From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V1 #67 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk onlyJMDL Digest Sunday, June 6 1999 Volume 01 : Number 067 The Laborday JoniFest is happening this fall! For information: send a message to Join the mailing list at: ------- The Official Joni Mitchell Homepage is maintained by Wally Breese at http://www.jonimitchell.com and contains the latest news, a detailed bio, original interviews and essays, lyrics, and much more. ------- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Philly Meet n' Greet (long...pull up a chair) [RMuRocks@aol.com] Re: Philly Meet n' Greet (long...pull up a chair) [RMuRocks@aol.com] JTOTM (thanks David!) ["P. Henry" ] Ron Sexsmith covers "Borderline" [mwyarbro@zzapp.org] Re: Ron Sexsmith covers "Borderline" [Ginamu@aol.com] Re: JMDL Digest V4 #243 [RKopf@aol.com] Re: Devil's chord and devil's interval (JC added) [FredNow@aol.com] RE: JMDL Digest V4 #243 ["Wally Kairuz" ] Re: JMDL Digest V4 #240 [Wally Breese ] meetings [TheHotelNH@aol.com] re:why so many don't post ["Takats, Angela" ] Re: re:why so many don't post ["Mark or Travis" ] Carey Comments and Question on TTT/Cut TTT [Hyatt McClennen > It's funny, when JMDL'ers get together, we seem to talk until someone tells us we have to quit!! It's not like we run out of things to say...:~) There seems to be a constant comment on the Jonifests that folks just can't get around to meeting and spending time with everyone; that's why the small gatherings are so great. Pearl is a wonderful person; thanks to her I have 2 great photos of Joni & Me! Thanks for sharing your story too! Bob NP: Traffic, "Empty Pages" (CD I picked up in one of the shops in Philly) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 09:11:50 EDT From: RMuRocks@aol.com Subject: Re: Philly Meet n' Greet (long...pull up a chair) In a message dated 6/4/99 11:46:17 AM Central Daylight Time, wallykai@interserver.com.ar writes: << i only hope people won't turn around and go back home when they notice me at ashara's this september. >> You should be OK with a name like Wally...besides, a lot of us will be a long way from home and once we get there, we're stuck for the duration! :~) Bob NP: Traffic "Light Up or Leave Me Alone" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 06:13:53 -0700 From: "P. Henry" Subject: JTOTM (thanks David!) previously I wrote: " it does not surprise me that this album is honored in the jazz world and I expect much more to come. as far as jazz goes, I am more drawn to the soft guitar/keyboard type but, after getting this cd (thanks wally) I am convinced that this is some of the best you can get. David, you guys did great! this is something someone just had to do! thanks for doing it! pat" to this I would like to add the follosing: there is a difference, in most cases, between a standard that's 'jazzed up', jammed, and improvised upon by a bunch of jazz musicians and a jazz song... both are great and the musicians give their all in both cases but, in cases where there *is* a difference, you had a jazz song in disguise from the start... there *is* a music which IS jazz and, like classical music, it comes from a *very* deep and original place which makes their creators really necessary parts of the human race as a whole Joni's music was *always* deep and original and so intense that the confines of popular music could barely comprehend, much less, contain the dynamics of what she heard in her heart... but she was patient with us in her quiet way. she became folkie earth mother to the 60's and called her own out with a lyric and a song the likes of which we had only dreamed about and began leading us into light, as it were,.. she became rock 'n roll sweetheart and played gut=bucket blues for us, like following us to our favorite hangout and buying us a drink and taking us bar-hopping with her and then taking us down to the jazz place where she really wanted to go and take us all along... hey, take it or leave it, jazz is the only idiom that does her dynamic range of thoughts and emotions and sounds, arranged as has never been done before, justice... in fact, I defy anyone to name a better jazz composer in this day and time and, although I am not enough of a musician to judge, (and perhaps some of the better trained listers can speak better on it, but) I would even venture forth the speculation that her music, especially as expressed on her more recent albums, may even transcend jazz! She has taken her own path and, fortunately for us, as she has grown and transcended, soaring on the waves of mind and beauty, she has been so kind as to take us with her and the life of sacrifice she gave us was to our good and enrichment. there are a certain percentage of us who would be or were jazz musicians/fans regardless of Joni, though, I dare say, your feeling about it has altered due to her, but I suspect the majority of us would not be into the jazz we are, were it not for