From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #213 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 Friday, May 26 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 213 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: -------- Re: thanks catgirl and kayak bob [Siresorrow@aol.com] Take me back to Chicago... and Detroit... [Vince Lavieri ] Pat Metheny and Joni [CarltonCT@aol.com] Putting away childish things [catman ] Hits and Misses ["Ada Wittenberger" ] Re: BSN [AngelinoCoyote@aol.com] Re: Pat Metheny and Joni ["James L. Leonard" ] Re: BSN [AngelinoCoyote@aol.com] Re: life saving [AngelinoCoyote@aol.com] Re: Saskatoon [AngelinoCoyote@aol.com] Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #283 [AngelinoCoyote@aol.com] Re: DJRD LEAST FAVE? ["James L. Leonard" ] Last night's concert in Maryland [Loren Carter ] Re: Putting Away Childish Things ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] An Admission Of Method To Madness ["James L. Leonard" ] Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni [Louis Lynch ] Re: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni ["James L. Leonard" ] Least Favorite Joni Songs [Steve Dulson ] Re: Take me back to Chicago [dsk ] A & M studios [Steve Dulson ] Who Wants to be A Joni Millionaire -- Level 1 [Don Rowe ] Re: Least Favorite Joni Songs [catman ] New Orleans [catman ] UK Fest [catman ] Re: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni ["James L. Leonard" ] Re: Who Wants to be A Joni Millionaire -- Level 1 ["James L. Leonard" Subject: Take me back to Chicago... and Detroit... Friends, tomorrow morn I leave Michigan my Michigan for Chicago, my hometown, for my first place and beloved White Sox and our favorite Joni Mitchell. Right now the car is in the shop undergoing last minute car care so that I can be assured of no problems on the mad dash from Chicago to Detroit to see Joni on Wednesday. So, if there is anything that anyone feels that I should know (other than that I am a jerk) before I leave, tell me now! I am not sure of what is the earliest time we can get to the Ginos Pizza on Tuesday for the pre concert festivities. I am not sure of the name the room is reserved in at the Townsend Hotel for Wednesday's pre concert festivities. Laura, could you email me your phone number off list so that I have that in case of an emergency. You have my Chicago phone number, yes? I have never met any JMDLers so I am psyched for that as well as for seeing Joni twice, for seeing the Sox twice (as we crush Cleveland in our battle for 1st place), and for seeing Dead Sea Scrolls, Sue the T Rex, and the Titanic exhibit... And Joni was such a dear to schedule her midwest appearances around my baseball and museum going plans... although I still think she should of used my father's backyard for her Chicago gig! Sorry to waste space in the JMDL with this post, but it is 3 in the morning, I can't sleep for the excitement, and I am - as is well known here - a person who just babbles on... (the Rev) Vince ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 03:29:40 EDT From: CarltonCT@aol.com Subject: Guitarists -- need your advice! (SJC) How is everybody? Very sorry not to make it to Jonifest, but I am putting all my money towards my recording at the moment, and studio time is not cheap. Still, if you sing loud enough, we should hear you in L.A. We heard you all the way from Massachusetts last time. Anyway, I am wondering if the guitar players on the list can tell me if there is anything I can do about guitar squeaks. They can be heard on Joni's albums at times, especially as her style has a lot of slides. Are squeaks the mark of an amateur or, in the words of a song we all know, "nothing can be done?" Anne recommended silk strings to me as an anti-squeak measure, but others don't like the softer sound of silk. Would be grateful for any input. Anyone ever tried violinist's rosin on their callouses? thanks, Clark np: The Clash, London Calling ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:32:42 -0400 From: "Paul Castle" Subject: The Jungle Line Welcome Mindy! You wrote >My least favorites are "The Jungle Line"---cough, cough, >choke---although I can see its purpose in context. I inevitably >skip over it though. It only interrupts an otherwise magnificent >piece of work, in my opinion. When I first found the jmdl more than a year ago, this was the subject of a really interesting thread going on at the time. Although I don't have it any more, there was one post, in particular, from someone called 'Tube' (last heard of in Rome) which I thought was particularly brilliant. Like you, I had always tended to skip JL (it made me 'feel' like a passenger on a runaway New York subway train - Pelham 125 or something. Tube's post and others in that thread, had a big effect on my appreciation of this piece. I wish I'd kept it. I don't think he's around any more - at least, he hasn't posted for quite a few months. Shame. He really hooked me into the wonders of this list with that post, making me far less dismissive of things that I personally didn't 'get'. PaulC PS I still skip it sometimes, mind, when I'm not in the mood for all that banging! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 04:01:07 EDT From: CarltonCT@aol.com Subject: Pat Metheny and Joni Wow -- I share the disappointment to learn Pat M. didn't like working with Joni. I own or have owned nearly every Metheny album plus a number he has played on and always figured he and Joni had an affinity for each other as musicians. Pat sometimes plays in open tunings and the moods of his music are similar to Joni's -- he seemed a real natural for her to have hired. But I have always wondered what Pat was like -- he's so prolific I have wondered if he had any close friends, a significant other, or if he's a very focused genius who only makes music. His song titles seldom refer to women or love. I wonder of he was any less of a pain and any more sociable than Joni on the road. Then again, he might be a fun loving gregarious guy. And Joni may have been a "pain" to an extraordinary musician like Metheny because in her own words, she is a "sophisticated ignorant" when it comes to music who doesn't "know what key" she is playing in and who can't read music or tell you what note she is singing. My personal experience of jazz musicians is that most of them put music first, and anything or anyone else a very distant second, third or fourth. Miles Davis would be a good example -- most women experienced him as a monster who was lost in his inner world of music. It brings up the whole question of whether driven artists are capable of being good friends or spouses and if all their relationships shouldn't be with other artists coming from the same place, artists they can collaborate, commiserate and conspire with. - - Clark np: Pat M -- Road to You ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 10:18:47 +0100 From: catman Subject: Putting away childish things When i was younger, I felt a great deal about the two ladies in my life, Joni and Carly. I adored them. i thought I loved them. They could do no wrong. they were perfect. If any body said anything negative about them, I was angry and hurt. As I grew up and my self esteem grew, I began to realise that my 'loves' were ordinary people, like you and me. that i couldn't possibly love them as I did not know them. I knew only their art. i also realised that other people, when saying something negative about them, were not saying anything negative about me. they wre not saying I was stupid for liking their work so much. criticism of them no longer meant criticism of me. There was a time, I wouldn't even admit to myself that either had done work I didn't like. How could I admit to that? I worshipped them didn't I? to admit they did things I didn't like, meant i had to take them off that pedastool I had them on. but in the end, becoming an adult meant I had to let go of this childish fantasy I had of them. i had to realise they were people and fallible. I had to realise that tho i really appreciated them as artists, i wasn't going to like everything they did. I even had to realise that if I knew them personally, I might not like them! I have found that life is so much richer and easier now that i see myself and others as just people, all of us fallible. Now that I hold no one above or below me. the pressure is off me and off them(for i held people I actually knew on pedastools too). So now, if someone doesn't like what my two favourite artists are doing, it no longer hurts because i know they aren't meaning me, and I also know that is what being human is all about. we are all different and that difference is to be celebrated and not defiled. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 11:18:46 GMT From: "Ada Wittenberger" Subject: Hits and Misses you already know that, so forgive me. Hits and Misses, you were wondering? well - "then she...and she...while the...dogs bark...the...she always m i s s e s...but the day she h i t s..." lots of love, ada. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:29:25 EDT From: AngelinoCoyote@aol.com Subject: Re: BSN In a message dated 05/25/2000 2:06:20 PM Pacific Daylight Time, David.Wright@oberlin.edu writes: << reminded me that this is exactly what I have always thought DJRD is (plus several other things). Think of the journey from "Talk to Me" and "Jericho" at the beginning of the album to "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," "Off-Night Backstreet," and "The Silky Veils of Ardor" at the end. I was struck by this recently. It makes this fanfare about the "concept" of BSN (e.g., Larry's liner notes) seem rather funny. Hi David: Unless I have totally halucinated this, I recall in some interview in the 1980s JM referring to DJRD as her "wedding album." She then went on to say how long it took her to find her mate, making some reference to animals. It may have been in a Musicians magazine interview. I'll have to go to the trunk to see someday. (Now thinking how high that shelf is where the Joni Blue Trunk-o-Memories is stored.) Could it have been more because it was her first collaboration with Klein (wasn't it?). Anyway, I agree that DJRD carries the "concept song cycle about the rise and fall of an affair." Which would seem odd for a wedding album. No regrets, Coyote (Rick) Casa Alegre Hollywood, California I'll be dancin' on a pony keg. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:35:55 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: Pat Metheny and Joni Hi, Clark. I've been fortunate to interview Metheny on a few occasions, and have also gotten to know and stay in touch with a few of the principles in his management firm over the years, so I've been able to view the "real" Pat. He is originally from the Kansas City, MO area, and is as nice and open a well-adjusted Midwestern guy as you might ever hope to meet. Like anybody, there are moments when he's not in the best frame of mind, but on the whole he's a very steady, happy person, who just loves to make music, and considers himself blessed to be doing what he loves most for a living. Pat has had some very long-lasting love relationships with women, and some great friends, but chooses not to reference them in his song titles. There are a few exceptions to this. The album Secret Story, for instance, was composed to chronicle "the arc of a romantic love relationship," oddly enough. For the most part, though, Pat told me he'd prefer it if he could name his tunes #72 or #93 or something. Coming up with song titles is one of his least favorite activities, he's told me (and others). "Boston Jim" But > I have always wondered what Pat was like -- he's so prolific I have wondered > if he had any close friends, a significant other, or if he's a very focused > genius who only makes music. His song titles seldom refer to women or love. > I wonder of he was any less of a pain and any more sociable than Joni on > the road. Then again, he might be a fun loving gregarious guy. And Joni may > have been a "pain" to an extraordinary musician like Metheny because in her > own words, she is a "sophisticated ignorant" when it comes to music who > doesn't "know what key" she is playing in and who can't read music or tell > you what note she is singing. > > - Clark ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:46:28 EDT From: AngelinoCoyote@aol.com Subject: Re: BSN A definitely confused Coyote wrote: << Unless I have totally hallucinated this, I recall in some interview in the 1980s JM referring to DJRD as her "wedding album." She then went on to say how long it took her to find her mate, making some reference to animals. It may have been in a Musicians magazine interview. I'll have to go to the trunk to see someday. (Now thinking how high that shelf is where the Joni Blue Trunk-o-Memories is stored.) Could it have been more because it was her first collaboration with Klein (wasn't it?). Anyway, I agree that DJRD carries the "concept song cycle about the rise and fall of an affair." Which would seem odd for a wedding album. >> What the hell was I thinking? I meant WTRF. With regrets, Coyote (Rick) Casa Alegre Hollywood, California I'll be dancin' on a pony keg. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:53:32 EDT From: AngelinoCoyote@aol.com Subject: Re: life saving In a message dated 05/25/2000 5:15:08 PM Pacific Daylight Time, pholden@iprimus.ca writes: << The reality is Anne...that you who are the life saver...you have given us all a reason to get back on track with what matters and with what should be important and that is to be concerned and to love and care for someone who is in need. Because of you, we get to really celebrate life and what it is and what it means. It is always and forever my pleasure to continue to light candles, think positive thoughts and send you so much love as you get through this tough time. >> Thanks, Mags, for saying this so beautifully. Anne, Mom and I are so happy for you! No regrets, Coyote (Rick) Casa Alegre Hollywood, California I'll be dancin' on a pony keg. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:59:10 EDT From: AngelinoCoyote@aol.com Subject: Re: Saskatoon In a message dated 05/25/2000 6:42:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, AsharaJM@aol.com writes: << Hi Mary and all, I am definitely going to Saskatoon, (have the plane ticket and everything!) and would love to see a separate list for this. I am definitely interested in getting together and meeting up with everyone! >> Me too. Thanks to Penny's urging and advice. Now, I have a shopping list for others ad am taking an extra bag! Looking forward to meeting everyone, including JM! No regrets, Coyote (Rick) Casa Alegre Hollywood, California I'll be dancin' on a pony keg. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:09:35 EDT From: AngelinoCoyote@aol.com Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #283 In a message dated 05/25/2000 9:20:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, NoeysMaMa@aol.com writes: << Hello, everyone. My name is Mindy, and I recently joined this list in search of like-minded people who agree at least slightly with my conviction that Joni is an absolute miracle. I was deeply blessed to see her perform at the Greek in L.A. on the 12th. >> Hi Mindy! Welcome, welcome to the group. You are gonna have fun! It's also nice to find another SoCal Local. We are also a fun branch of the tribe! No regrets, Coyote (Rick) Casa Alegre Hollywood, California I'll be dancin' on a pony keg. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:27:37 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: DJRD LEAST FAVE? Hi, Dave, and everyone else who's weighed in on the "least faves" thread. I really should clarify my comments regarding DJRD. I still love the musicianship on the album. Over time, however, I'm finding that, when taken as a whole, and not looked at from the standpoint of individual songs - a few of which are very strong, it is becoming one of my lesser favorites in Joni's catalogue. Of course, this is *Joni's* catalogue we're talking about. I'd still rather have DJRD in my CD collection than most albums by other artists. Nobody is allowed to take the title track, "Overture/Cotton Avenue," "Paprika Plains," or "Jericho" away from me. I like some of the others, too, but not nearly as much as anything on THOSL, Hejira, or Mingus. Speaking of THOSL...in defense of my pick of "The Jungle Line" as a "least favorite," I'd like to reiterate that my choice of it, as I originally stated, had more to do with the song's placement on the album than with the song itself, which *was* interesting and daring. If I had sequenced that album, I never would have placed second out of the box, right after "In France" and before "Edith." I'd have probably put it near the end, just before "Shadows And Light." I see most of the rest of THOSL, minus "Jungle" and "Shadows" as a suite of sorts. "Jungle" disrupts it, *big time*. "Boston Jim" > Jim, > > Say it ain't so!! I still love DJRD, of course Jericho, but also Talk to > Me,I'll concede it's possibly because of Jaco. I don't want to "see the > light", am happy in my ignorance. > > Dave F. ------------------------------ Date: 26 May 00 09:09:45 EDT From: Loren Carter Subject: Last night's concert in Maryland Hello all, Rather than expound on the music last night, except that her voice was as clear and as good as I've heard, those of you who went, please