dance now Herbie's missing Case Interesting, David - I was unaware of that. And unfortunately his website is not a lot of help in terms of navigating all of the different versions. Bob NP: Paul Anka, "Both Sides Now" - --------------------------------- Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:42:45 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: Re: MEMO, njc In a message dated 9/30/07 8:43:28 PM, ajfashion@att.net writes: > And can I wear bronze slingbacks rather than saddle shoes? > Colored stop and go lights flashing... ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:45:18 -0400 From: "Jim Kauffman" Subject: RE: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 Lots of tribute albums are done for novelty or commercial reasons. Frank Zappa is one exception, Joni is another. When the finest artists of our time decide to pay tribute to another musician, that's certainly validating. When people like Hancock and Shorter take the compositions of another musician and elevate them to their level of the musical stratosphere, that's something else. These guy KNOW songs by great songwriters, and they've decided Joni's songs work for them at the same level as the American Songbook folks--and beyond. The great jazz writers as well. Mingus knew an artist when he heard one (and there were plenty of talented people he didn't like as composers). You can't get much better creds than that. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:38:29 -0700 From: "Cassy" Subject: Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 From: "Michael Flaherty" <<< Metallica has been arranged for classical players too. >>> And what an arrangement it is! I absolutely LOVE Apocalyptica's "Inquisition Symphony". They are a very talented string quartet and putting heavy metal into a classical format (and pulling it off) was brilliant. Including Faith No More's "From Out of Nowhere" was a nice touch too. Warmly, Cassy NP: Sonya Kitchell - All I Want ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:53 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 On Sep 30, 2007, at 11:14 PM, Michael Flaherty wrote: > Victor Johnson wrote: > > >>> However, I don't think Joni belongs > in a league by herself. Jazz musicians have been playing Stevie > Wonder songs for years. The music of the Grateful Dead was recently > arranged in a classical symphonic work. Joni's great but she's not > above all the other songwriters of her generation. > > I doubt that Herbie or Wayne (or Jaco or ... any other jazz > musician I care about) would agree with you. I don't think you speak for all jazz musicians. > I don't know what else to say. I mean, if you really believe the > Grateful Dead wrote as great of songs as Joni, there's not much I > can say (or would want to say) to dissuade you. > > Michael Flaherty Whatever...I don't see any merit in putting Joni up on some pedestal as being "better" than anyone else. I am musician, a songwriter, and a very good one at that. I love the music of Joni Mitchell but I also love a lot of other songwriters including songs that were written by the Grateful Dead, particularly songs by Hunter/Garcia. If you don't appreciate their music or do not have any understanding of them that is your loss. You don't have any basis then to judge whether or not they wrote songs as great as Joni's. Victor ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:08:11 +0000 From: ajfashion@att.net Subject: Re: Bo...Sunday night in response to most recent Digest NJC - -------------- Original message from Peep Richman : -------------- > BUT...a HUGE thank you to Patti for telling us about Dr. Sacks' new book. > He's amazing. Thanks to Patti from me, too. I remember first hearing of him in 1978 or so, back when Larry King did a five hour radio show that aired on about 20 stations in the US, and interviewed Sacks and I was hooked. (This was long before the movie Awakenings or the bestselling The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.) I have followed him since. I found it fascinating to learn Sacks was very close to W H Auden in the last years of Auden's life. One of my more precious possessions is a letter from Sacks: a couple of poems in my first book owe his work a great debt and someone evidently sent them to him since I received this lovely note from him. I'm ordering the book tomorrow. Aleda ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:09:47 EDT From: LCStanley7@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni singing Harry's House on YouTube Monika sent: > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG9K6Zoa7FY > Thanks! Very nice way to say good night to Sunday. My dad came over today, and I played and sang HH for him. He liked it. Joni left out the centerpiece part which I did too when I played it for my dad, but I felt strange doing so until I saw this little video. Great to see her play it! Thanks Monika! I learned HH out of the Joni Mitchelll Complete Song Book. Wonder when the corrected edition will be coming out? I really really really really appreciate Joni giving us this book. Thank you Joni! Thanks for so much fun in playing your songs from this book! Big smile! Love, Laura ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:14:23 +0000 From: ajfashion@att.net Subject: RE: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 - -------------- Original message from Bob Muller : -------------- > > league than the other songwriters of her generation, and having > musicians of this caliber take her this seriously is > evidence of that.> > > Very true, and I had the same thought when I went to Wall To Wall Joni in NYC > back in '02. For me, it's Mitchell and Sondheim on top, with no one else coming even close (although I do think Stevie Wonder is a genius; I just don't see his songs as being as varied and lyrically brilliant and experimental as Mitchell's and Sondheim's). When I had the honor of speaking with Cassandra Wilson on the phone a year or so ago, I begged her--probably inappropriately--to do an entire album of Mitchell covers. She did say she loved Mitchell. But OMG there are so many Mitchell songs I'd love to hear Wilson sing. The Sondheim jazz tribute is a really great CD. I now see that the new Hancock will be right up there with it on my frequent playlist. - --Aleda ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:20:41 -0700 From: "gene" Subject: njc njc hello victor, i know your a "dead" fan (deadhead?)--give the group "wake the dead" a listen. they do some fantastic covers of "dead" tunes. stay well, gene ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:30:18 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: Re: Joni on NPR's "All Things Considered" TODAY, 9/28 On Sep 30, 2007, at 11:45 PM, Jim Kauffman wrote: > Lots of tribute albums are done for novelty or commercial reasons. > Frank > Zappa is one exception, Joni is another. > When the finest artists of our time > decide to pay tribute to another musician, that's certainly > validating. When > people like Hancock and Shorter take the compositions of another > musician > and elevate them to their level of the musical stratosphere, that's > something else. These guy KNOW songs by great songwriters, and they've > decided Joni's songs work for them at the same level as the American > Songbook folks--and beyond. The great jazz writers as well. Mingus > knew an > artist when he heard one (and there were plenty of talented people > he didn't > like as composers). You can't get much better creds than that. And jazz guitarist, John Scofield, has played with both Phil Lesh and Bob Weir. Jerry Garcia collaborated with David Grisman, an incredibly talented mandolin player. Both of them sang in a band with Peter Rowan, one of the best bluegrass musicians there is and an amazing songwriter as well. I'm not disputing that its great that Hancock and Shorter took on this project and it is certainly an honor for Joni. But I don't agree that she should be elevated above all other songwriters. By the way, the recording I was speaking of has nothing to do with novelty or commercial aspirations. Composer Lee Johnson, actually composed a symphony, Dead Symphony No. 6 that incorporated several motives from Grateful Dead compositions as well as trying to capture their psychedelic spirit and improvisational nature. Everybody is going to have different opinions who they would consider the greatest songwriter or musician from any era. Victor ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 04:37:35 +0000 From: Patti Parlette Subject: njc, Be Not Too Hard Dear Joniamigos: I'm up all night in the studio, wrapping little birthday gifts to mail to my wonderful mama, who taught me the deeper meaning. She almost died last April. I even wrote her obituary. "Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got til it's gone?" I really thought she was gone, so I am very grateful that she is still alive. It's a miracle. What's my point? "Shower the people you love with love..." - JT And, as the other Joan sang: "Be not too hard, for life is short." And now I'm thinking: isn't it Nate Muller's birthday October 1st? Yes! Happy birthday, Nate. Happy almost-birthday, Audrey JOAN (I never thought of her middle name until I had to write her obituary!) Wynn Parlette. Peace, everybody. Let your little light shine. Love, Patti P. _________________________________________________________________ Discover the new Windows Vista http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2007 #396 ***************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------