From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V1 #244 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk onlyJMDL Digest Friday, October 29 1999 Volume 01 : Number 244 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:JMDL Cookbook/birthday present ["Lori REASON"] RE: How much, how often? ["Takats, Angela" ] My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) [Bob.Muller@fluor.com] Re: hair & moustaches & O&M [Bob.Muller@fluor.com] Re: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) ["Kakki" ] Re: Does Joni influence your life too much (MD) ? [MDESTE1@aol.com] Re: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) [Jerry Notaro ] Me Tarzan You sucked! :~) [Bob.Muller@fluor.com] Tar Babie Babble (as in Tower of...) [Julian51469@aol.com] Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni [MP123A321@aol.com] lindsay's miracle ear... [RickieLee1@aol.com] Re: Dreamland. Discuss [David Wright ] Re: Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni ["Kakki" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 20:08:32 +0200 From: "Lori REASON" Subject: Re:JMDL Cookbook/birthday present Congratulations Marian!!! I think what you wrote was perfect. I cannot wait to get copies of it. Lori, of the Tribe of Joan ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 04:43:09 +1000 From: "Takats, Angela" Subject: RE: How much, how often? Jason wrote: <> I think I listen to way too much Joni.....I only have about 3 CDs that aren't joni...whenever people come over they always comment that there's a joni cd in the player, she's in the car tape player...she's everywhere....that's how I like it. I think her music has influenced my playing and writing so much, just the way I sing too, I'll slide up and down notes (sorry, that's not the proper music term??) which used to piss my music teacher off so much, but hey ;-) I don't think JM has influenced my thinking/morals etc that much...I feel more open minded after listening to her songs and reading about her life....some people would say everything I do has something joni about it, like I can weave her into converstation when I want to...and I often want to....so there's my 2 cents Ange Sydney ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 14:41:25 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@fluor.com Subject: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) Well, now it's MY turn to "Gloat" over Joni's Jazz! :~D These tapes just arrived in the mail yesterday, and before I did anything else I popped 'em in the player and began to immerse myself...and it's now less than 24 hours later and I'm on my third listen... I try not to dwell on the fact that I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. I was working in NJ, and Brian was going, so logistically it would have worked out great, but I decided to fly home that day instead. Well, the flight was cancelled, I ended up driving 12 hours from Philly to Greenville, was a vegetable for most of the weekend anyway, so it was sort of God's way of saying "You Idiot - You should have gone to Joni's Jazz!" But thank God, ...no, thank Simon!! for this WONDERFUL collection...first off, the quality is amazing! This isn't some blurry, muffled bootleg - this is a professional top-quality recording of a bona fide historical event! Simon, I'm FOREVER indebted to you for your efforts in capturing and distributing this event! And also a lil' tip of the cap to Jerry for your expeditious work... Now, on to the music: Firstly, major props here to Vernon Reid - this band is EXTREMELY tight, they don't miss a note or a beat that I can tell, especially amazing when you consider that a few of these songs get some re-arrangements and new treatments. Tape 1, Side A After some heartfelt comments by Danny Kapilian, the producer of the "Celebration", the band kicks off with Trouble Child. sounding like WAR in their prime. Toshi Reagon handles the song with a couple rough spots, but a nice start. Next, Carl Hanckcock Rux & Dean Bowman offer an even more sinister-than-the-original take on Jungle Line - has a pretty good groove but they don't know quite where to go with it. Then there's Jane Siberry...I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt here, but frankly, both her performances here are dreadful. She doesn't know the words, she doesn't know the melodies, she talks her way through songs, it sounds like drunk Aunt Lil doing bad karaoke at a wedding party or something. Was she sick? Was she stoned? Had she even HEARD these songs before? Luckily, in both cases, the following acts rescue her mediocrity. Ravi Coltrane comes on with Same Situation, and plays some beautiful sax, really lets the band get into the jazz groove, then takes of in a free-style which ends just as he's about to lose me. Tasty Stuff. Christina Wheeler offers up "Edith" & "Jericho", and again comes up a little lacking...is she a jazz singer? Maybe the monitors weren't working properly. Still, her singing is OK, what she's lacking in pitch she makes up for with her zeal (there are many of us JMDLer's