From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #200 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Saturday, May 20 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 200 The 'Official' Joni Mitchell Homepage, created by Wally Breese, can be found at http://www.jonimitchell.com. It contains the latest news, a detailed bio, Original Interviews, essays, lyrics and much much more. --- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. --- Ashara has set up a "Wally Breese Memorial Fund" with all donations going directly towards the upkeep of the website. Wally kept the website going with his own funds. it is now up to US to help Jim continue. If you would like to donate to this fund, please make all checks payable to: Jim Johanson and send them to: Ashara Stansfield P.O. Box 215 Topsfield, MA. 01983 USA ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Diva Divine (was A Friend's Poem) ["Paul Castle" ] The Good Dr. Lucy ["Paul Castle" ] Joni's voice ["Jamie Zubairi" ] Eva sings Joni ["Paul Castle" ] Re: signed litho question [WirlyPearl@aol.com] UK Jonifest 2000 Box Set ["Raffaele Malanga" ] UK Jonifest 2000 Box Set ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] InStyle Magazine with Joni & Goldie [mann@chicagonet.net] Re: Joni Mentions [Jim and/or Jay ] Re: signed litho question [Phyliss Ward ] Re: Joni Mentions [Linda Worster ] Reporters Needed [Leslie Mixon ] Re: Joni's voice [Relayer211@aol.com] Joni's other sister Patti ["Marc McCarron" ] Re: signed litho question [FMYFL@aol.com] Joni Concert Preview in the New Yorker [Michael Langdon ] Re: Joni's voice [Guitarpoint@aol.com] Joni is everywhere ["kerry" ] Re: Joni's cancelled tour - 1978 (?) [Mark Domyancich ] JM.COM Atlanta Concert Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler) Part 1 [SCJoniGuy] Re: Joni's other sister Patti ["Patricia O'Connor" ] Re: Part 2 - Atlanta Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler alert) [SCJoniGuy@ao] Joni Mitchell Reviewed [Seulbzzaj@aol.com] Re: Fiddles on BSN ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] Re: Joni's other sister Patti ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: tape trees and Napster [guitarzan@saber.net] JMDL Digest V2000 #268 [Cindy09876@aol.com] Joni stat on amazon.com [Mark Domyancich ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 08:11:34 -0400 From: "Paul Castle" Subject: Diva Divine (was A Friend's Poem) Leslie leslie@torchsongs.com posted > Diva Divine > By Rebecka Hawkins, 5-14-00 Wow, this is great. I lived through the build up with jittery stomach anticipation, stopping briefly to marvel at lines like > "And with a breath, we are on the same page" Please thank Rebecka. My file of tour report favourites is starting to bulge already. When this is all over, it is going to make the most wonderful anthology. PaulC ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:52:28 -0400 From: "Paul Castle" Subject: The Good Dr. Lucy Thought some might like to see this little interaction with the lucy-list@smoe.org yesterday. I wrote: << I hope Harvey will forgive me for stealing his thunder a little, but I could not stop myself posting extracts of the Associated Press interview on the Joni list. >> Harvey SpecGlobal@aol.com wrote: > Paul; > Forgive you? I thank you! The more people that hear about Lucy and > her music the better. Please feel free to repost to your heart's content. > As for the Joni List, I would guess that anyone who is a Joni fan should > absolutely love Lucy. I saw Joni in concert just after "Blue" came out. >The "emotional resonance" that I heard and felt that night was something > that I have never forgotten. Joni's performance of "River" at that concert > was probably the most incredible thing I have ever witnessed a performer > do. The depth of sadness and despair Joni had in her voice was (both > literally and figuratively) breathtaking. It wasn't until many years later > that I read that during that period Joni was in the midst of approaching > (or experiencing) a nervous breakdown. It took many years until I found > in Lucy an artist who could communicate emotion at the same kind of > deep level (thankfully without the accompanying clinical difficulties). > I have had some extraordinarily interesting conversations about what > draws a person to a particular artist's music. Lucy has an exceptionally > beautiful voice, her material (particularly the things she and Rick have > written) is fantastic, she always projects genuine intelligence, wit, > warmth and friendliness, and is a joy to see in concert. All true, but > for me it has always been the "emotional resonance" that touches me > most deeply and most sets Lucy apart from other artists. When Lucy > performs, it is patently obvious how deeply she experiences her music. > There is only one Joni Mitchell. Likewise, there is only one Lucy > Kaplansky. > Harvey Well said, Harve! PaulC NP: 'I'm only Sleeping' by The Beatles - on the radio - old John Lennon interview talking about the days they decided not to tour America any more after the "more famous than Jesus" aftermath. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:29:06 +0100 From: "Jamie Zubairi" Subject: Joni's voice All this fuss about Joni's voice deteriorating.... It's my opinion that she is using the lower end by *choice*. In 1988 CMIARS the final song Bird That Whistles, Joni is using the high end of her voice and is as just *there* as it always was. OK so with age a woman will lose a couple of notes from her top end (like men will lose notes off their bottom) and smoking will have taken off one or two notes more, but she is merely using her chest voice, where the voice is stronger anyway. OK so CMIARS was 12 years ago but still, she was using her chest a lot more then. Even in DED she was using a lot more bottom than say FTR. She probably just needs to use it a little more to exercise her head muscles to get a little more of that range back. I would prefer to have her bottom and chest than her head any day, as long as it was in London! Jamie Zoob ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:40:42 -0400 From: "Paul Castle" Subject: Eva sings Joni Found this on Eva Cassidy's site run by her cousin, Laura Bligh