From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2004 #310 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 Sunday, October 31 2004 Volume 2004 : Number 310 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack! [Michael Paz ] Jonifest in France ["Laurent Olszer" ] Re: Jonifest in France ["ron old mweb" ] Christmas Is Cancelled [Nuriel Tobias ] Jonifest dates ["Laurent Olszer" ] A very big week for Dr. Joan [Brian Gross ] More on Dr Joan today, including pix [Brian Gross ] Joni Symposium Report (long) ["Michael O'Malley" ] Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference - The National Post, 28 October, 2004 [C] Re: Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference - The National Post, 28 October, 2004 ["mackoliver" Subject: I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack! My domain name issues have been resolved and I am back up from this email address. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. And to ALL you politicos out there---if you don't vote in this election-SHUT THE FUCK UP! Sorry I couldn't resist. Paz (who worked a gig with Rev. Jesse Jackson last night) Off to SoberJam (a festival celebrating recovery) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 19:05:40 +0200 From: "Laurent Olszer" Subject: Jonifest in France Hello World Travelers I called a few B&Bs in the area, average rates are: 40 euros ($50) for a room for 2 people, 50 euros ($63) for 3 people, all including breakfast. I'll be posting all details later on. The urgent part is to pick a date so I can book the nearest rooms ASAP. Remember, there aren't many places around so I'll need to book all the ones that are nearby. I've received feedback that the 1st half of august is preferable. Can we narrow it down or I just randomly pick 3 days? Laurent ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 19:57:02 +0200 From: "ron old mweb" Subject: Re: Jonifest in France hi >>>>>laurent wrote > I've received feedback that the 1st half of august is preferable. Can we > narrow it down or I just randomly pick 3 days? 1st half of august is perfect for me ron np - ben harper & the blind boys of alabama - wicked man (std blind boys stuff - superb........) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 14:48:51 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: Christmas Is Cancelled Back in 1957 when Joni told The Rolling Stones that she's about to release her "Swan Song" album (which turned out be Trav.), and while shraing her everlasting urge to quit the music biz, she also said that her next album would be a "Cristmas" album. (notice that in that interview she still didn't use the term 'retired'), and even spoke of what this "christmas" album may look like - traditional songs, joni's "christmas-wise" songs like River, and several songs that she described as "something bad always happenes in Christmas" songs. No doubt, i hope, that you all know that i'd be the first to start dancing in joy if Joni was to release another album. but THANK GOD ALL MIGHTY that the "Christmas" album idea went down the drain. Even then, when she spoke of it as her future plan, i became worried, but now, when it's obvious that the 'Christmas' album is off - i feel SUCH A RELIEF i can't even express it in words. And don't you even dare thinking it's because i'm jewish. I have nothing against Christmas, nothing against Jesus, and nothing against anything. It's just that the thought (brrrrrrrr) that Joni would release a "Christmas" album, with all those sticky, tra-la-la-la, Jesus is born and praise the Lord songs made me feel so scared of what this album would be, that i couldn't be happier now that this "nightmare" is over. I know that some of you do love Christmas songs, and even more who would have loved to hear Joni's version of those songs, and i know for sure that some of us would be pleased to have another Joni album no matter if it's Christams songs, Yidish songs, anything at all songs, as long as it's Joni. From all of you i ask for your forgivness. But I AM HAPPY that it's not going to happen. Sue me, kill me - I AM HAPPY! I wouldn't be surprised, btw, if that 'Christmas' album idea on that interview was a practical joke by Joni. I wouldn't even be surprised if that album would've got made - it would not have been an enchanting Mariah "Christmas' album, but rather a "Christmas - the kiss my ass" version of Joni to the "Christmas" albums concept, but anyway, THANK YOU JOAN for calling the whole thing off. Nuriel Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 02:05:35 +0200 From: "Laurent Olszer" Subject: Jonifest dates Looking at the calendar, I think what makes most sense is saturday august 6th till monday august 8th. This will allow you to take cheaper mid-week flights aug 2-4th, and some time to see Paris (or Barcelona) and then drive or take a train south. For those of you who prefer B&Bs over camping on site, here are some up for takes: All rates include breakfast, may be possible to pay less without it. 1) Mme Tavart in Davejean (nearest village): 1 room for 3: 40 euros ($50)/room 1 room for 4: 50 euros 2) Mme Le Franc in Villerouge Termenes: 1 room with 1 double + 1 single bed: 39 euros if 2 people, 50 euros if 3. 