that sweet, sexy lady and we owe her a debt of gratitude for not leaving us in that numb, unenlightened place, but coming to us in one of her popular guises, giving us what we liked and then taking us further, drawing us out and blessing us with the openness to comprehend her and so much more! Also, her body of music remains, a perfectly graduated and profoundly effective 'beautiful music appreciation program', as a legacy to humankind and forever shall contain this path. not only do we have a poetess who can touch our very souls with her mind, but a composer of music so delicious and rare and compelling that it has a fire all it's own! SIQUOMB! to David Lahm, I can only say: I'm SO glad! it's about time! *S* perhaps now we will see more jazz players, like Herbie Hancock maybe(?), playing Joni's songs! I know there has to ba a core of hardcore purist musicians and that they must ultimately realize, as all of us have, that Joni Mitchell is one of their leaders and not one of their followers and, like all jazz greats, she will finally and ultimately be recognized practically in *their* writing and playing. personally, I hope you do 5/6 more of these and just have a ball! you are one lucky pioneer! *S* pat NP: Solid Love - JTOJM http://members.wbs.net/homepages/b/a/d/badwolff.html Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 08:26:38 -0800 From: mwyarbro@zzapp.org Subject: Ron Sexsmith covers "Borderline" Last night I saw Canadian troubador Ron Sexsmith perform at the Metro Cafe here in DC. Ron is a fantastic songsmith who best work recalls the simple but affecting storytelling of Joni's "Night Ride Home" type songs. His voice keens like Radiohead's Thom Yorke and trembles like Jimmie Dale Gilmore, with the straight tenor tone of Rufus Wainwright. I highly recommend any of his three albums, particularly the second, _Other Songs_. Midway through the concert his band left the stage, and he did a couple songs solo with electric guitar. After a couple of tunes like this, he says, "I'm going to do a Joni Mitchell song now if that's OK with you." As it happens, I was wearing my _Turbulent Indigo_ shirt. So of course I applauded and cheered enthusiastically. A couple of people near me noticed I had the shirt on and pointed me out to Ron. So from the stage he made some approving comments and then said, "Wait, it's from that album! Did you know?" As it turns out, he was going to cover "Borderline." I was as astonished to hear him covering a *'90s* Joni tune as he was to see me displaying the album cover on my chest. He gave a fine rendition, as sad and resigned as Joni's is critical and angry. His chords seemed to emphasize minor intervals more than Joni's, and he was much freer with the tempo. We chatted a little bit after the show, and he was as amiable offstage as on. I gave his cover the JMDL seal of approval and headed for home (needing to rest for the 5K I was running 7 hours later). Apparently "Borderline" is a regular part of his setlist for this tour, so check him out if he makes it through your town. - --Michael - ----- Sent using MailStart.com ( http://MailStart.Com/welcome.html ) The FREE way to access your mailbox via any web browser, anywhere! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 12:50:48 EDT From: Ginamu@aol.com Subject: Re: Ron Sexsmith covers "Borderline" In a message dated 6/5/99 11:27:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time, mwyarbro@zzapp.org writes: SNIP: > Midway through the concert his band left the stage, and he did > a couple songs solo with electric guitar. After a couple of > tunes like this, he says, "I'm going to do a Joni Mitchell song > now if that's OK with you." SNIP: >As it turns out, he was going to cover "Borderline." As if I didn't like Ron Sexsmith enough already, now you're telling me he's a Joni fan and he covers Borderline in his shows. I love his sweet, quirky, melancholy voice. I believe that I missed his recent area appearance (too damn busy!) but I understand he has a new record which I am definitely going to buy, especially now that I know he's a Joni fan. The DJ on my favorite radio station said the album is very good when he was chatting informally with a guest on his show. And you're so right: how nice to hear of such a recent JM song covered. I wish he would record it. I'd love to have a listen. Take care, Gina NP: Mark Knopfler - Darling Pretty from Golden Heart ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 13:32:54 EDT From: RKopf@aol.com Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V4 #243 Please remove this name from your mailing list. He has died. Thank-you ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 16:45:42 EDT From: FredNow@aol.com Subject: Re: Devil's chord and devil's interval (JC added) Howard Wright wrote: >>Jime Hendrix's intro to Purple Haze is maybe the most famous use of the >>tritone. Actually, Jimi's Purple Haze chord is an augmented ninth, also called a sharp nine chord, which