at http://users.erols.com/hoganandbligh/evanew.htm "Bob Harris [BBC DJ] played Eva's "Woodstock" this past Saturday night as part of a Joni Mitchell set. He said, "I know you'll know the song but you've probably never heard this version before. But, what a beautiful version of this song by the late Eva Cassidy." Although I didn't hear this, I checked Bob H's website and see that he followed this with Joni's version of 'Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire' from For The Roses. PaulC ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 07:04:30 EDT From: WirlyPearl@aol.com Subject: Re: signed litho question Hi Jimmy, The initials A.P. stand for Artist's Proof. The others I saw had it also. That's how Joni signed the signed lithos I got at the 1998 concert in Anaheim as well. Pearl > I was looking at the signed litho I purchased at the Florida concert and Joni > > signs her name in the lower right hand corner, but in the lower left hand > corner there are some kind of initials. It looks like A.P. but I'm not sure. > > Did anyone else that purchase a signed litho see any initials? > > Thanks, > Jimmy > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 04:19:54 PDT From: "Raffaele Malanga" Subject: UK Jonifest 2000 Box Set The CD box set of the UK Jonifest 2000 held in London last January is ready! Martin Giles just came out of the mastering room after putting together a 2 disc worth of stunning renditions of Joni songs by Jamie Zubairi, Marian Russell, Chris Marshall and other UK Jmdlers. The box set comes in a ‘brilliant’ jewel box with original artwork, and it can be yours for just GBP 5.5 Martin is now taking orders, so no money is needed right now. Just send me an email booking a copy and Martin or myself will let you know as soon as the copies are ready. To order your copy send an email to r_malanga@hotmail.com P.S. I think I’ve got a future in marketing! ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 07:44:55 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: UK Jonifest 2000 Box Set I really want one! I'll look into whether my bank can give me a check (cheque) for Brit funds in the amount of GBP 5.5 or not. Do you guys have a way to _easily_ accept US Dollars or a check for US Dollars? All the best, Jim L'Hommedieu near Cincinnati ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 07:24:06 -0500 From: mann@chicagonet.net Subject: InStyle Magazine with Joni & Goldie Check out the June issue of InStyle magazine with Calista Flockhart on the cover. Under CONTENTS 'The Grapevine' Scene & Heard .......'Plus, the skinny on the phattest events: Ashley Judd and Shawn Colvin toast folk legend Joni Mitchell at a tribute concert. Page 208 (under Scene + Heard TRIBUTE) livin' la vida diva For the records: celebrating legends Joni Mitchell & Diana Ross What becomes a diva most? New York audiences found out during virtually back-to-back tribute concerts. First, TNT's homage to Joni Mitchell at Hammerstein Ballroom, featuring the likes of KD Lang and Shawn Colvin, as well as the revered singer-songwriter herself. "I've played before the Queen of England and it's not this intimidating" moaned Elton John. Post-show, Mitchell and friends trekked over to China Club. "I don't go out that much," said Goldie Hawn "so I spend my time singing Joni's songs to my son." ...................then it goes on about Diana Ross appearance for VH1 There are colored pictures along the top of the page........... 1. Joni Mitchell gets a hand at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom 2. Shawn Colvin & Host Asley Judd 3. Mitchell & Goldie Hawn at China Club (nice pic!) Laura (NJC below........only fun stuff) call Kraft # 1-800-591-1300 to instantly win cool summer prizes (including phone cards). You can call once a week. DID YOU HEAR THAT? DID YOU HEAR THAT? That's all I've heard but I keep trying! FREE Stuff for Test Drives Oldsmobile - $50 Blockbuster Giftcard http://www.driveoldsmobile.com/adlink.asp?page=divbb Chevy Malibu - $25 Gift certificate http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu/mal17_testdrive/reg_form.htm Buick - $50 gift certificate to giftcertificate.com http://www.regal.com/promotions/regal_drive/testdrive.html Buick - Canon Binoculars or Motorola Talkabout Two-Way FR50 Radios (good for tracking Joni at the concerts!!) http://www.buick.com/promotions/seeing_believing/testdrive_reg.html ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 08:46:59 -0400 From: Jim and/or Jay Subject: Re: Joni Mentions The Canadian artist Ferron began a song with a Joni rference, something like: "Last night I dreamed that Joni Mitchell came to me" I'm sure that's not the exact quote and I can't find the lyric reference. Maybe someone else can? - - D.J. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 06:41:06 -0700 From: Phyliss Ward Subject: Re: signed litho question Hi Jimmy A.P. stands for "Artist's Proof". This means it is not a limited numbered edition of this work. If it was limited there would be a set of two numbers, say 17/50 meaning that a piece was the 17th printed out of a total of 50. Usually, the smaller the total printing number, the more valuable the work would be. Artist's Proofs are less valuable than numbered editions. Enjoy! Phyliss FMYFL@aol.com wrote: > I was looking at the signed litho I purchased at the Florida concert and Joni > signs her name in the lower right hand corner, but in the lower left hand > corner there are some kind of initials. It looks like A.P. but I'm not sure. > Did anyone else that purchase a signed litho see any initials? > > Thanks, > Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:58:12 -0400 From: Linda Worster Subject: Re: Joni Mentions D.J. said: >The Canadian artist Ferron began a song with a Joni rference, something like: > >"Last night I dreamed that Joni Mitchell came to me" > >I'm sure that's not the exact quote and I can't find the lyric >reference. Maybe someone else can? "Last night, I dreamed Joni Mitchell cut her hair and changed her name to Gaia. she spoke to me in a confident air and said... 