who coulda done these better). Then, what sounds like Prince Be from PM Dawn sings a soulful Free Man In Paris, and PM Dawn does a song inspired by "I's A Muggin", even though I don't see a lot of resemblance between the 8 second blip on Mingus and this rap piece...I don't dislike it though, and it adds to the variety of sounds being presented, and like the Ravi sax number, just when I'm tired of it it's done. Side B "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow" kicks off this side and Chaka rocks and rules the show, her love for the music and for Joni really shines through...Even when she misses a verse she sells it so well you can't find any fault with the performance. I can't wait to hear her song on the Tribute record! Unfortunately, this is followed by the first of two Eric Anderson numbers, and like Jane Siberry before him, he's awful, to put it bluntly. I suppose he gets some credit for showing Joni alternate tunings all those years ago, but listening to him here is like watching some 90-year old throw out a historic first pitch - maybe the old-timer used to have his stuff, but man is it gone now! Hopefully he doesn't have to make a living doing this sort of thing... He mumbles through Just Like This Train but again the show gets picked up by Joe Jackson and Joy Askew doing Down You with a cadence of Case of You thrown in the middle section instead of the orchestration; it's a nice touch, and Joe's piano is note-for-note perfection, he doesn't just play the song, he inhabits it. The balance of this side continues on a high note, of particular pleasure is Sheryl Marshall's "ska" take on Raised on Robbery. Again, it's a joy to hear how tight the band is, you can tell that Reid put them all through the motions and they came prepared! Tape 2, Side A With this side begins the centerpiece of the show, the entire album Hejira done in sequence, and it's for the most part a highly enjoyable exercise...Joy Askew gets it going with a fine Coyote. John Kelly brings a very haunting quality to his songs (Amelia here and Shadows and Light earlier). Chaka scats and swings with Hejira, and though she sometimes seems to veer too far from the heart and soul of the song, she always finds her way back home. As a big PM Dawn fan, hearing their accurate take of Song For Sharon is a joy. Also a treat here are the backing vocals, an integral part of this song IMO. And the band is incredible, shifting from the pepped-up Hejira to the subtle, softer Sharon. Once again, Eric Anderson and Jane Siberry provide low, low points, Jane totally dismantling and disfiguring Strange Boy (even worse than Cassandra with her studio version of Black Crow), and Eric spoiling Furry. 'Nuff said about these two...don't quit your day jobs, guys...Oops, those ARE your day jobs! Side B It's funny, after what I had read previously here I was expecting Duncan Shiek to disappoint but he sounds just fine to me, handling Refuge (and Court and Spark on Tape 1) with clarity, vulnerability (as opposed to mediocrity) and sensitivity. Above all he shows respect for the integrity of the songs he performs. Toshi Reagon kicks with a salsa-fied Black Crow, actually it's pretty true to the original, with additional measures loose and funky. You can tell that Chaka has inspired her to wail a little here, she's enjoying herself and also gets Vernon Reid to fire up a smokin' guitar solo that ends all too quick - I was hoping he'd step up front a little more and make this song rock, but no complaints from me, except that it's over too soon! Erin Hamilton also serves up Blue Motel Room straight up, much like the album version, with the excellent color of Graham (Gray-um or Gram I don't know) Haynes on cornet. Again, a wonderful transition from Kickin on Black Crow to the smoky jazz lounge sound here. Then the encore, and a special treat indeed; Hendricks and Ross perform Twisted and Jumpin At The Woodside, and they both swing like mad! Then the real treat, Joni herself comes onstage and the band and ensemble close out with Help Me, which in this incarnation should be subtitled Bring Me a Lyric Sheet...I suppose you and I could get stage fright and muff line after line of a Joni song, especially with Joni standing there in front of us, but it's enough to make you squirm...after all, this was Joni's biggest hit, you'd think SOMEONE from the ensemble there to sing Joni's songs could pull it off. Oh well, when Joni throws in a couple of lines ("and you loo-ove your loviiiin'..."), and scats out the ending, it's heavenly! Really nice acoustic jazz guitar here as well... Anyway, don't take my dissing and negative comments too strongly, 98.6% of this show is heavenly as well, I'm forever grateful to have the opportunity to hear it, and enjoy it again and again!! When the singers are off, the band remains on, and when the singers are ON, the music soars! And for anybody that wants a copy and hasn't gotten hooked up yet, lemme know and I'll make it happen for you. Shoot, I'll even edit out the Jane and Eric bits if you like! :~) Bob NP: Duncan