explain something to me. After the intermission and change of clothes, was her dress blue, purple, silver, gray, or black? At various times during the show it was each of these colors. Now I know that it was the lighting, but, it was beautiful. And, those who were there, from my seats, hanging above Joni, the mist in the air formed a half circle above her head, almost halo like. With the dress that magically changed colors and the halo above, I really enjoyed just looking at the scene, then to hear the voice and music....who could ask for more? As we were walking out, we encountered the man who played the piano in the orchestra. Joni made a comment, when the crowd asked her to keep singing, that "this band just can't throw together a jam session" (or something to that effect). Well the piano player begged to differ, and said her really enjoyed sitting there listening to the music. Before the show we saw Larry Klein pass through the crowd on his way up to the sound board. During the intermission, I went to the man still sitting there and asked him to have Larry tell Joni that he JMDL was here and enjoying her. Did he? Probably not, since Larry was on stage after the intermission. Sorry to speak for the entire list out of turn, but I got caught up in the moment. Julian, thanks for the tapes, and is was great to meet you. We listened all the way home. Loren..... ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 09:38:19 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Re: Putting Away Childish Things What a lovely post, Colin. Does this mean that you renounce making yesterday's death threat on the JMDL? Today Colin wrote: > Now that I hold no > one above or below me. the pressure is off me > and off them(for i held > people I actually knew on pedastools too). Yesterday Brian Gross wrote: > > NO NO > Not the *BLUE* pill !! > Don't you know what that will do?????? And yesterday Colin responded: yes-it will kill off the inner circle. All the best, Jim L'Hommedieu near Cincinnati ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 09:51:32 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: An Admission Of Method To Madness Sorry to be posting so much...and I'm gonna try to "cut down." :-) It's just such a great thing to be connected to you people, and I find I like to start conversations and discussions. While I've got the floor again...I'd like to join with everyone in telling Anne how pleased we all are by her wonderful news. Fantastic! Also, to everyone at last night's concert...I'm delighted to hear it was another great success! This tour seems to be a consistent triumph, and I can't wait to hear some of these "quietly-alluded-to" concert recordings. :-) The reason I'm writing is to admit to a motive behind starting the "least favorite Joni songs" thread. Here it is: I have the compulsion (always have) to make my own box sets. I take an artist, their entire catalogue, and, working chronologically, I construct my own "box." I've got about 50 of them. I tend to re-sequence the songs I select from each album, too, to try to follow a sort of storyline, when possible. Anyway, my last Joni box was made up of four 100-minute tapes, and included material up through Turbulent Indigo. Now, with Turbulent Indigo and Both Sides Now, plus some essential rarities I've come into recently (thanks again, SCJoniGuy), I've decided to create a new "box" from scratch. I'm starting by deciding what to include from the Second Fret Sets, and that's when it occurred to me that, with this project in front of me, I'd be interested in knowing what are some of the JMDlers least favorite Joni songs. I'm still planning to follow that thread, when it runs its course, with a questions as to "favorites." I'll go on record right now as saying that "Song For Sharon" is the one tune I'd play for someone who'd never heard Joni, if I was trying to interest him/her in becoming a fan. Is there anybody else that does this kind of thing, the "boxes" I mean? Also, is there anybody else that enjoys re-sequencing albums? I'd like to know if I'm nuts. :-) A lot of it has to do, I think, with growing up on late '60s and 70s "Progressive" radio, wherein the announcers used songs as "paints," and the airwaves as a "blank canvas," and were thematic in their programming, and educational. I pursued that vocation myself for a few years after leaving college, but that type of radio was beginning to die just as I was getting involved. It still saddens me that it's gone, for the most part. I think making these tapes is, for me, kinda like the next best thing to doing a show. "Boston Jim" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 15:00:43 +0100 From: catman Subject: Re: An Admission Of Method To Madness BJ- I do it too. Not as studied as yours seem to be but I do make regualr cd comps like you describe. So no you are not nuts. But then coming from me..... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 10:29:37 -0500 From: "Mike Hicks" Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #283 > Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 19:17:53 -0400 (EDT) > From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) > To: joni-digest@smoe.org > Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #283 > Reply-to: joni@smoe.org > Subject: Re: Least Favorite Joni Songs I definitely have to agree with Lead Balloon. This is not her finest moment. But we can't be perfect all the time and someone may absolutely love this one. (who would that be)? Mike > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 07:17:34 -0700 From: Louis Lynch Subject: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni GuruDJ, It was interesting reading that, when you talked to Pat Metheny, he described Joni as hard to work with and not sociable. My brother did some work with Pat Metheny in