'you'd better push the edge of Maya.'" great song! Linda ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 07:19:25 -0700 From: Leslie Mixon Subject: Reporters Needed This just in from Jim at jonimitchell.com: Hi All, Oh, NO! I'm still without reporters for a few shows. Any Fabulous Writers who'd like to be the JoniMitchell.com reporter for New York (Monday 5/22 show) or Boston? There's someone I'm really hoping can do Merriweather Post, but I might need one there too. Please e-mail me as soon as you can (JoniMessages@aol.com) if you're interested, and I'll get right back to you! Jim ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:15:26 EDT From: Relayer211@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni's voice I love Joni's high pretty voice better then her voice now. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:15:46 -0400 From: "Marc McCarron" Subject: Joni's other sister Patti The two artists that I have the most respect for are Joni and Patti Smith. I own every album that each has made, I know their work well. By coincidence, they have released new albums and are now touring the country. When either releases a new disc (a rare event at times) it is cause for celebration and anticipation. The greatest concert I have ever seen was two decades ago when Joni performed the Shadows and Light tour. She was at her prime, she had one of the greatest bands ever assembled, and her material was diverse. It was an honor to attend that event in Philadelphia, thank you Joni. I have loved EVERY album Joni has created, except BSN. I own scores of albums by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington. I am a passionate fan of 40's and 50's jazz (I find most modern Jazz lame by comparison). I have listened to BSN 15 to 20 times now and I think it is mediocre. I have never felt that about any Joni album. It's Joni does "Lush Life ". I was infuriated with Joni in the a billboard interview she said "The music is pretty much fully developed and the [music] game up until recently kind of kicked me out. It kicked me out years ago. It excommunicated me for one reason or other. So seeing the best of your work designated into the obscure department doesn't make you have much hope for culture, you know what I mean?" Fuck you! you brat. Knock that chip off your shoulder and create. Why give a rat's ass about "to be obscure or not to be obscure" ? Joni, you have achieved a body of work that should be fulfilling in itself. Since when does an artist worry about pandering to the masses? Grow up. At 53, another artist is in her PRIME. Reviewers have said: " at 53 years old, and 25 years after she shook the foundation of rock and roll with her landmark debut, Horses, she still believes the primary purpose of rock and roll is to wake people up." ........."it's been too long since rock and roll was about revolution, but if anybody can revive music's lost social conscience it is Patti Smith. Swept up in the passion of Gung Ho, you'll feel like you can change the world." ............ "Smith's real appeal lies in her ironclad belief that life can be beautiful, and that we can make it so." Patti's new album Gung Ho is incredible. She proves that at 53, a rock artist can be at her prime. Her voice is magnificent, lyrics are inspirational, the music is mature and fresh, the album has purpose. The 4th , 5th, and 7th cuts are high energy kick ass rock tunes that pick you up off your feet and start you dancing, no matter where you are. This is dangerous music to drive to. This is the BEST ALBUM OF THE PAST 10 YEARS. Listen to it LOUD. It has passion and brilliance! Joni, can the trilogy, don't repeat yourself. Be inspired by Patti, your best work can be in front of you. I don't want to hear Christmas tunes. Please don't go out this way. Don't "paint another Starry Night man" Marc McCarron mrmccarron@fast.net ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:20:23 EDT From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: signed litho question In a message dated 05/20/2000 9:44:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time, pward@lightspeed.net writes: << A.P. stands for "Artist's Proof". This means it is not a limited numbered edition of this work. If it was limited there would be a set of two numbers, say 17/50 meaning that a piece was the 17th printed out of a total of 50. Usually, the smaller the total printing number, the more valuable the work would be. Artist's Proofs are less valuable than numbered editions. >> Hi Phyliss, Thanks for letting me know what A.P stands for. Since it's written in pencil, why can't I just add a 17/50 to the litho and increase the value of the work :~) Just an unscrupulous thought. Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 07:26:24 -0700 From: Michael Langdon Subject: Joni Concert Preview in the New Yorker From the May 22 New Yorker: JONI MITCHELL A little over a month ago at the Hammerstein Ballroom, Mitchell was the recipient of a constellated tribute concert. The performers who lined up for a dip into her knotty songbook included Elton John, James Taylor, Richard Thompson, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Usually, these events come posthumously, or they represent some sort of creative death certificate. But Mitchell remains wildly, if inconsistently, fecund, putting out an album about as often as Woody Allen makes a new movie. On her latest offering, "Both Sides Now," The Canadian iconoclast takes a break from her own material and covers a dozen smoky jazz standards. Remaking Billie Holiday's "You've Changed" might sound like an ill-advised idea, until you hear Mitchell's inspired and unexpectedly tender reading. (Theatre at Madison Square Garden. 307-7171. May 22-23 at 8.) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:09:33 EDT From: LasaterJ@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni Concert Preview in the New Yorker Somebody at the New Yorker needs to check his/her facts. Woody Allen releases about one film per year...the Internet Movie Database lists 33 titles under his filmography. And that's not counting the films he's starred in that were not written or directed by him. Joni isn't exactly the most prolific artist in popular music. In the 1980's and 1990's Joni released a total of SIX studio albums if my math is correct. But I suppose if you factor in her painting, you could safely call her 'fecund.' But whatever you do, don't call her a 'folk singer.' :-) - -John NP: XTC, "Playground" from Wasp Star ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:28:14 -0600 From: Bounced Message Subject: Joni's other sister Patti From: "Marc McCarron" Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:15:46 -0400 The two artists that I have the most respect for are Joni and Patti Smith. I own every album that each has made, I know their work well. By coincidence, they have released new albums and are now touring the country. When either releases a new disc (a rare event at times) it is cause for celebration and anticipation. The greatest concert I have ever seen was two decades ago when Joni performed the Shadows and Light tour. She was at her prime, she had one of the greatest bands ever assembled, and her material was diverse. It was an honor to attend that event in Philadelphia, thank you Joni. I have loved EVERY album Joni has created, except BSN. I own scores of albums by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington. I am a passionate fan of 40's and 50's jazz (I find most modern Jazz lame by comparison). I have listened to BSN 15 to 20 times now and I think it is mediocre. I have never felt that about any Joni album. It's Joni does "Lush Life ". I was infuriated with Joni in the a billboard interview she said "The music is pretty much fully developed and the [music] game up until recently kind of kicked me out. It kicked me out years ago. It excommunicated me for one reason or other. So seeing the best of your work designated into the obscure department doesn't make you have much hope for culture, you know what I mean?" Fuck you! you brat. Knock that chip off your shoulder and create. Why give a rat's ass about "to be obscure or not to be obscure" ? Joni, you have achieved a body of work that should be fulfilling in itself. Since when does an artist worry about pandering to the masses? Grow up. At 53, another artist is in her PRIME. Reviewers have said: " at 53 years old, and 25 years after she shook the foundation of rock and roll with her landmark debut, Horses, she still believes the primary purpose of rock and roll is to wake people up." ........."it's been too long since rock and roll was about revolution, but if anybody can revive music's lost social conscience it is Patti Smith. Swept up in the passion of Gung Ho, you'll feel like you can change the world." ............ "Smith's real appeal lies in her ironclad belief that life can be beautiful, and that we can make it so." Patti's new album Gung Ho is incredible. She proves that at 53, a rock artist can be at her prime. Her voice is magnificent, lyrics are inspirational, the music is mature and fresh, the album has purpose. The 4th , 5th, and 7th cuts are high energy kick ass rock tunes that pick you up off your feet and start you dancing, no matter where you are. This is dangerous music to drive to. This is the BEST ALBUM OF THE PAST 10 YEARS. Listen to it LOUD. It has passion and brilliance! Joni, can the trilogy, don't repeat yourself. Be inspired by Patti, your best work can be in front of you. I don't want to hear Christmas tunes. Please don't go out this way. Don't "paint another Starry Night man" Marc McCarron mrmccarron@fast.net ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:54:02 EDT From: Guitarpoint@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni's voice << I love Joni's high pretty voice better then her voice now >> Age does stuff that we can't control ( I'll leave the smoking issue out ) for example I loved my waist size better when Joni had her high voice then my waist size now. Dave c ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 08:05:04 -0500 From: "kerry" Subject: Joni is everywhere Penny wrote: >>>Ha! Headline of the sports section in our local paper today, an article focusing on a couple of the role reversal match-ups in coaches and players for the NBA's Blazers vs Lakers series starting Saturday: HE'S SEEN THIS SERIES FROM BOTH SIDES NOW. Geez, now Joni's even getting referred to in the sports section. ;-D>>>> There's also an article in the latest Ms. magazine about marriage entitled, "Both Sides Now." Her influence certainly is popping up everywhere! Kerry ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:12:37 -0500 From: Mark Domyancich Subject: Re: Joni's cancelled tour - 1978 (?) I've never heard this before!!! Yes, there was a tour to support THOSL in early 1976 but I haven't seen any live stuff from 1977. That would have been one hell of a tour! Any others with info? NP-CSN-In My Dreams At 11:42 PM -0400 5/19/00, MGVal@aol.com wrote: >If my memory is correct, she would have been touring to support the release >of Hejira or DJRD. - -- Mark Domyancich Harpua@revealed.net tape trading: http://homepage.mac.com/mtd/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 13:24:34 EDT From: Seulbzzaj@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni's voice and smoking In a message dated 5/20/00 6:29:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jamiezoob@freeuk.com writes: << All this fuss about Joni's voice deteriorating.... >> Really, this is total nonsense. Her voice is more expressive than ever, and I love hearing her sing in the lower register. I do hope she can cut down on her smoking, though (and I am a smoker) . I heard from someone that interviewed her recently, that if Joni smoked as much all day, as she did in the short time he was with her, that she must be a 4 pack a day smoker. It is somewhat disturbing, because she's made constant references over the years in regard to the quality of her voice due to smoking, which is something Nat Cole often did. - Scott ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 13:31:45 -0400 From: "Patricia O'Connor" Subject: Re: Joni's other sister Patti > From: "Marc McCarron" > Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:15:46 -0400 > > I have listened to BSN 15 to 20 times now > and I think it is mediocre. This is surely flame material Mark and I agree with you. BSN from the first did nothing for me, in fact I began vacuuming somewhere in the middle of first listening to it. Like you I have listened to it many times, I have