is a dominant seventh chord with a raised (also termed sharped or augmented) ninth added on top (see David Lahm's elucidation on the F7#9-no root chord, although Purple Haze is in E). The "zing" of that pungent chord comes from the simultaneous major third and minor third eleven half-steps above (which is the raised ninth). True, there is also a tritone within the chord consisting of the major third and the dominant seventh, but as Howard rightly points out, this interval is in every run-of-the-mill dominant seventh chord and is not especially crunchy. By way of relating this all to Joni, that augmented ninth chord makes several appearances in the Charlie Mingus chestnut Goodbye Porkpie Hat. - -Fred Simon ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 17:59:16 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V4 #243 - -----Original Message----- De: RKopf@aol.com Para: joni@smoe.org Fecha: Sábado 5 de Junio de 1999 11:41 Asunto: Re: JMDL Digest V4 #243 >Please remove this name from your mailing list. He has died. Thank-you WHO is this message about?!?! I'm worried sick. Who is/was RKOPF?!?!?! WallyK ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 99 16:34:39 -0700 From: Wally Breese Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V4 #240 SYDNEY TRIBUTE SHOW- (6/5/99) Here are two reports from the JM tribute show in Sydney, Australia which took place last Thursday- In from reporter Karen Jacobsen- "The Best Of Joni Mitchell" concert held last week in Sydney, Australia was an incredible success. Completely sold out - 400 people packed out the venue. It was indeed a very special night that will happen again. If you place this on the homepage and get any emails from Australians wanting to know when/where it will happen again could you please let me know. Many thanks, Karen On Thursday June 3rd, a very special event took place at The Basement in Sydney, Australia. Ten of Australia's finest female singer/songwriters performed a selection of songs from Joni Mitchell's brilliant and extensive catalogue. The night was completely sold out, and an incredible success. The performers - Tania Bowra, Kristen Cornwell, Gemma Deacon, Robyne Dunne, Rachel Gaudry, Karen Jacobsen, Sarah McGregor, Juliet Obsessed, Louise Perryman, and Rebecca Rennie were backed by a band featuring some of Sydney's most sought after musicians. Each singer performed two Joni songs to rapturous applause. Classic songs from the Blue album as well as tracks from albums such as The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Mingus, Hejira, Wild Things Run Fast, Dog Eat Dog, Night Ride Home, and Clouds were performed to an wonderfully appreciative audience. The room had an electric atmosphere. The last song of the evening was a performance of "Big Yellow Taxi," featuring all ten singers. The reaction to this song was so overwhelming, it was performed a second time. Joni Mitchell last toured Australia in 1983, and her fans were definitely ready to hear her spell-binding material showcased again. An in-depth profile from discussion list member and reporter Angela Takats- "Don't interrupt the sorrow, Darn right In flames our prophet witches Be polite" ....... First words to the first song of the first live performance of Joni's work that I have seen! WOW! Ten local female singer / songwriters, two Joni songs each....an hour and a half of pure Joni. It was a packed jazz bar in the basement of a high rise building in Sydney where this Joni Tribute Concert took place. "I'm going to do these songs the way Joni did them, cause there's no better way", said the first performer as she started strumming the opening chords of "DITS," and all I could see was a sea of smiles, of lit up faces, soon mouthing the words to a song we all knew. Then came "All I Want," "Amelia," "Solid Love"....the band sounded fantastic during "Hissing" and "Help Me," it consisted of drums, sax, bass, piano, lead guitar and later on in the evening, during the jazzy "Dry Cleaner" song, you would have sworn the whole Shadows and Light concert band was present, that Jaco Pastorius and Michael Brecker were up on stage, the guys didn't miss a beat or note, very impressive. But it wasn't "all band", all night. The piano was played by some performers for songs like "River," and by far the most moving performance of the evening was accompanied by piano....a tiny young lady, named Robyn took centre stage, with the chords of "Blue" floating from the piano. She sang with such ease, yet emotion, and there was a kind of "awe-struck" silence that fell over the crowd, a silence which lasted right through her second choice of song..."with heaven full of astronauts and the Lord on death row" ("Same Situation") And just hearing the words of that song, sung live - major shivers all over...I just couldn't blink, or breath - it was just one of those amazing moments. And it makes me sad to think Joni doesn't perform her piano songs anymore - cause songs like "Same