Sheik, "Refuge of the Roads" -------------------------------------------------------------- The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain 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: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:21:28 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@fluor.com Subject: Re: hair & moustaches & O&M Debra said: <> And I thought it was interesting in this context that on the Demo of Dreamland she sings "on the arm of MY Marlboro Man", and on the DJRD version it's "HER Marlboro Man", maybe that was intentional... Bob NP: "How Do You Stop" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 13:04:03 -0700 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) Bob, What an excellent review and (IMO) accurate appraisal of the performances! I had almost the same take on it all. Only small quibble is regarding Duncan Sheik - I love his music but just thought he could have done so much better here. > But thank God, ...no, thank Simon!! for this WONDERFUL collection...first > off, the quality is amazing! Yes, simon, it's incredible!! > Firstly, major props here to Vernon Reid - this band is EXTREMELY tight, > they don't miss a note or a beat that I can tell, especially amazing when > you consider that a few of these songs get some re-arrangements and new > treatments. For me, Vernon Reid and the band were the big superstars of the night on many levels. As for Jane, Eric and a few others who seemed off, I wonder if they just got stage fright or intimidated trying to keep up with that amazing band. Also, Joni was sitting right there in front of them afterall, and some of the other performers like Chaka, would be a tough act to follow. Plus, I think Jane and Eric are more comfortable in smaller, intimate venues. Ooo, I felt for them. Kakki NP: New CSNY ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:33:24 EDT From: MDESTE1@aol.com Subject: Re: Does Joni influence your life too much (MD) ? Joni affects me in many ways and on many levels. Mostly reactive as opposed to proactive. I dont do things because I know or know of Joni. And I dont have things in my life explained or revealed to me because of some insight I have received from her songs. To me she is like any great great artist or in particular a painter. I am certain that she is a great impressionistic master reincarnated. Sisley, Pissarro, or Monet dont influence me but they enhance my appreciation for art itself and the things they have created have given me unimaginable joy. Jonis songs are very personal. She is revealing much about herself in them. What has happened to her doesnt affect me per se. I marvel however at Joni on a couple levels. First her prodigious productivity in creating her art (and the quality of it over such a long period of time) and expanding it into many dimensions is awe inspiring. Many popular (and rich) artists arent within light years of her in this respect. Secondly she has been able to extricate herself from the vortex that many other artists have been sucked into producing less quality and often horrible product as their careers fizzle into meaningless parodies of their best years. Instead we have Joni arising to new heights of artistic conquest with her forays into Mingus, Turbulent Indigo, TTT, and the VG-8 maintaining her integrity as she did so. Just as Picasso went from the Cubist realist to the surrealist modernist maintaining his brilliance the entire journey.. From this I guess I have gained one thing. The knowledge that integrity wins in the end if one can keep it. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:40:53 -0400 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) Kakki wrote: > Bob, > > What an excellent review and (IMO) accurate appraisal of the performances! Absolutely. You have a great ear Bob, especially for Joe Jackson's brilliant piano playing. > > > As for Jane, Eric and a few others who seemed off, I wonder if they just got > stage fright or intimidated trying to keep up with that amazing band. Well, I was there for the rehearsal before the concert, 6th row center, and it was NOT stage fright but lack of preparation. It was an embarrassment. Chaka definite ruled the night and really knew Joni's music. Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:39:37 -0400 From: Susan McNamara Subject: Re: My Take on Joni's Jazz (LONG) Bob said: >Once again, Eric >Anderson and Jane Siberry provide low, low points, Jane totally dismantling >and disfiguring Strange Boy (even worse than Cassandra with her studio >version of Black Crow), and Eric spoiling Furry. 