taken a JMDLer's advice and have listened to it at "Smoke on the Water" volume level, still I remain unmoved. >I have never felt that about any Joni album. I consider JM to be the greatest song writer EVER, but I do think she has made other mediocre albums: Clouds, Wild Things Run Fast, Taming The Tiger. Please note that I am considering the albums as a whole, as each of these albums (BSN included) have their inspired and beautiful songs. Art is subjective, this is my opinion, and I know there are thousands who would disagree with it. The other 16 albums I find sublime, it seems to me that's a very good batting average (.800 for you statisticians.) > Fuck you! you brat. Knock that chip off your shoulder and create. Why give > a rat's ass about "to be obscure or not to be obscure" ? Joni, you have > achieved a body of work that should be fulfilling in itself. Since when > does an artist worry about pandering to the masses? Grow up. I also agree with you here, excepting "Fuck you!" and "Grow up." Artists in a perfect world wouldn't worry about pandering to the masses, but for an artist like JM who has been very successful, who has been rewarded with wealth from her art, obscurity means a large reduction in income, it seems to me that's what all her griping about the music industry comes down to...less money. If the drive to create and to make art were the thing, then why complain about lack of airplay? > I don't want to hear Christmas > tunes. Oh, I do want to hear Christmas tunes. I also want my opinion of BSN to be reversed when I hear it live in 2 weeks. Patricia O'Connor p.a.oconnor@att.net ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:27:27 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Joni's other sister Patti , but for an > artist like JM who has been very successful, who has been rewarded with > wealth from her art, obscurity means a large reduction in income, it seems > to me that's what all her griping about the music industry comes down > to...less money. If the drive to create and to make art were the thing, > then why complain about lack of airplay? I go back & forth with this whole issue of Joni's complaints about her diminished popularity. On the one hand, I agree that any artist who has Joni's obvious integrity should not be concerned whether or not the masses appreciate their work. On the other hand, who wants to create something that no one else appreciates? Joni's human. She's not Howard Roark out of Ayn Rand's 'The Fountainhead.' She wants to be appreciated and who can blame her for that? One thing I don't agree with is that her gripe is about money. I'm sure Joni has enough of that to be comfortable for the rest of her life and she's never struck me as being materialistic or greedy. Granted, she enjoys what she has but I don't think she's in it for the bucks. If that were the case she would have 'put some fiddles on it,' (figuratively, that is) as John Lennon suggested to her, a long time ago. She hasn't done that. She's stuck to her vision and paid the price. And I agree with her that the price is not necessarily a fair one. To Mr. McCarron I say this: If you could have heard what she's done with 'Ludwig's Tune' or any of the other selections she played in Concord after she finished 'Both Sides Now,' you would not say that she was 'painting another Starry Night.' If anything she is enhancing & restructuring these pieces and showing her listeners new things in each of them. Hellman's term 'pentimento' seems rather apt here. She's seeing these compositions in a new light and recreating them with a new & different perspective. > > I don't want to hear Christmas > > tunes. > > Oh, I do want to hear Christmas tunes. I also want my opinion of BSN to be > reversed when I hear it live in 2 weeks. You know these won't be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or K-Tel Collection type of Xmas tunes. Whatever she does with it, it will be uniquely her own. The idea sounds odd, I admit, but if anyone can pull it off, our Joni can. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 14:33:30 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: JM.COM Atlanta Concert Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler) Part 1 Hello, Joni Mitchell fans everywhere! Bob Muller here, from Greenville, SC, filing his report on the most excellent Joni Mitchell concert from Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA: The good weather that's been following Joni so far on the tour continued Friday night. Those of us who have lived below the Mason-Dixon line know that this time of year can bring some hot sticky nights and even some thunderstorms with the humidity. But the powers that be were having none of that, it was a beautiful night in Atlanta, the sun ducking for cover behind clouds and offering up a nice breeze to keep it comfortable. I had never been to Chastain Park, and really found it to be quite lovely. A totally open amphitheatre surrounded by tall Magnolias and Oaks provided a set of natural beauty, and set the scene for the incredible beauty that Joni was about to bring our way. The show was scheduled to start at 8, but for whatever reasons didn't get underway until around 8:45. This presented no problems, however - the crowd was soaking up the ambiance and many had tables with food, wine, and elegant candleabra. The orchestra warmed up with a pleasant piece, I wasn't sure what it was but it was suggested that perhaps it was a Stravinsky. I thought it could have been Wagner as well, but they played it with skill and grace and perched us all precariously on the edge of our seats, knowing that Joni was ready to make her entrance. When she did, she received her first standing ovation of the night, a symbol of the gratitude we Joni fans have for the truth & beauty she's filled all our lives with over the years. Of course, as we all know by now, the set list is just that - set. There were no surprises as far as the songs performed, but the night was still full of excitement. She started right in with "You're My Thrill", then quickly commented that she wasn't going to be playing anything, but that she had come to sing. "Let this be a beutiful and romantic journey through the past for all of us" she