3) Mme Bizouerne in Le Roc de Golta (near Villerouge Termenes) 1 room with 1 double bed: 43 euros 2 rooms with 2 single beds: 43 euros 1 room with 3 single beds: 64 euros All rooms have sink & shower, toilets on the same floor. 4) M. Houalet in Felines Termenes: no details available 5) La Fargo in St Pierre des Champs: not a B&B but a charming hotel with great food and gorgeous surroundings. Rooms are very nice too. Near to where I live when I'm in the area, about 20 minutes drive to Jonifest. 64-71 euros/room + breakfast 6 euros/person. I might be able to negotiate some better rates since I sent them a lot of english people who by the way were very pleased with the experience and came back! Check their website www.chez.com/lafargo/, click on the UK flag at the bottom for english. In addition to the hotel info there is plenty of info about the area. Click on "directions" for general travel info. Let me know if you want any of these and I'll make the booking for you. As these get filled up, I'll come up with others. Also, I need to know whether you plan on spending some extra nights, before or after the Jonifest, in order to explore the area. I suppose we could all take an afternoon trip to a nearby waterfall/canyon and have a picnic there. It would be a shame IMO not to take minimum 2-3 days to sightsee around. Laurent ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 18:25:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Gross Subject: A very big week for Dr. Joan http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1099179960113_3/?hub=Canada Joni Mitchell made companion of Order of Canada CTV.ca News Staff Legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell was made a companion of the Order of Canada on Saturday. Joining her in receiving the nation's highest civilian honour was Martin L. Friedland, a retired University of Toronto law professor, who received a promotion within the order. "From Yorkville coffeehouses to international stages and on to gold albums, Junos, Grammys and Hall of Fame inductions, she has engaged and inspired audiences and musicians for some 40 years," said a statement about Mitchell released by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson's office. Some of the 61-year-old Mitchell's major hits include Big Yellow Taxi, Free Man in Paris and Raised on Robbery. The singer, born in Fort MacLeod, Alta. and raised in Saskatchewan, is on an award roll -- she was given an honorary Doctor of Music degree from McGill University in Montreal on Wednesday. Friedland "has authored one of the most definitive studies of the role of the judiciary in our country. ... As a legal scholar and teacher, he has inspired a great many young lawyers and students," it said. Seventeen people were named officers of the Order of Canada. One of those is Daniel Berthier, one of the founders of the world famous Cirque du Soleil, which some say has revolutionized the entire notion of a circus. "This man of exceptional vision, to whom the values of respect and sharing are important, is undoubtedly one of our great builders," the statement said. Twenty-seven others were named members. They were all invested at Rideau Hall, the Governor General's official residence in Ottawa. The Order of Canada was created in 1967 to acknowledge the contributions of outstanding Canadians. While the Governor General is the chancellor and principal companion, an advisory committee chaired by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada vets recommends people for appointment. The order's motto is Desiderantes meliorem patriam -- They desire a better country. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 19:23:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Gross Subject: More on Dr Joan today, including pix http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041030.worder30/BNStory/National Ottawa  Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell was among 46 people inducted into the Order of Canada on Saturday by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson. Established on July 1, 1967 to commemorate the country's 100th birthday, the Order of Canada is the country's highest honour and recognizes outstanding achievement and service in various fields of human endeavour. Ms. Mitchell was one of two people made a Companion of the Order, the highest of three levels of recognition. Officers and Members are the others. Ms. Mitchell, born in Fort MacLeod, Alta., turns 61 next Sunday. The singer's catalogue includes folk, rock, jazz, big-band, world beat and orchestral music. Her singles include Big Yellow Taxi; You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio; Free Man in Paris, and Raised On Robbery. This is just the latest honour for Ms. Mitchell, who received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from McGill University last Wednesday. She was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1981 and into the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. She received a Grammy