From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2012 #1513 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 Website:http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Wednesday, October 3 2012 Volume 2012 : Number 1513 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Joni clunkers [Azeem Ali Khan ] Re: quintessential Joni [Anita G ] Re: It's coming on Christmas [Jamie Zubairi Home ] Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance [Victor Johnson ] It's coming on Christmas [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] FW: now Jethro Tull [Susan Tierney McNamara ] Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] Re:Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like [Anita G ] Magical Night With Joni & Bella Lugosi [est86mlm@ameritech.net] (Shine on) Reverend Pearson [Betsy ] Joni's Art ["Pat Boland" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 10:26:07 +0100 From: Azeem Ali Khan Subject: Joni clunkers I feel a bit out of step here, in that there are LOADS of Joni songs I can't stand. Mostly, they're recent. I'm a proponent of the theory that Joni hasn't made a GREAT album since Mingus, hasn't written a truly GREAT song since Chinese CafC), and has only written a handful of very good songs since then (Man From Mars, Ethiopia, Come In From The Cold, a few others). As for specific songs I don't like, some of the usual suspects: Dancing Fool, Lead Balloon, Empty, Reoccurring Dream. And to be clear, I think these are lousy songs by ANY standards, not just by the stratospheric standards of Joni in her imperial period. As others have said, The Windfall is truly ugly: plenty of pop songs are nasty and vitriolic, but in order to get away with it you have to throw in a choon! I can't listen to Shine, the album. I think it's *dreadful*! And Travelogue is, well, *shudder*. To me Joni is now a heritage act. I will always love her greatest work, and she will always be one of the first people I mention when people ask what music I like. And this would be true if she'd made no records after Shadows And Light. Where I used to look forward to a new release, now I dread it. Ahem. All "IMO", natch. Azeem in London Sent from my iPhone ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 10:02:19 +0100 From: Anita G Subject: Re: quintessential Joni Paul wrote: > Anita, > I agree that Magdalene Laundries captures one of Joni's key themes in that > she > is speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves, but it lacks most of > the other themes or elements that consistently run through Joni's song > lyrics, > the subject of love being the main disqualifier as a quintessential Joni > song. Hi Paul Well, in that case, I pick 'Help Me' for my quintessential Joni for today. Is that the right answer? Anita ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 14:17:18 +0100 From: Jamie Zubairi Home Subject: Re: It's coming on Christmas Did anyone else see 'kooky' Zooey Deschanel in 'New Girl' in the episode where she plays it on loop 45 times after the breakup with her boyfriend? Was very funny I want to hear Cee Lo's version though Bob! Zooby On 3 October 2012 13:54, wrote: > And that of course means lots and lots of the joyous family > singalong....Joni's "River". Nothing quite like sipping hot cocoa around > the yule log while the youngsters sing "he loved me so naughty made me > weak in the knees"....anyway, I mentioned earlier about Tracy Thorn's > upcoming version that drops this month - my eagle-eyed assistant Paul has > discovered that none other than Cee Lo Green, star of "The Voice" is > dropping a holiday album this month as well with his soulful take of > "River" on it. > > Should be interesting. Wonder who else will be skating along on the River > this season? > > Bob > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The information transmitted is intended only for the person > or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. > If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are > hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, > distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon > this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please > contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. > > Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual > sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. > ------------------------------------------------------------ > - -- Jamie Zubairi Actor, Voiceover, Painter, Photographer. Acting Agent: Pelham Associates 01273 323 010 SpotLight Showreel UnBroken Line Wefund Currently performing at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall as part of the *Tino Sehgal Unilever Commission. *In December *'Unbroken Line*' a solo performance premieres at OvalHouse Upstairs. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 09:24:28 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance I think I would probably concur...at the TaaB, I was amazed how seamlessly Ian and the second singer were able to weave in and out of the vocal parts. Though I think that was unique and that the same thing would not work with Joni and a younger singer. Victor On Wednesday, October 3, 2012, wrote: > which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it > off?> > > In a word...no. I don't think she could pull it off. Not any of them. > > Bob > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The information transmitted is intended only for the person > or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. > If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are > hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, > distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon > this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please > contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. > > Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual > sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. > ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 07:09:49 -0700 From: Shari Eaton Subject: Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance About the aging since 1998 - I was stunned too. I saw her in 1996 and couldn't believe the changes in her appearance had been that drastic. My Mom is a little younger than her, by a couple of years, and looks nothing like the grandmother time Joni has become. Perhaps it's to do with the effects of Morgellons or she is simply spent from all of the energy she used creating. She still looks beautiful to me, mind. I was just a little startled. Bless her and I hope she is feeling fine. I seriously doubt she'll be performing or recording anytime soon. I love the idea of Joni hejiras and hope she does them next year (with a little more advance notice). Shari On Oct 3, 2012, at 6:32 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > It's funny in a way...in the brilliant 1985 Rock Master Class interview, > she talks about being older and performing in a way that she is a > chanteuse talk-singing her songs, and she humorously does a brief > performance of "The Last Time I Saw Richard" in that style. 