From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #373 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 Thursday, September 21 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 373 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: HOSL and blindness ["Diane Evans" ] best singer/songwriter [m.harmssen@t-online.de (m.harmssen)] Re: HOSL and blindness [B Merrill ] Re: best singer/songwriterS [B Merrill ] Re: Is Joni the best singer/songwriter of our time? ["Garret" ] carnival life ["Kate Bennett" ] Re: HOSL and blindness ["Diane Evans" ] Hi Tammi! ["Linda Montelione" ] Re: best singer/songwriters [RoseMJoy@aol.com] joni's melisma? [Relayer211@aol.com] Re: is joni the best song writer?? [JRMCo1@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 09:58:36 EST From: "Diane Evans" Subject: Re: HOSL and blindness Bob, et al: I want to throw a new kink in this HOSL discussion. I have been frantically searching for a magazine a student brought to me last year: it was a National Geographic, dated in the 70's. Lo and behold! On the cover of the magazine was the jungle portion of the HOSL cover! No, it wasn't her work, it was a photograph that the album work was based upon. I can't put my hands on the magazine just yet (my room has been moved and I still haven't recovered), but I believe I recall the article being the typical NG fare, discussing the diminishing native populations and ways, lost to the lure of city life and city riches, as well as to corporate aquisition of lands (paving paradise...). Double meaning and ancient cultures/philosophies figure in many of Joni's works. That's why we love her so much, right? We keep peeling the layers of meanings and finding it more fascinating. I think Joni enjoys sitting back and watching us guess. I'm a newbie on this list...shy about jumping in and sounding silly...but had to get in this one! Diane _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 17:45:47 +0200 From: m.harmssen@t-online.de (m.harmssen) Subject: best singer/songwriter first of all the lennon/mccartney issue - i don't really agree that because they were a pair they would have to be excluded from the contest / list, only because they weren't so much, actually i think they should be included, team collaboration with the beatles always happened when they hit studio time, which means very often it was all four working on the tunes, their shaping for a band arranmgement, not to forget george martin as no.5 - the basic material, music and text, always goes pretty much to the ones singing the tunes - not considering famous exceptions such as > a day in the life <, however i think it's pretty secure to say that both lennon and mccartney were pretty much singers / songwriters in their own right, a competitive situation which they both admitted to have been true is something other performing / writing artists will know as something common going on as well, i think in JONI's case probably with changing musical "partners" to compete with or whatever in a similar direction - there are only so many writing musicians I know or that i heard of that even make up something / someone in order to generate that special kind of energy as in a competition...... so both lennon and mccartney should be at the top of the list. what was said about stevie wonder i do in fact totally agree to, his lyrics suck while the music will quite probably be on the first pages of an international songbook of popular tunes - what a drama..... if he hadn't declined so much in quality i think ian anderson would have had to be added to the list, also i keep thinking about one of my favourite writers / performers in pop, who admittedly does not have such a huge book of songs to begin with as a condition to be on the list, that would be mr. thomas dolby - anyway, tafkap must be on the list... HEJIYYYYYIA MICHAEL m.harmssen@t-online.de ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 12:48:38 -0400 From: B Merrill Subject: Re: HOSL and blindness Hi Diane, If you could specify this Nat Geo issue, I would very much appreciate it. Are you sure that the image came from the cover of the mag, and not inside? keep jumping in! Bruce ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:51:13 -0400 From: B Merrill Subject: Re: best singer/songwriterS Hello Michael, Speaking as the one who (arbitrarily?) ruled out partners vs. solo singer-songwriters, it was because I was hoping for a more focused inquiry. But focused on a group-- if you see what I mean. That's why I tried to have the query NOT resolve to the unique, the best, but rather, viewed as a group: ">Which singer-songwriters of our time, Joni's time (the last 35-40 years, since the revolution in pop-rock-folk songwriting brought about by the "British Invasion," etc) are the most impressive?" I was interested in the larger spread of important, sustained singer-songwriters, the ones who've kept at it, over a long time. And, in truth, I agree with you: the Beatles were/are the best. In a class by themselves. More than anyone else, they set off the aforementioned "revolution in pop-rock-folk songwriting brought about by the "British Invasion," which rescued us benighted North Americans from the nightmare of Pat Boone and his ilk. Their like will not, cannot be seen again. auf Wiedersehen, Bruce PS >anyway, tafkap must be on the list... Que quiere decir "tafkap"?? ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 19:58:57 +0100 From: "Garret" Subject: Re: Is Joni the best singer/songwriter of our time? :>RoseMJoy@aol.com wrote: I agree, but I'd also add Elton John to this list, >or should I say Sir Elton >John I'm not a great Elton John fan myself, but i had been thinking that his name was missing from this list of the greatest singer/songwriters. i totally agree Rose. I'd deifinitely pipe up for Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, and Bruce Cockburn (thanks to Ramcey for introducing me to COckburn four months ago). Although Ani DiFranco may not be around for fourty years, she has done more in her career so far than many do in a lifetime. And someone added that the Fiona Apple may prove to be great long term, again i agree. What about Rufus Wainwright? GARRET np- Charlie Mingus, thrice upon a time ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 15:01:41 -0400 From: Susan McNamara Subject: Fwd: Re: Is Joni the best singer/songwriter of our time? I would also like to say a ME TOO about Elton. I was obsessed with Elton John in the 70s but lost him after Caribou and the dirt brown cowboy album. This