'Nuff said about these >two...don't quit your day jobs, guys...Oops, those ARE your day jobs! Thanks, Bob, for saying something that I've been biting my tongue over for the last two weeks. I am very overcritical of anyone covering Joni so I had given Jane Siberry the benefit of the doubt that she was completely FREAKED that Joni was in the audience. I'm not sure what Eric's excuse was because he's been her friend since the beginning of time! Here's a question...do you think that having Joni sitting in the front row effected the performances? Although you would think professionals wouldn't get flustered, my answer would be yes, especially with the vocalists. Just my two cents. Sue ____________________ /____________________\ ||-------------------|| || Sue McNamara || || sem8@cornell.edu || ||___________________|| || O etch-a-sketch O || \___________________/ weekend email address: suemc16@webtv.net "It's all a dream she has awake" - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 17:04:40 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@fluor.com Subject: Me Tarzan You sucked! :~) Sue asks: <> And Jerry adds: <> To which I'll add...with Jane, she definitely has the pipes, she was just unrehearsed, like she was just phoning it in...maybe if she knew Joni would be there she would have been prepared. Back in my community theatre days, we did a performance of a play with the playwright in the audience, and it was an INSPIRATION. We gave our best performance of the run, of course, we had rehearsed appropriately. Maybe Jane's schedule didn't allow her prep time, although I think that's also giving her the benefit of the doubt... Eric, on the other hand, is like my dear old Dad, the poor guy just has no sense of key, pitch or rhythm, at least not evidenced in his performances here. I don't think months of rehearsals would've helped him as much as one phone call to Paz to sit in for him! Bob NP: Joni and David Dye on the World Cafe -------------------------------------------------------------- The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain 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: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 17:25:46 EDT From: Julian51469@aol.com Subject: Tar Babie Babble (as in Tower of...) Debra sez: and... <_Tar Baby_ by Toni Morrison, which came out in the early 80s, after DJRD, but have read that she considers the name Tar Baby to be a racial slur, so I have to pay attention to that.> and let's not forget Sade's "Tar Baby"... I really don't have much to add except I am thrilled at the discourse this term, let alone Joni's song brings up for people. Has anyone mentioned that DJRD came out at a time when people weren't so worried about political correctness, not to mention the evolution of a word or slang terminology? These gems like "tar baby" litterally and figuratively get stuck in gooey dark syntax and cultural taboos. I really appreciate Debra (Kedabra)'s "all sides now" response....because I feel that's the time we are living in. Julian ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 18:15:12 EDT From: MP123A321@aol.com Subject: Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni Sue's post about Heart..... <> I also bought this when it came out and listened to some songs over and over, a needed break from Joni. Did anyone catch Sandra Bernhard singing Heart's "Magic Man" on The Friar's Roast - Comedy Central? Fairly amusing. I cannot get enough of Sandra's version of "Is That All There Is?" from Stormy Weather CD. One of my favorite CD's not released this past year. Great covers, I am hoping Joni's forthcoming release will be great. I will say Joni's performance on S.W. CD has been played less by me than the other cuts on the CD . This surprised me as I originally sought it out for Joni cut. Anyone else experience this? Maurice NP: my rickety old chair ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 18:47:00 EDT From: RickieLee1@aol.com Subject: lindsay's miracle ear... greetings listers! just thought i'd drop in and check on all you knuckleheads. i wanted you all to know that i am doing my best to prepare the next generation of JMDL members, which as many of you may have already learned, is a bit of a challenge! but, i am happy to report that my 8 year old daughter, the lovely lindsay, is becoming a joni fan! i am so proud!!! i am forever playing joni cd's and tapes in the car while i ferry her from school or to the store or, like tonight, to soccer practice, and she told me that by the time she was a teenager she would know all the words to every joni song there was. well, i almost had to pull over and give her a stick of gum. what a kid! (of course, it could be she just knows how to play her old man like a flute...if you knew lindsay, you would understand this is not outside the realm of the possible by any stretch of the imagination...) some of you may recall a post from way back when, when i shared lindsay's strange version of "facelift" whose pivotal line she understood to be: "happiness is the best spaceship." ??? today we were on our way to soccer and my joni tape is blasting out "lead balloon" (i hope you are proud of me kakki!!) and there's little lindsay, wailing away in the back seat. and once again, i had to frown and cock my head..."what are you singing honey?" i asked. and this is EXACTLY how she responded, as my heart prepared to burst: "sick her rover! then bend over like a red balloon, red red red red balloon" and once again, just like with the facelift/spaceship debacle, when