30 years on, > that's about all I imagine she can do. Looking at the Ruby Lake pictures, > she looks very frail and like she's aged 40 years since I saw her in 1998. > > Bob > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The information transmitted is intended only for the person > or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. > If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are > hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, > distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon > this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please > contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. > > Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual > sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. > ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 08:54:07 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: It's coming on Christmas And that of course means lots and lots of the joyous family singalong....Joni's "River". Nothing quite like sipping hot cocoa around the yule log while the youngsters sing "he loved me so naughty made me weak in the knees"....anyway, I mentioned earlier about Tracy Thorn's upcoming version that drops this month - my eagle-eyed assistant Paul has discovered that none other than Cee Lo Green, star of "The Voice" is dropping a holiday album this month as well with his soulful take of "River" on it. Should be interesting. Wonder who else will be skating along on the River this season? Bob - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 14:01:28 +0000 From: Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: FW: now Jethro Tull I really wanted to see Tull this tour ... especially to hear Thick As A Brick. I guess I'm not going to see them unless I drive down to NY this weekend which doesn't seem likely. They are really in the top 5 of my favorite bands. I saw them live so many times in the 70s and they never disappointed. Martin Barre is the best in my opinion, and I feel like there would never have been a Mark Knopfler if there wasn't a Martin Barre. Ian Anderson is the mad scientist ... love him. I saw them in the early 2000s when they were on the bill with the Chieftains. They did an amazing version of one of my favorite oldies, "With You There to Help Me." Lucky you, Victor!!! Although I don't think Joni would ever do it, I would love to hear her do a full concert of Hejira and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Susan Tierney McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu From: Victor Johnson [mailto:waytobluemusic@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 5:53 PM To: Susan Tierney McNamara Cc: Betsy; joni@smoe.org Subject: SJC: now Jethro Tull Speaking of Jethro Tull, I saw Ian Anderson perform Thick as a Brick in it's entirety... and it was fecking unbelievable! His band completely nailed it. I've always thought it to be one of the most beautiful compositions ever written and I felt like I was in another space and time. Ian had a younger singer performing with him who sang some of the parts but he was very good and it flowed together seamlessly. So, if Joni were to tour, and perform one of her albums in it's entirety, which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it off? Victor in Atlanta show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. Susan Tierney McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 09:32:27 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance It's funny in a way...in the brilliant 1985 Rock Master Class interview, she talks about being older and performing in a way that she is a chanteuse talk-singing her songs, and she humorously does a brief performance of "The Last Time I Saw Richard" in that style. 30 years on, that's about all I imagine she can do. Looking at the Ruby Lake pictures, she looks very frail and like she's aged 40 years since I saw her in 1998. Bob - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2012 09:04:09 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: Re: SJC: now Joni's album performance In a word...no. I don't think she could pull it off. Not any of them. Bob - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 15:22:19 +0100 From: Anita G Subject: Re:Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like I loved hearing your version Bob in France JoniFest! Man, you were smokin' that night! Anita x On 02/10/2012, Bob.Muller@fluor.com wrote: > I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy and humourous > as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> > > I loved it the first time I heard it. It sounded like a jazz standard then > and is becoming one over time. A totally singable melody, witty and > original lyrics, the whole package. And I'm glad Joni went with Chuck > Domanico's stand-up bass over Jaco's, though I would be interested in what > his creative mind might have done with it. > > Bob ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 17:04:04 +0000 From: Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like This is a great piece, Dave! I don't remember reading it the first time you posted it. Thanks for sending it again. It's funny but I have always felt Blue Motel Room had a different feel than the other songs on Hejira, but I never felt it shouldn't be on the album. Coming from a painter's perspective, it's the contrast color in the corner of the composition that highlights the grey tones! :-) Susan Tierney McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Dave Blackburn Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:15 AM To: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Cc: Catherine McKay; JONIMITCHELL DISCUSSION LIST; Mary