California a few years back. When he started the project, he was madly in love with Metheny's work and so thrilled to be there. About a week into it, he was having a terrible time - -- he described Metheny as the most impossible primadonna he had ever met, and he recounted several "petulant" fits. He also complained that, after the rehearsals and gigs, Metheny totally ignored everyone else on the project. In other words, he said that Metheny was hard to work with and not sociable in the least. My brother is really easygoing, and he has never had problems with any other musicians like that. I have seen him easily and gracefully manage working with some genuine bastards. He went into that project full of young wonder and total awe at the honor of working with Metheny, and ended up feeling shattered by the experience for a while. Although he still respects Metheny as a musician, he is no longer a real fan like he was. My brother loved working with Dave Creamer on the project, though, and they have remained pretty friendly ever since. So it was not the project itself. Perhaps Mr. Metheny was projecting a bit when he talked about Joni's behaving like that? As ye sow so shall ye reap. I'd be interested in knowing what other co-performers have to say about her, before I would condemn her as a bitch goddess based on the account of one person who really isn't known for his great collaborations. Every time I have seen Joni with another musician, from the early days with the Band and Dylan and CSNY to Pastorius and Mingus and all the rest, they seem to genuinely like her. Generally, I think that established musicians like Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock would not waste their time hugging and laughing with someone who was not sociable toward them. In New York Monday, it was obvious that Hancock holds Joni in great esteem. Touring and other long-term musical projects can be very draining -- even the best of friends have problems when faced with tight deadlines, high stress and overexposure. Right now, I'm working on a theatrical production, and my musical partner and I are starting to wear on each other, even though we are very close friends. We argue like hell and sometimes we are not really easy on one another -- the important thing is, after the rehearsal, we recognize that we're lucky to be working on such a cool show. You have to be able to overlook occasional bad moods or antisocial episodes when boxed into a tight gig. Judging from the sheer number of people who have shown consistent respect toward Joni and the number of longstanding friendships she has maintained in the business, I would think that Mr. Metheny's comments indicate that he wasn't in a good space at the time of the tour and perhaps really didn't appreciate it as much as he could have. His work on her tour and album were excellent -- obviously Joni was accommodating and inspiring enough that he played some of his best work ever. And besides, she's been redefining out new frontiers in a tough and corrupt business for over 30 years -- she couldn't have been as successful by demurely hoping for the Miss Congeniality title every step of the way. I'm sorry that hearing something negative about Joni hit you "in the gut." For me, it's reassuring to know she occasionally throws a hissy fit or loses her temper. If she's human like the rest of us, it makes her incredible talent all that much more remarkable. By the way -- thanks to everyone for sharing your observations about the Both Sides Now tour. Barby and I are falling behind deadline on our theater project. She said that perhaps I should not have taken the time off Monday to go to New York. On the contrary, I would rather have given up a week's sleep than missed seeing that show! Regards from inside a high-pressure tinderbox, Harper Lou ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 10:16:48 -0400 From: peves@marlboro.edu Subject: JONI's About JONI'S SINGING: I think her singing on BSN is grand!! She is not TRYING to sing like Billy anybody. She is FEELING. Therefore she IS BEING . The work is altogether and simply, pertfectly HERS. The dynamics in her voice are wonderful. Her WAY with these standards is WONDERFUL ! The first consideration in ART is authentic individual inspiration & expression and gratification I think. . Joni's work is so pure & essential. Even in these covers. Now that she is singing this stuff, I've found a new joy. All that said - I take greater pleasure, inspiration from her original poetry and musical composition. It hurts so good. Peg/VT ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 11:11:24 -0500 From: "Mike Hicks" Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #284 > Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 02:57:55 -0400 (EDT) > From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) > To: joni-digest@smoe.org > Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #284 > Reply-to: joni@smoe.org > NP: The Best Of Elizabeth Fraser Vol. 2 (of the Cocteau Twins) cdr. Is this on CD? Is it her solo stuff or releases of previous material? Mike > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 10:52:54 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni Wow, Harper Lou. Your brother's revelations about Metheny were really eye-opening, and run contrary to everything I've ever known, or witnessed first-hand, about Pat. What project was your brother involved in a few years back? Maybe Pat *has* changed since I had occasion to see him close-up, which was in the '70s and '80s, but I'd rather think his behavior was an anomaly. To set the record straight about one thing you said, Metheny *is*, in fact, known as much for his collaborations as he is for his own catalogue. Besides Joni, he has worked with, to name some, Ornette Coleman, Michael Brecker, Charlie Haden, John Scofield, Marc Johnson, Jim Hall, Joshua Redman, Jack DeJohnette and Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, Kenny Garrett, Bruce Hornsby, Abbie Lincoln, and Milton Nascimento. He is often featured as a sideman on other leaders' jazz dates, and has recorded a good number of duet albums. I've seen him tour often as a member of others' groups, and everyone has always appeared to be having a great time onstage and off. Additionally, he has managed to keep the core members of the Pat Metheny Group together since 1977. I've hung with them backstage on a couple of tours (the most recent being in 1990), and the has always been light and excited and happy to be on the gig. I don't doubt at all what your brother has said. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if, like you postulated re Joni on the S&L Tour, the dates that your brother participated in were outside the norm of Pat's behavior. Maybe Pat's girlfriend had just broken off their relationship or something. Who knows? "Boston Jim" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:27:32 PDT From: "Reuben Bell" Subject: Re: An Admission Of Method To Madness I was dissatisfied with the "Hits" and "Misses" collections, and made my own called "Omissions" around the same time. I'll dig it out and post the track listing. I personally liked it much better. Reuben >From: "James L. Leonard" >Reply-To: "James L. Leonard" >To: "Joni List" >Subject: An Admission Of Method To Madness >Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 09:51:32 -0700 > >Sorry to be posting so much...and I'm gonna try to "cut down." :-) It's >just >such a great thing to be connected to you people, and I find I like to >start >conversations and discussions. While I've got the floor again...I'd like to >join with everyone in telling Anne how pleased we all are by her wonderful >news. Fantastic! > >Also, to everyone at last night's concert...I'm delighted to hear it was >another great success! This tour seems to be a consistent triumph, and I >can't wait to hear some of these "quietly-alluded-to" concert recordings. >:-) > >The reason I'm writing is to admit to a motive behind starting the "least >favorite Joni songs" thread. Here it is: I have the compulsion (always >have) >to make my own box sets. I take an artist, their entire catalogue, and, >working chronologically, I construct my own "box." I've got about 50 of >them. I tend to re-sequence the songs I select from each album, too, to try >to follow a sort of storyline, when possible. > >Anyway, my last Joni box was made up of four 100-minute tapes, and included >material up through Turbulent Indigo. Now, with Turbulent Indigo and Both >Sides Now, plus some essential rarities I've come into recently (thanks >again, SCJoniGuy), I've decided to create a new "box" from scratch. I'm >starting by deciding what to include from the Second Fret Sets, and that's >when it occurred to me that, with this project in front of me, I'd be >interested in knowing what are some of the JMDlers least favorite Joni >songs. I'm still planning to follow that thread, when it runs its course, >with a questions as to "favorites." I'll go on record right now as saying >that "Song For Sharon" is the one tune I'd play for someone who'd never >heard Joni, if I was trying to interest him/her in becoming a fan. > >Is there anybody else that does this kind of thing, the "boxes" I mean? >Also, is there anybody else that enjoys re-sequencing albums? I'd like to >know if I'm nuts. :-) > >A lot of it has to do, I think, with growing up on late '60s and 70s >"Progressive" radio, wherein the announcers used songs as "paints," and the >airwaves as a "blank canvas," and were thematic in their programming, and >educational. I pursued that vocation myself for a few years after leaving >college, but that type of radio was beginning to die just as I was getting >involved. It still saddens me that it's gone, for the most part. I think >making these tapes is, for me, kinda like the next best thing to doing a >show. > >"Boston Jim" > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:30:24 -0700 From: Steve Dulson Subject: Fort Macleod Reuters wrote: >The career of Mitchell, born in 1943 in the small town of Fort Macleod, >>Saskatchewan, Fort Macleod is in Alberta. ######################################################### Steve Dulson Costa Mesa CA steve@psitech.com "The Tinker's Own" http://www.tinkersown.com "Southern California Dulcimer Heritage" http://members.aol.com/scdulcimer/ "The Living Tradition Concert Series" http://www.thelivingtradition.org/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:32:25 -0700 From: Steve Dulson Subject: Least Favorite Joni Songs Colin wrote: >Just goes to show how different we all are. Jungle Line, Lead and Talk >To me are among my fave Joni tracks. God, I *hate* it when that happens! I actually agree with something that Colin wrote! :) ######################################################### Steve Dulson Costa Mesa CA steve@psitech.com "The Tinker's Own" http://www.tinkersown.com "Southern California Dulcimer Heritage" http://members.aol.com/scdulcimer/ "The Living Tradition Concert Series" http://www.thelivingtradition.org/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 11:36:02 -0400 From: dsk Subject: Re: Take me back to Chicago Vince Lavieri wrote: > So, if there is anything that anyone feels that I should know (other > than that I am a jerk) ... Hey, I don't remember you ever earning that title. That's not an easy one to come by on this list. Did I miss something here? > I have never met any JMDLers so I am psyched for that as well as for > seeing Joni twice, for seeing the Sox twice (as we crush Cleveland in > our battle for 1st place), and for seeing Dead Sea Scrolls, Sue the T > Rex, and the Titanic exhibit... Sounds great. And