said to the crowd. With "At Last", the stage was given a light smoky setting, to visually present us with an image of Joni playing a cross between a jazz-club chanteuse and a big band singer on the bandstand. Freed of an instrument other than her voice, Joni was able to dive in to her set and invest herself fully emotionally, she would often close her eyes and allow herself to get lost in the classics that she is staking new claim to. "For many years I've been called a folksinger, but tonight my 'roots' are showing", she said, and garnered a nice laugh from the audience before launching into "Comes Love", which really swung! The orchestra really kicked up the tempo here as opposed to the way she sang it on BSN. And we were treated to the first of the several incredible trumpet solos offered up by Miles' prodigy Wallace Roney. "Just when everything is going very well", Joni says, pointing her thumb down, "Ewwwrrrrrr" (the sound of a plane taking a dive), and right into "You've Changed", which was quite lovely particularly when she sang "You've forgotten the words 'I love you'", and shared some interplay with saxophonist Bob Sheppard. "So you have a few choices, begging is one of them", Joni says introducing "Answer Me, My Love". She also described how she would sing this song when she was a little girl saying "sad songs on the way to school...sad, but beautiful"...and beautiful it was. "So then you head to the bar"....and when the orchestra played the recognizable melody of "A Case of You", the audience came alive. Highlighted by Joni's emotional singing and a lilting soprano sax solo, the audience was spell bound, and Joni's expression after the song was deathly serious, until she glanced at Conducter/Arranger, and winked and then broke into an infectious grin. Joni owned the night, and she knew it. A truly glorious moment. At this point I'd like to also comment on the highly effective lighting used for the concert. Lovely contrasting pastels were used to separate orchestra sections and Joni. For "Don't Go To Strangers", for instance, at one point the orchestra was split by Blue, Yellow & Red lighting, and at the end of the song Joni was bathed in a yellow glow while the orchestra was bathed in blue. Small detail, but it really added to the visual enjoyment of the concert, I thought. Joni then commented about trying to please the "hardened criminals" at the record company and also getting her father to listen to her new record. She performed "Sometimes I'm Happy", and again I thought the tempo was much friskier than I was used to. I found it hard to stop swaying in my seat as I watched Joni sway and wave her hands, surrendering herself to her reportoire. "Don't Worry About Me" began accapella, and by now the humid Georgia night was starting to show on Joni. She had a very sexy glow, and needed to drink some water to keep her pipes in top shape. She then announced the intermission, and the house lights came up. Continued in Part 2... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 14:37:47 -0400 From: "Patricia O'Connor" Subject: Re: Joni's other sister Patti > Granted, she enjoys what > she has but I don't think she's in it for the bucks. If that were the > case she would have 'put some fiddles on it,' (figuratively, that is) She has put 1 or 2 ...or 40 fiddles (literally, that is) on BSN. ;>) Patricia O'Connor p.a.oconnor@att.net ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 15:07:52 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Part 2 - Atlanta Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler alert) Joni appeared soon after a brief intermission, barely giving us a chance to absorb the magnificence of the first half of the concert. Her outfit again was different, a rose-colored blouse and long skirt combo replacing the olive-colored suit she had started with. Of course, she picked up where she had left off, and "Stormy Weather" was another crowd pleaser. Listening to it reminded me of the version she sang at the Stormy Weather benefit and thinking that she was really reveling in her newfound role as a modern-day interpreter of these standards. Joni & the orchestra swung hard once more with an uptempo "I Wish I Were in Love Again", with Peter Erskine cutting loose and really driving the rhythm of the song. Joni must've had her doubts regarding the lyrics as she held a lyric sheet for this one, then defiantly flinging it behind her after she knew she had it nailed. She launched into "Both Sides Now", and even though I expected it, the tears in this reviewer's eyes began to flow. Joni really pours herself into this one, and she obviously feeds on the appreciation showered on her by the crowd. The second standing ovation of the night followed as Joni wrapped up the "Both Sides Now" portion of the show and announced that she was now going to present her "I Hate Show Business" section of the show by presenting new arrangements of her original songs. Again, no surprises here other than even though I knew the songs, the presentations were all new to my ears, and very exhilerating. "Be Cool" lended itself very well to the arrangement, in particular the horn section was very strong. Kudos to master arranger Vince Mendoza. And when Joni sings "50/50, Fire and Iccccccce", with a hiss, it makes the performance even 'cooler'. Again, Wallace Raney contributed a standout trumpet solo. She brilliantly segued with a discussion of artists who were charming & alarming, listing Miles Davis, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Beethoven. She told the strory of Beethoven and the music box and then presented "Judgement of the Moon and Stars", and she really invested herself vocally on this one. It was as if old Ludwig was standing in front of her and she was singing to him with every ounce of conviction she had. The arrangement was challenging but I found it to be quite accessible. I also was amazed that the orchestras are able to execute these difficult pieces so ably - I was very impressed with this group of talented musicians. Out walked Larry Klein, and Joni announced "It's the Russian" (she had referred to him earlier with the now-familiar title "Russian on Prozac". Larry and company then broke into "Hejira", and he