From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2015 #390 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 Tuesday, August 4 2015 Volume 2015 : Number 390 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: JMDL Digest V2015 #388 [Laurie Antonioli ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2015 08:51:50 -0700 From: Laurie Antonioli Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2015 #388 We can have a big discussion at the JoniFest on "what jazz is" and "why singers turn to jazz" later in their careers. I have many theories. FACT: Joni was heavily influenced by Annie Ross (who wrote the lyrics to "Twisted" which she of course recorded) and loves Ellington and Miles. These are influences she had before she transitioned and started hiring jazz musicians to work with her. If she was listening to Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (I worshiped at the alter of LHR and still do) as a young woman, for sure that has informed her music. Also the style and lyrics of vocalese (setting lyrics to pre-existing, recorded instrumental solos) is a very stream of consciousness kind of style. Note: "Twisted" is a horn solo by tenor saxophonist Wardell Grey who Annie then wrote words to. Vocalese is very clever, often funny, fearless and complex. Sound like anyone we know? : ) Laurie On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 8:29 AM, JMDL Digest wrote: > > JMDL Digest Tuesday, August 4 2015 Volume 2015 : Number 388 > > > > ========== > > TOPICS and authors in this Digest: > -------- > Re: TodaysZaman.com: Why Do Pop Singers Keep Releasing Jazz Albums? > [Clin] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2015 15:27:13 +0000 (UTC) > From: Clint Norwood > Subject: Re: TodaysZaman.com: Why Do Pop Singers Keep Releasing Jazz > Albums? > > I completely understand what you are saying about jazz.I think that the > Linda > Ronstadt/Sinatra kind of thing is called "jazz" a lot because its style > coincided with the early jazz age in America. If you turn on the "jazz > channel" here in Memphis you will get a lot of show tunes and Sinatra-esque > stuff. I think the word "jazz" is used to cover a lot of music that seems > like > it wouldn't offend "older" people. How things have changed! > To me, (drum roll) I think jazz is a piece of music that has a basic head > (like the beginning of Miles Davis' "So What!") but the rest of the tune > has > nothing but very broad chord charts to arrange the rest of the "song." In > this > way there is no melody excepting the beginning head. The rest of the tune > (solos and trade offs between the musicians) must be played over those > broad > chord charts and the musicians can do anything they like to go with the > music. > In this way there is far less structure than the typical song but it makes > the > musicians communicate with each other in a way I don't think others have > to do > because it is not pre-decided. > Remember also that show tunes and other pop songs can be made into jazz. > "My > Favorite Things" was turned into a jazz piece by Coltrane but I doubt that > anyone who doesn't hear the opening head "Raindrops on Roses" etc., would > recognize it.-Clint > > > > On Tuesday, August 4, 2015 8:28 AM, Catherine McKay > wrote: > > > Mark, as always, you express what I'm thinking so much better than I could > myself. I agree that Joni did "Mingus" at Charles Mingus's request, and > that > she likely hadn't thought of going that far into jazz before that. I also > agree with Muller that some of Joni's best singing was on the "Mingus" > album, > with "Sweet sucker dance" being the best of the best. > > > I haven't heard the Annie Lennox one and have deliberately stayed away from > it, because it does seem that *everyone* wants to do a "jazz" album, but I > suspect you are right and that Annie's isn't really jazz either. As well, I > don't think Linda Rondstadt's Nelson Riddle recordings were jazz either. > They > were more like big band pop, or whatever you want to call it, the kind of > thing that was popular in the 40s. If it ain't rock'n'roll, do people just > say > it's jazz? > > > and that led me to, "What the heck is jazz anyway?" which is why I stayed > out > of this to start with. I started wandering down the "What is jazz" road and > got lost on the way. > > > > - ----- Original Message ----- > From: Mark Scott > To: Susan E. McNamara ; joni@smoe.org > Cc: > Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2015 12:16 AM > Subject: Re: TodaysZaman.com: Why Do Pop Singers Keep Releasing JazzB > Albums? > > Interesting that the writer didn't mention the 'Both Sides Now' CD which, > to > my mind anyway, is more along the lines of what she was writing about.B To > me, 'Mingus' was Joni picking up the gauntlet that Mingus threw down, > accepting the challenge, not about doing a Jazz album as a novelty item to > revive a career.B As the writer mentioned, Joni was pretty much riding the > crest of her popularity at the time.B The fact that she paid for it in > terms > of a loss of some of her radio airplay and fan base is not a really valid > comment on the quality of the work. > > [...] > > The writer mentions Linda Ronstadt's recordings with the Nelson Riddle > orchestra.B Would you call Nelson Riddle a jazz artist?B I think of his > work > more as very sophisticated pop than Jazz and I think of Linda's vocals on > those records in the same way. > > Mark in Seattle > > ------------------------------ > > End of JMDL Digest V2015 #388 > ***************************** > > ------- > To post messages to the list,sendto joni@smoe.org > Unsubscribe by clicking here: > mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe > ------- ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2015 #390 ***************************** ------- To post messages to the list,sendto joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------