I look forward to reading every nitty gritty bubbly bit of detail about it. Have fun, you kid you (and yeah, I think you have earned that title, but that's a smiley one :-). Debra Shea ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:37:55 -0700 From: Steve Dulson Subject: A & M studios The Zoob man wrote: >Joni used to record in proper studios (Warner Brothels, Ocean Way etc) And most often, I think, the A & M studios, just down La Brea from Hollywood High (Kakki's not around to correct me, hehehehe...). I was saddened when A & M was closed down - I always thought that we could arrange a Joni landmark tour of LA, and maybe get to visit those studios. Uh-oh. I just noticed, Zoob - Warner Brothels? Freudian slip? Innovative record financing? A whole aspect of the recording business I was unaware of? Happy Friday, all! ######################################################### Steve Dulson Costa Mesa CA steve@psitech.com "The Tinker's Own" http://www.tinkersown.com "Southern California Dulcimer Heritage" http://members.aol.com/scdulcimer/ "The Living Tradition Concert Series" http://www.thelivingtradition.org/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:38:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Rowe Subject: Who Wants to be A Joni Millionaire -- Level 1 Good morning, and welcome to our first edition of "Who Wants To Be A Joni Millionaire." You'll be asked a series of questions and given four possible answers. If you're not sure, there are three lifelines you can use to get help: Ask The JMDL 50/50 Phone The Inner Circle So let's play, "Who Wants to be a Joni Millionaire!" DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-POOM! For $100: Joni Mitchell was born in which country? a. Australia b. Lichtenstein c. United States d. Canada For $200: What line follows the title of Joni Mitchell's hit song "Help Me"? a. I think I'm falling in love b. It was just a false alarm c. I talk too open and free d. I've fallen and I can't get up For $300: Joni Mitchell has NOT been romantically linked to which of the following men? a. James Taylor b. Larry Klein c. Donald Trump d. Jackson Browne For $500: Joni says which kind of animal gives the home a heartbeat? a. Dogs b. Snakes c. Ferrets D. Cats For $1000 SIQUOMB is an acronym for what? a. She Is Queasy Unless Others Make Bread b. Sally Isn't Quiet Until Otto Models Bikinis c. She Is Queen Undisputedly Of Mind Beauty d. Sickly Inadequate Quality Undermines Our Music Basically When we get back ... they'll be shooting for $2000 ... ===== "I want a stillness inside, and a quiet of mind, and to stop dreaming of the comfort of strangers." -- Julia Fordham __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites. http://invites.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 08:42:11 -0700 From: Louis Lynch Subject: RE: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni Jim, Hi. I don't really know the name of the project. It had to do with the University at Berkeley or whatever the big college there is called. It was a long time ago, and my brother and I haven't lived within a 100 miles of each other for ages. As far as Metheny's true personality, I would defer to your direct observations and impression based on personal experience. I'm not famous enough to be able to "hang backstage" with anyone as big-time as Metheny. It was not my intent to cast aspersions on his personality. I wouldn't know Pat Metheny if he came up and played his tuba right in my face. I was just relating my brother's experience with him. My brother was very young at the time, and very upset by the way he was treated by "the master." Perhaps it was just a chemistry thing or a fluke, as you say. Also, I've noticed my brother has changed over the years from being a wide-eyed ingenue to occasionally deserving the title of "crass jazz snob" himself. So, his comments to me about Metheny are unique to that incident at that time. I posted only because GuruDJ's comments about Joni struck me as ironically identical to my brother's initial impression of Metheny. Of course, that was the impression I maintained, because of what I heard years ago. I wasn't criticizing Metheny -- how could I? It wouldn't matter, though, because genuises have historically been criticized heavily for their human frailties, as if they should not have faults. As a pianist, I am a huge fan of Keith Jarrett, and I once heard he was tough to work with. As a harpist, I love Harpo Marx, and I've heard bad stories about his behavior, too. Icons are easy targets. The worst I could say is that it was a bit unprofessional of Metheny to cut down another musician, especially one who hired him and paid him -- I'm sure Joni paid him for the gigs, right? I firmly believe that when someone puts down another person in public, it says as much about the person making the critism as the person being criticized. Within that supercool group of jazz musicians you listed, I have no doubt that Metheny is well-respected. At the time, my brother was one of the little people, so he didn't really count anyway. Didn't mean to offend you or anything. But, every post I've ever sent seems to offend people. It's a gift! Consistent regards, Harper Lou ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 16:39:19 +0100 From: M.D.Quinn@shu.ac.uk (Mike QUINN\(CMS\)) Subject: WTRF I loved Howard's post on the underrated WTRF. I've been playing WTRF a lot of late and it has so many touches of brilliance. The wonderfully structured Chinese Cafe, majestic Moon at the Window and that great falsetto Ladies Man. But as Howard points out the emotion packed into Joni's voice is staggering. Has anyone sung the word 'love' with more feeling than in that final track? Then on Man to Man, just listen again to the part when she sings 'Oh...I hope he will care', with that killer hesitancy, it