was totally incredible! filling each phrase with what seemed like dozens of notes, he accented the different rhythmic structure that has been established for this song. Vocally, Joni really was wailing, adding some scatting "whoaaaaa" after the "waltzing on a bridal girl" & "between the foreceps and the stone" lyrics. At the song's end, she was bathed in a surreal purple light that combined with the lyrical and ethereal magic of this song to send chills all over my skin. Again, a mental photograph I will cherish forever. The audience of course was shouting out requests for Joni, including "Itsy Bitsy Spider"...that would surely have been interesting, but alas, it was not to be. She laughed at the requests, turned to the orchestra and said "Can you imagine - OK boys, improvise" which gave her a nice chuckle. Her performance of "For The Roses" was again very challenging, causing many members of the crowd to look at one another, and only the best fans were able to determine which song she was doing. While I enjoyed the song, I thought it was perhaps TOO much of a challenge to present with an orchestra that only had a limited rehearsal time. Perhaps Joni felt the challenge as well, for she stumbled a bit on the line "In thirties evening gowns", but laughed it all away and recovered in fine form. She left the stage briefly, then returned to encore with what she called "Marvin Gaye's 'I hate show business' song", and kicked off Trouble Man, again featuring dead-on sax work by Bob Sheppard. The orchestra really cut loose on this one, and the audience was on its feet for the final standing ovation to close the show. Joni introduced the players, thanked Atlanta for a wonderful night, and said she wished there had been more time for rehearsals. That's our Joni, ever the perfectionist! She also said she looked forward to coming back, and that may have been the best music to my ears all night! You can bet when she makes good on that promose, this reviewer will have his place in the stands! Bob Muller Greenville, SC ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 15:17:36 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Cover project svjc In a message dated 5/19/00 11:04:46 AM US Central Standard Time, wallykai@interserver.com.ar writes: << do you have sergio mendes and his orchestra doing chelsea morning? >> No, that would be a new one for me Wally...bring it on, dude! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 12:27:14 -0700 From: guitarzan@saber.net Subject: Re: borrowing beauty Pat, thanks for the reply, I love hearing this insider stuff on Joni's early days. But how can you be depressed? You sat there and got guitar instructions from the goddess herself! ; ) BTW, I saw this on ebay; someone is selling a little yellowed ad cut out of the Village voice in 1966. It is for a concert by "Chuck and Joni Mitchell" "brilliant new duo from Canada" at the Gaslight Cafe. Also featured (below them) Dave Fisher and Gil Robbins. The scan is not very good, but thought I'd mention it in the interest of Joni history (herstory?). http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330469961 RR, enjoying the concert reports "P. Henry" wrote: > "P. Henry" wrote: > >do you perhaps recall her playing of "Wizard of Is'? as I have shared before, Joni wrote the entire song to the exact tune and chords, > including guitar parts, of L.Cohen's 'Suzanne'.> > then randy wrote and asked: > Pat, I am curious, when she performed it, did she point out that it was a rewrite of 'Suzanne', or just play it cold? > > randy, > please forgive me for taking this long to respond to this. > (note: as I have been saying, I've been barely hanging on as far as participating in the list at all, mostly skimming and archiving fro, hopefully, future reference. since I'm on digest it really is a good idea to also address posts to me if you want a response from me. I only saw this because I was searching for something else and I hope I haven't missed too many others for the same reason) > the answer is: yes, absolutely! *every* time she played it without fail! ...and since, as I've said before, this was the closest thing to a cover that she ever did in her own sets, it was the only disclaimer she ever had to make. (remember also, they were close friends) > actually I could kick myself because, while I learned the guitar part from Joni soley so that I could play the very popular Suzanne, I could have also easily obtained the lyrics to WOI from her and learned that as well! > oh, this is depressing to think about! > > pat :o( > > Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 15:32:47 EDT From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: Part 2 - Atlanta Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler alert) Bob, No jokes or little anecdotes in my reply. Just wanted to say your review was not only well written, but you put you heart in every sentence. You have captured in words what many of us experienced in the LA, SF, and FL performances. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Jimmy ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 16:29:34 -0400 From: Sally Pont Subject: RE: Joni Mentions I was told that the "girl" mentioned in the Led Zeppelin son "Goin to California" who "plays guitar and cries and sings" is Joni. Sally ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 16:06:00 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Part 2 - Atlanta Report (Setlist/Details/Spoiler alert) In a message dated 5/20/00 1:35:32 PM US Central Standard Time, FMYFL@aol.com writes: << Just wanted to say your review was not only well written, but you put you heart in every sentence. You have captured in words what many of us experienced in the LA, SF, and FL performances. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! >> Thanks Jimmy! And not an insincere word in the lot...although a few misspelled ones, I notice! :-( That was my official report for JoniMitchell.com. Now I'll write the fun one about the JMDL portion...amazing that I'm still coherent, going on about two hours of sleep! Bob NP: Tom Waits, "Presents" ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 16:41:23 EDT From: Seulbzzaj@aol.com Subject: Joni Mitchell Reviewed "Mitchell Romantic, Brilliant" by Howard Cohen Miami Herald, May 19, 2000 Joni Mitchell is a study in contradictions. Within the music industry she is deservedly one of the most revered contemporary songwriters of the 20th Century. Yet for the past 25 years, following her 1974 commercial peak "Court and Spark," her work has more often than not fallen on deaf ears among the general public. Mitchell lived up to her reputation on both fronts Wednesday night as she played to a crowd of slightly more than 4,000 at West Palm Beach's MARS Music Amphitheatre. Fans who shied away, perhaps dismayed by the fact that this tour eschewed the bulk of Mitchell's catalog in favor of orchestrated jazz vocal standards written by the likes of Rodgers and Hart, Harry Warren, and Harold Arlen, missed a rich concert. "I'm just a chick with a band this time. I bought a bra and burned my guitar," Mitchell joked in one of many displays of humor. On her Both Sides Now Tour, Mitchell performed the entirety of her current standards CD - the lush and thematic "Both Sides Now" - in sequential order. Accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra, featuring musicians culled from South Florida, Mitchell upped the CD's emotional impact twofold in the live environment. Cigarette-cured, her voice, husky and tentative, Mitchell took her audience on a film-noir styled "trip I'm sure you've all taken, the arc of romantic love, when the pheremones go into the receptors and you've had it." The show started with the flush of full-on ardor with "You're My Thrill." Doubt and recrimination set in on "You've Changed." And she swam for a while in the obsession stage (her own "A Case of You"). At this point, she told of a long-ago fight with ex-husband Chuck Mitchell after a gig in Coconut Grove. His mother told Joni, "The first waffle should be used to warm up the pan and then thrown out." Love lost and perhaps willing to try again, Mitchell's stellar set finally peaked with a reflective take of her '60s standard "Both Sides Now." The livelier second set touched on her 1976 "Hejira" CD and she closed her two-hour concert with a jazzy cover of Marvin Gaye's "Troubled Man." The lasting impressing left an afterglow. Mitchell takes you through the wringer and, at 56, she has the experience to make her look at love indelible in a way her younger sisters in song cannot match. In sum, this was a brilliantly conceived concert. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 16:50:28 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Re: Fiddles on BSN I haven't really weighed in on BSN but I think it's an interesting exercise. I think it's Joni's big ol' wet kiss of an album. A wetter kiss than I expected, that's for sure. A surprisingly wet kiss. A sloppy wet kiss in places. But some of the tracks are really cool like "I Wish I Were In Love Again" and "BSN". It's not "Blue" but that's okay with me. It's a half-full glass but it's not the drink I was expecting. And it's nice that she's growing again. More than anything I'm ecstatic that she's excited about performing again. I'm a slut for Joni- I'll take her anyway I can get her! After all this time- to see her twice in two years (shaking my head, speechless at my incredible good fortune)....... - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Patricia O'Connor" > She has put 1 or 2 ...or 40 fiddles (literally, that is) on BSN. ;>) Lamadoo near Cincinnati ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 15:07:05 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Joni's other sister Patti > > > Granted, she enjoys what > > she has but I don't think she's in it for the bucks. If that were the > > case she would have 'put some fiddles on it,' (figuratively, that is) > > She has put 1 or 2 ...or 40 fiddles (literally, that is) on BSN. ;>) > > Patricia O'Connor Yes, Patricia, I could see that one coming. That's exactly why I said 'figuratively'. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 23:10:26 -0700 From: guitarzan@saber.net Subject: Re: tape trees and Napster "Ken (slarty)" wrote: > As for Napster shutting down maybe, but remember they are basically > just a search engine like yahoo. They keep NO mp3 files on their site. That is pretty much Napster's claim. The other side is accusing them of distributing copyrighted material without a licence (or being a facilitator for the same). The band Metallica is suing Napster for big bucks, too. According to a recent article in Rolling Stone, there are whole dorms full of college students putting together music libraries without the artists getting a cent. That ain't right. On the other hand, as Brenda said, this kind of a setup can be a great promotion tool. I think the bottom line is whether the artist has given permission for the use of their material. As a musician, it concerns me that I could spend lots of money and time working on a recording, only to have it being distributed for free. RR ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:20:31 EDT From: Cindy09876@aol.com Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #268 still floating too high to write a serious review of the Atlanta show. what an immense talent she has, and such graciousness and charm. and that giggle that we all love in BYT is still alive and well, just a few octaves lower now. thanks for the lovely notes and encouragement, paul bob and garrett. programs o' plenty available in Atlanta, as were lithographs, both signed and unsigned. the shirt, however, that i had decided to purchase - the "facelift" shirt - was unavailable. otherwise, shirts seemed identical to those described by others. god, wish i could follow her to the rest of the shows. anyone willing to cough up another round of $10,000 stipends for me?? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:22:42 -0500 From: Mark Domyancich Subject: Joni stat on amazon.com I noticed the sales for Hits rose 1,731%. I guess the Tribute special did a ton of good for Joni! NP-Grateful Dead-Shakedown Street - -- Mark Domyancich Harpua@revealed.net tape trading: http://homepage.mac.com/mtd/ ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #200 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list at ------- Siquomb, isn't she?