i gently and lovingly corrected the little imp, she rather haughtily insisted she liked HER version better and refused to change it to joni's! call the lyric police! and, of course, the question that begs asking is this: SHOULD I GET THIS KID'S HEARING CHECKED - OR WHAT??? oh it ain't easy, raising a joni fan! hoping you are all well! sending love, ric ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 19:51:51 -0400 (EDT) From: David Wright Subject: Re: Dreamland. Discuss On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, dsk wrote: > In one of the stories, Brer Fox makes a > "contraption" covered with tar that he calls a Tar Baby. [snip] > I've never read _Tar Baby_ by Toni Morrison, which came out in the early 80s, > after DJRD, but have read that she considers the name Tar Baby to be a racial > slur, so I have to pay attention to that. I'm curious about whether it's tied > to the Uncle Remus stories and how they're viewed, or whether the name has > taken on (or always had) a life of its own. I don't know, but I think the use of "tar baby" as a slur (which I agree that it is, though Joni may use it ironically) is rooted in the Uncle Remus story. In it, the tar baby is, not just a contraption, but actually a human figure made out of tar which Brer Rabbit mistakes for a real person. Brer Fox dresses the tar baby in a jacket and a straw hat and sits it on a log on the side of the road. Brer Rabbit, passing by, says, "Howdy." No answer. "Howdy," he says again, louder. Still no answer. Brer Rabbit says something to the effect of, "I'll teach you manners!" and punches the tar baby with his right fist. It sticks fast, which makes him so mad he hits the tar baby with his left fist, then his right foot, then his left foot, and finally his head, I think. - --David ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 18:41:39 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni I will say Joni's performance on S.W. CD > has been played less by me than the other cuts on the CD . This surprised me > as I originally sought it out for Joni cut. Anyone else experience this? > > Maurice > NP: my rickety old chair > To be quite honest I wasn't much impressed by Joni's performance of the song 'Stormy Weather'. It's the one standard we've heard her do so far that I don't think she nailed. Maybe the studio version will be better. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 23:00:39 -0400 From: luvart@snet.net Subject: Re: lindsay's miracle ear... At 06:47 PM 10/28/99 EDT, RickieLee1@aol.com wrote: > >and this is EXACTLY how she responded, as my heart prepared to burst: > >"sick her rover! >then bend over like a >red balloon, red red red red balloon" > Oh she's your daughter, alright ;-) Heather ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 22:20:57 -0700 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: lindsay's miracle ear... Lindsay mondegreened: > "sick her rover! > then bend over like a > red balloon, red red red red balloon" > > and once again, just like with the facelift/spaceship debacle, when i gently > and lovingly corrected the little imp, she rather haughtily insisted she > liked HER version better and refused to change it to joni's! call the lyric > police! Ric, this was my big LOL of the day! I think even Joni would like this version better. ;-) Kakki P.S. I also can't get enough of the new Sting. He's here in town playing at UA but I can't make it to the shows ;-( For me, Sting sits at the left hand of Siquomb and Hikuomb (Mr. Stevie Wonder) so there!! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 22:30:59 -0700 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Heart /Sandra/Stormy Weather/Joni Mark admitted: > To be quite honest I wasn't much impressed by Joni's performance of > the song 'Stormy Weather'. It's the one standard we've heard her do > so far that I don't think she nailed. Maybe the studio version will > be better. As one who saw the show along with Ken and Steve J, I also thought Joni's performance was very weak (please don't slap me, Ken! ;-) but it also seemed like she was very nervous to be performing the grand finale following the others who were uniformly stupendous. Plus, she'd just finished performing a couple of duets with Bjork, (not included on the CD) who was running and hopping all over the stage and Joni. As for "Heart's Greatest Hits", this was another unwanted CD which came to me in the mail after I'd forgotten to send back my "decline" card to a record club. But when I finally decided to give it a listen I was blown away. It's fantastic. Kakki ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V1 #244 ****************************** 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. Do you have mailing list-related questions? -send them to Trivia Project: Send your Joni trivia questions and/or answers to Today in History Project: Know of a date-specific Joni fact? - -send it to ------- Post messages to the list at Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe onlyjoni-digest" to ------- Siquomb, isn't she?