summer when I was visiting my brother (who loves to renovate old turntables), he brought along the quirkiest selection of lps you could imagine (Ventures, some 60s vibes player who only sang "baaa," Ella Does the Beatles, stuff like that). But I was overjoyed when I found he also brought "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player." Of course, the hits Daniel and Crocodile Rock were on there, but I loved the more obscure songs like High Flying Bird and Have Mercy on the Criminal. And the original trifold had a lot of cool pictures. Elton wore some great clothes. thanks for being here, sue >:>RoseMJoy@aol.com wrote: I agree, but I'd also add Elton John to this list, > >or should I say Sir Elton > >John > >I'm not a great Elton John fan myself, but i had been thinking that his name >was missing from this list of the greatest singer/songwriters. i totally >agree Rose ____________________ /____________________\ ||-------------------|| || Sue McNamara || || sem8@cornell.edu || ||___________________|| || O etch-a-sketch O || \___________________/ "It's all a dream she has awake" - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 15:42:31 -0400 From: dsk Subject: Re: best singer/songwriters Has anyone mentioned Paul Simon yet? He's been around a long time, written some classics, and is still experimenting. Richard Thompson's been mentioned, but I'll add his name to the list again. His lyrics aren't as subtle and complicated as Joni's but he's better with melody I think and has done some great tunes in the last 35 years, and is still trying new things. Plus, I prefer listening to his guitar playing... sacrilegious admission here I know (but I can't help it). Who's the best? I don't know can't decide don't even want to think about it. Debra Shea NP: RT Dimming of the Day. Accchhhh it's ripping my heart out! I love this song :-) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:37:51 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: carnival life Rose in NJ wrote" "Now can you relate to this song Jersy girls, Kate, MG, Linda? (sigh) Yes I can, though I left that carnival life when I was still a teen. But those words bring back waves of nostalgia, yes indeedy. ******************************************** Kate Bennett featured this month at Taylor Guitars www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/ www.katebennett.com www.cdbaby.com/katebennett www.amazon.com ******************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 15:44:50 EST From: "Diane Evans" Subject: Re: HOSL and blindness Bruce, You wrote >If you could specify this Nat Geo issue, I would very much appreciate it. >Are you sure that the image came from the cover of the mag, and not inside? I'm reasonably certain it was on the cover; it would have been what caught my eye. The student brought it in to contribute to our "source images." I teach visual arts. I will continue to search for the magazine over the next week and will let you know when I do find it. Thanks for the encouragement! Diane _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 18:14:31 -0400 From: "Linda Montelione" Subject: Hi Tammi! I'm a little late in reading the digests, and I must admit to a case of post- "voices: Joni Mitchell" blues. To soothe myself I began an assignment that Ashara gave me at the Jonifest, which was to jot down what I've learned about the paintings that were exhibited. And, much of what I learned came from Tammi and the wonderful Suzy Mulligan, with whom I spent many hours over the course of the three days we were in Saskatoon, from the opening through that weekend. Tammi, it's great to hear from you. I know you've been lurking. I'm curious about a few things: Did Joni return to the exhibition? Did any other celebs visit? Where there many inquiries about purchasing the paintings? And, how are you recovering? With warm hellos! Linda ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 19:03:58 EDT From: RoseMJoy@aol.com Subject: Re: best singer/songwriters In a message dated 9/20/00 3:57:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, dsk11@bellatlantic.net writes: << Has anyone mentioned Paul Simon yet? He's been around a long time, written some classics, and is still experimenting. >> Oh absolutely, I wouldn't let that one go by without being added to the list. IMHO Simon and Dylan are probably the best singer/songwriters of our time. Next to McCartney and Lennon of course. And OK I'll have to admit I do have a great deal of respect for Jagger, but he's in a class all his own. Satisfaction is the best R&R song ever made. (IMO) - -Rose in NJ - -Rose in NJ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 22:22:52 EDT From: Relayer211@aol.com Subject: joni's melisma? I really know very,very little about the technical aspects of music,but I love the way Joni sounds when she sings a word or a syllable,and her voice goes up and down on that one word and syllable.For example when she sings "sign off prayer" on "You turn me on I'm a radio" on FTR,her voice goes up and down on the first sylllable of "sign off".and when she sings "the wires and the walls are humming" on "Edith and the Kingpin" on HOSL,her voice goes up and down on the word "humming".Is this called melisma? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 02:00:38 EDT From: JRMCo1@aol.com Subject: Re: is joni the best song writer?? Blair writes: << But, in my opinon .. some of the great singer-songwriters in the last 50 or so years: Joni mitchell Bobby Dylan Leonard Cohen Frank Zappa Kate Bush Tom Waits Paul Simon Laura Nyro George Clinton >> Nice list, Blair. Waits and Clinton are particularly inspired choices. I'd add Cat Stevens along with Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, Paul Simon, Pete Gabriel and maybe Don Henley, if you catch me on a good day. ;-) Oh, and Stevie Nicks comes in just under the wire. Wait...what about Carly Simon? Nah. Carole King? Well, no. She's not that strong a singer, but she can certainly song-write her ass off. Van Morrison makes the grade, too. Patti Smith merits at least honorable mention. Let's not forget Bob Marley, mon! Also making my list: Dave Wakling, Bonnie Hayes and Toni Childs. Stevie Wonder? Absolutely. He's a musical genius. His lyrics don't approach the eloquence of Joni's, but the force is undeniably strong with him. Look at his body of work. - -Julius np: Stevie Wonder: "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2000 #373 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list at ------- Siquomb, isn't she?