Morris Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like On Oct 2, 2012, at 5:13 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy and > humourous as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> I wrote this piece about Blue Motel Room in a post in 2007. In case anyone would like to read it (or re-read it) here it is again: Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well as about others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the Hejira album as a whole. I offer these thoughts: Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from her work of such unguarded softness. As such, I think the song offers an almost unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the wall for). As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the song. Blue Motel Room is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... Dave ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 23:40:45 +0100 From: Jamie Zubairi Home Subject: Re: SJC: now Jethro Tull I would love her to play Travelog all the way through, both discs, with varying line-ups from a 5 piece to a 75 piece, with the whole orchestra having all the lead sheets. It was just a dream some of us had. Zooby On 2 October 2012 22:52, Victor Johnson wrote: > Speaking of Jethro Tull, I saw Ian Anderson perform Thick as a Brick in > it's entirety... and it was fecking unbelievable! His band completely > nailed it. I've always thought it to be one of the most beautiful > compositions ever written and I felt like I was in another space and time. > > Ian had a younger singer performing with him who sang some of the parts but > he was very good and it flowed together seamlessly. > > So, if Joni were to tour, and perform one of her albums in it's entirety, > which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it > off? > > Victor in Atlanta > > show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to > > Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. > > > > Susan Tierney McNamara > > email: sem8@cornell.edu > - -- Jamie Zubairi Actor, Voiceover, Painter, Photographer. Acting Agent: Pelham Associates 01273 323 010 SpotLight Showreel UnBroken Line Wefund Currently performing at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall as part of the *Tino Sehgal Unilever Commission. *In December *'Unbroken Line*' a solo performance premieres at OvalHouse Upstairs. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:17:34 -0500 From: est86mlm@ameritech.net Subject: Magical Night With Joni & Bella Lugosi Thanks to everyone who posted their thoughts and details!!! Anita, Giorgio sounds like a swell guy to make certain Steph got to talk with Joni one-on-one. I've read some other random posts on the web where he went out of his way to give certain persons access to Joni & even Joni & Bob Dylan when Bob came to visit Joni there at Ruby's. I was so glad to read that you got one-on-one with her too, via Steph & Giorgio! It was heart-warming to hear how receptive Joni was to you and everyone. Phyliss, Thanks for sharing all your details. Glad you finally got a photo with Joni (I'm still waiting!). The Ruby Resort sounds (and looks from the pics) so beautiful and peaceful. I can understand why Joni likes to hangout there and I'm glad she has this place, and her friends there, to do so. Thank you for introducing Bella Lugosi. I was so glad to hear she has another little doggy to keep her company! Loved the chicken chase story! Side note to Sue who said: I think it's hysterical that she called her Jack Russell Bela Lugosi. He must be a night owl like her!! Too funny Sue! I wonder if that is exactly why she named him that!! I can picture him in a little cape & fake dagger teeth at the end of this month (and chasing chickens). Laura, Loved the many details of the night and what all took place, and that Joni acknowledged the 'website' and appreciated you all came so far. The story of Marianne's gift and how Joni 'corrected' the spelling error and what she wrote is awesome! When you publish your Journal I'll be one of the first to purchase! If I left ANYONE out please forgive me because the digests are hard to read.......alot of repeats and then something new in the middle. It's easy to overlook a post. But feel free to point out what I missed, please,........don't want to miss a thing! Who was it that was going to bring the missing face mask? Did you? What happened?? Laura ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:10:51 -0700 From: Betsy Subject: (Shine on) Reverend Pearson This American Life did an hour on Carlton Pearson back in 2005. I found it interesting to hear more about him, since there was just a passing mention in Shine. You can listen to it here: Tinyurl.com/2ccd24c Betsy ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:11:14 +1000 From: "Pat Boland" Subject: Joni's Art Ya know, it's hard to really communicate my experience of being Joni's friend to people but I knew her from when I was 16 to 18 and when you hang out with someone that much, that long, you get to know them, how they are, what they would do... for example, Joni had guys from record companies coming to all her shows trying to get her to sign what she called an 'Elvis contract' all the time. That kind of contract would obligate the artist to so many singles and albums per year and she just wouldn't put her art on the assembly line like that. Now remember, she was trekking all over the country, alone, on trains and planes and busses while only getting 1$-3$ cover charges at places like the Cellar that could only hold 50 or 60 people! Lucky to have enough $ to eat! All she had to do was sign her name on the line and she could've been traveling by limo, but no, not Joni. Having the freedom for her art was all she cared about and she would not compromise or back down for anything or anyone! When I say I knew Joni, it's true mostly because she made herself known... to me, to anyone, to everyone! That's just how she was and how she is. Just look at the fire in her eyes in this video as she stands up for her art: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-ECjPZ2f8o&feature=colike Here is another of her sharing her heart... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTDEsT8kkMI&feature=colike ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2012 #1513 ****************************** ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------