gets to me every time and I've played this album a zillion times! Pure genius. If you've ever dismissed this record in the past please DO give it another go, it really is worth it. Mike ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 11:45:57 EDT From: NoeysMaMa@aol.com Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #284 <<<< And how about Chinese Cafe--brilliant, wonderful storytelling. >>>> Have to agree with you on that one...that piece, with "Unchained Melody" on the tail end, just floors me. Thank you for your kind welcomes that took place through private emails. I received a few, "'The Jungle Line' used to annoy me BUT..." and I have to say openly in response that, even though I tend to skip the song, it probably attests the most to Joni's brilliance. The attention she pays to the entire atmosphere of an album, and the development of the theme a la HOSL...well, also floors me. (How many different phrases can I use to say "Wow, it's awesome" ???) I appreciate it more now that I've internalized the album in its entirety and gleaned more of the point Joni was trying to make. Love, Min ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:06:27 +0100 From: catman Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2000 #283 and someone may > absolutely love this one. (who would that be)? > Mike > > me. i like it's energy, her voice and it's petulance. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:07:38 +0100 From: catman Subject: Re: Least Favorite Joni Songs Steve Dulson wrote: > > Colin wrote: > > >Just goes to show how different we all are. Jungle Line, Lead and Talk > >To me are among my fave Joni tracks. > > God, I *hate* it when that happens! I actually agree with something > that Colin wrote! :) Don't worry-I am sure it won't happen too often. > > ######################################################### > Steve Dulson Costa Mesa CA steve@psitech.com > "The Tinker's Own" http://www.tinkersown.com > "Southern California Dulcimer Heritage" http://members.aol.com/scdulcimer/ > "The Living Tradition Concert Series" http://www.thelivingtradition.org/ > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:14:10 +0100 From: catman Subject: New Orleans Everyone have a great time and be sure to fill us in on all the fun and the gossip. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:13:30 +0100 From: catman Subject: UK Fest Chirs has just left after being here for a few hours. Talked boaut the Troubador cd, i am sure you will all like it. He is says he is planning another UKJoni fest this june/july. Should be good. Like me, Chris keeps all of the jmdl mail on file-i save all mine to cd for the last 3 years. we talked about Joni and hejira ,djrd, the list, the USA Canada(we both agreed we felt in Canada), humour and one or two other things. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 12:21:55 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: Talking to Pat Metheny about Joni Hey, Harper Lou. You misunderstood...I was not offended in the least by your post. I had some contrary personal observations to share (I am *far* from "famous," however...what a joke!) so I shared them, that's all. At the time I was backstage alot with the Pat Metheny Group I was working for a concert promotion company in Boston, and, in the years I worked for them, we handled all of the PMG's tour dates in the New England states (heaven, for me, as I was already a *big* Metheny fan). I was needed at the halls on the day of the shows early in the morning, before the trucks unloaded, and I left very late at night, after the band and the roadies had gone. Metheny, and all the members of his band, were always a delight to work with, from soundcheck on, and all his band members were always happy campers and spoke highly of "being on the gig," as they put it when referring to doing the album and tour. I didn't mean to come off as "sensitive" or "snobbish" or anything. I like to think I'm a nice guy. You made a public statement about the personality and the career work of Pat Metheny which I didn't agree with, historically-speaking, from first-hand observation. That's all. Please don't think I was in the least offended by your comments...to the contrary. That's why I asked what project your brother had been a part of. I wanted to try to place it in context, for myself, with what I know of Metheny's background at that time. I would have liked to have known on which project he was the "tortured artist," and listened to it again with that in mind. :-) Best, Jim > Didn't mean to offend you or anything. But, every post I've ever sent seems > to offend people. It's a gift! > > Consistent regards, > > Harper Lou > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 12:32:33 -0400 From: dsk Subject: Re: WTRF Howard Motyl wrote: > And Solid Love? Well, no > one's perfect. This song is perfection itself to me! (ok, so I'm exaggerating here, but it IS one of my favorites). I love the swingy feel to it, the celebration, the ah-ha look at what we've found feeling, what a surprise, and the wordy fit-it-all-in lyrics. It makes me happy and hopeful every time I hear it. And Joni in such a love-is-fun mood helps balance all the distress she usually sings about. It makes the picture fuller, and I like that, a lot. :-) Debra Shea ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 12:36:55 -0700 From: "James L. Leonard" Subject: Re: Who Wants to be A Joni Millionaire -- Level 1 Hey, Don. Is there really some money in this? :-) Can you also enter the "inner circle" if you answer all the (very funny) questions correctly? Jim > Good morning, and welcome to our first edition of > "Who Wants To Be A Joni Millionaire." ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #213 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list at ------- Siquomb, isn't she?