Situation" are so beautiful. Most of the performers stuck to Joni-style, but some decided to interpret her songs their own way, and some did a very nasty job of it! Some performers just didn't have the voice to even attempt Joni's work, and some tried just a little too hard to stamp their name on her songs - NO THANKS, not something this Joni fan enjoyed hearing. There was, however, a very lovely interpretation of "Both Sides Now," sung with a real jazziness - very smooth, cool and easy to listen to. Other songs performed were "Carey," "Be Cool," "Richard," "Twisted" (which everyone got "down" and "funky" to), "A Case of You," "Trouble Child," "Fiction," and "Come in From the Cold." I was really surprised at how well most of the singers handled Joni's songs. Hearing her work performed live made me appreciate and marvel at its difficulty. She makes things sound so effortless, so easy. A song like "Richard" - with a melody that doesn't seem to sit still, notes flowing into one another, up and down, and all that emotion and those "Dark Cafe Days..." - such a challenging song to perform live! Joni is amazing!!!! But back to the concert....the last song performed - ANY GUESSES??? "BYT" of course - with all the singers belting out a line each - very groovy and uplifting ending to a great night. I'm told by organisers that the tribute concert will be back at the Basement in a few months time - considering tickets were totally sold out. So the girls will be back with a new batch of songs - there are just so many good ones to choose from and I was surprised that songs like "Black Crow," "Ladies of the Canyon," and "Woodstock" were not chosen. But the good thing was the variety of the songs - the concert featured her slow piano songs, her folky accoustic ones and her later jazzy songs. Final thought - It was just so nice to see the smiles on faces as each new song began, and you'd hear "oh, this song, I love this song"...and each new song took each person back to certain moments in their lives - a dance in the dark, a soft kiss, a peaceful happiness, a teary night, a starry night, a night ride home.... Tribute thoughts from Angela Sydney, Australia ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 20:06:12 EDT From: TheHotelNH@aol.com Subject: meetings Reading all these posts about meet and greets has made me hungry for some Joni company. I, too, would like to meet other people who hang on every word, wonder about the "notches," and deal with constant guitar retunings. I probably won't be able to make the one in the fall, but I'd kind of like to know where most of the people on the list live. I'm in AL...have we any other southerners? I'm kind of new to the list, so how about southern meet and greets? I'd even love to go to one out on the west coast. It seems that several people on here are in CA, and with the summer just starting, I'd love to be in on any gatherings in any tourist towns. Chris ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 10:26:22 +1000 From: "Takats, Angela" Subject: re:why so many don't post Penny wrote: <> I agree with the whole timely issue....by the time I read thru all the posts and find some that I really want to reply to....the subject is old and something new and exciting is being discussed. And, I don't know if Penny mentioned it, but the whole feeling of being too scared to say or question things on the list for fear that those, with much more knowledge than me, will get annoyed with my questions. But I really love reading thru the conversations that go on, on the list....even if a lot of them go straight over my head! :) ange ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 17:51:59 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: re:why so many don't post > And, I don't know if Penny mentioned it, but the whole feeling of being too > scared to say or question things on the list for fear that those, with much > more knowledge than me, will get annoyed with my questions. My answer to this is: Let them be annoyed. I think there are enough generous people of good will on this list to outnumber the few spoil-sports who seem unable to leave their bad humor off-line. We all have a right to our own opinions and our own way of expressing them. As long as you aren't mean-spirited or trying to stir up trouble I think I can safely say that the majority of the people on this list *want* to hear from you. Got a question? Out with it! Somebody will try to help you out and not belittle you for asking. Want to start a topic or express an opinion? Do it! We may disagree with you but on the whole we'll respect you for speaking out. Don't let the few bad apples lead you to believe that the whole barrel is rotten. We're a great bunch of people here. Come in from the cold! Connect with us! We are all the richer for it! Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 11:04:36 +1000 From: "Takats, Angela" Subject: detuning question OK...quick question. I found the great website where there are all the detunings for joni songs...and I have worked out several of them. But I was wondering whether there is a site to describe where one puts ones fingers once the guitar is detuned? Or have all you clever guitarists just figured it out for yourselves? Moi not so clever...someone sent me the 'finger placement' things for Peoples Parties, but I just wanted to know if there's a whole lot of instructions floating around out there? Thanks - - Ange ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 20:11:41 -0500 From: Hyatt McClennen Subject: Carey Comments and Question on TTT/Cut TTT Hi, everyone. I could relate to what Catgirl said on yesterday's or today's post. Though I read the list every day, I have hesitated to post (though I have sent posts to JMDL individuals) for fear of saying something stupid or asking something stupid and being ridiculed, because I have read some responses that I felt were brutally insensitive. But I will risk appearing stupid and post tonight. RE: Carey Discussion I always thought that Carey was a casual friend that lived (at the time) in Greece but was probaly an American (the name sounded so). The lyrics were light (emotionally) so I doubted she was intimately involved with him (just my opinion). TTT Question: Maybe nobody knows or cares but I have wondered who Anna (wild and dear) is or was. "Thought" makes me think Anna is either no longer with us or is no longer in Joni's life. I have felt like Anna is possibly an animal - maybe a domestic cat or a tiger. Does anyone have an opinion? I have always wanted to write to Joni and tell her how much her words and music have meant to me. Does anyone know if that is just a totally impossible thing to do? ...... or maybe even a Christmas card once a year. Do you think it could be directed to her recording company address or would she never see it. I don't mean to invade her privacy in any way. I have only been using the Internet for a short while, and I don't know how to extract a few lines out of the weekly post and copy it into my post so that everyone knows what my comment is in reference to. Can someone tell me how? Debbe in Birmingham (AL) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 13:49:59 +1200 From: "Helen M. Adcock" Subject: Re: Philly Meet n' Greet (long...pull up a chair) WallyK wrote: >bob!!! what a great post! you're so funny! and i'm green with envy: the >closest place where i can find another jmdler in the southern hemisphere is >australia. not that i wouldn't like to TRAVEL THERE, but it's a bit too far. >i loved the part about the penis-search at the record store! i'm dying to >meet you all, jmdlers. i only hope people won't turn around and go back home >when they notice me at ashara's this september. >wallyK Australia is a lovely place - but New Zealand is closer, if you're travelling east to west. Just wanted to get the facts straight! And I agree, sounds like Bob, CatGirl, etc. had a great time. Yet again I'm reminded what a pain it is to live so far away from other Joni-lovers! Helen ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 23:23:37 EDT From: Ashara@aol.com Subject: Re: why so many don't post Mark very eloquently said: << I think there are enough generous people of good will on this list to outnumber the few spoil-sports who seem unable to leave their bad humor off-line. We all have a right to our own opinions and our own way of expressing them. As long as you aren't mean-spirited or trying to stir up trouble I think I can safely say that the majority of the people on this list *want* to hear from you. Got a question? Out with it! Somebody will try to help you out and not belittle you for asking. Want to start a topic or express an opinion? Do it! We may disagree with you but on the whole we'll respect you for speaking out. Don't let the few bad apples lead you to believe that the whole barrel is rotten. We're a great bunch of people here. Come in from the cold! Connect with us! We are all the richer for it! >> Yes, we ARE the richer for it! I sometimes can not believe the amount of time spent reading.....and reading......and reading.....but I know that I have a community that has been here for me not only to talk about Joni, to discuss the meaning of her lyrics, or why her music means so much to us, but also has been there for me to send postcards to my son, to get me through a very dear friend's death, and now to support Wally through this fundraiser. Please don't hide if you have something to say! Hugs, Ashara ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V1 #67 ***************************** The Song and Album Voting Booths are open! Cast your votes by clicking the links at http://www.jmdl.com/gallery username: jimdle password: siquomb ------- Don't forget about these ongoing projects: Glossary project: Send a blank message to for all the details. FAQ Project: Help compile the JMDL FAQ. 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