award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002, with a citation describing her as "one of the most important female recording artists of the rock era" and "a powerful influence on all artists who embrace diversity, imagination and integrity." The other Companion inductee was Martin L. Friedland of Toronto. Friedland was Dean of Law at the University of Toronto from 1972 to 1979 and the author or editor of 17 books, including Detention Before Trial, Double Jeopardy, Access to the Law and The Trials of Israel Lipski. The other inductees: Officers: Irving (Ike) Barber, Delta., B.C.; Charles Coffey, Toronto; Donald Deacon, Charlottetown; Louis Deveau, Dartmouth, N.S.; John Fowles, Knowlton, Que.; Daniel Gauthier, St-Bruno, Que.; Margaret Hilson, Ottawa; Guy Laliberte, Montreal; Leonard Lockhart, Moncton, N.B.; Donald Mackay, Peterborough, Ont.; Gerald Maier, Calgary; Phillip Orsino, Toronto; Royden Rabinowitch, Ghent, Belgium and Toronto; H. Glenn Rainbird, Edmonton; Ronald Rompkey, Sgt. John's, Nfld.; Richard Tomlinson, Hamillton; William Weintraub, Montreal. Members: Morton Beiser, Toronto; Hugh Boyd, Ottawa; Jean-Marie Brochu, St-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Que.; Clarence (Shorty) Brown, Yellowknife, N.W.T.; John Clayton, Toronto; George Cooper, Halifax; Laura Dodson, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.; Arthur Drache, Ottawa; Abdo (Albert) El Tassi, Winnipeg; Stephanie Felesky, Calgary; Eldon Hay, Sackville, N.B.; Susan Knight, St. John's, Nfld.; John Laidlaw, Toronto; James Langley, Ottawa; Ronald Lou-Poy, Victoria, B.C.; Margot Phaneuf, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.; Nancy Poole, London, Ont.; Timothy Porteous, West Vancouver, B.C.; Tannis Richardson, St. Germain South, Man.; Douglas Riley, Toronto; Annette Saint-Pierre, St. Boniface, Man.; Janet Somerville, Toronto; Howard Tennant, Lethbridge, Alta.; Ernest Walker, Saskatoon; Vi Warren, Colborne, Ont.; Jonathan Wener, Montreal; Betty Jane Wylie, MacTier, Ont. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 22:31:42 EDT From: PassScribe@aol.com Subject: Re: Joni Covers > Hey, Bob; I was at a friend's house tonight and heard a cover of "A Case of > You" by Jane Monheit off her 2001 album, Come Dream With Me. Although I > have most of the covers that you've compiled, from the discs that were > circulating around the site, I didn't read the index list lately and wondered if > you have Jane's cover on one of your discs. My guess is that you do, but in > case you don't, be advised..... > Kenny B ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 20:35:06 -0700 (PDT) From: mags h Subject: fyi the globe and mail and Joni fyi, hello everyone, you can always go to www.globeandmail.com and do a search for Joni. There's almost always something there, especially now. I'm hoping that MacLean's magazine (canadian news weekly mag) will cover this past week's stories of Joan, and her honours....oh lala looking forward to pictures and all. I will let you know if/when i get them. If anyone wants a copy, let me know. off list please. thanks, Mags. if you've had a kindness shown, pass it on. Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 04:02:41 +0000 From: "Michael O'Malley" Subject: Joni Symposium Report (long) Joni Mitchell Symposium McGill University Redpath Hall October 27th 2004 It was a crisp and sunny day that greeted me as I walked through McGills main campus in downtown Montreal. McGill is nestled at the base of Mount Royal, which provides a stunning backdrop in its fall splendour. Redpath Hall looks like it was once used as a convocation hall. Picture a large hall, not unlike an Anglican church, with high ceilings and wooden floors, bathed in light from two-storey bay windows made of leaded glass, the walls crammed with paintings of former chancellors. The symposium was put together by two professors from the music department, Lloyd `Chip` Whitesell and David Brackett. The symposium was organized for the occasion of an honorary doctorate being awarded to Joni later that evening. The event was made possible through contacts with Howie Klein, former president of reprise records, and Jonis agents. There were about 70-100 people in attendance at any given time. The audience members varied from students to boomers, the usual Joni crowd. There were three speakers in the morning and five in the afternoon. Don Maclean, dean of the music department, opened the proceedings with a warm introduction. He discussed the gestation of the project, the late-night transatlantic phone calls, and finally, a meeting with Joni at her home in LA. He was pleased to report that Joni had indeed boarded a plane that morning and was headed to Montreal. He remarked that she might even show up for the end of the symposium, but no one should be holding their breath. I cannot relate in detail all the content of the following presentations. What I offer here are my impressions of each talk, using the notes I scribbled during the day. This will compliment what youve already seen and read in the media. Llyod Whitesell was the first speaker. He is an energetic redhead and a Joni scholar. His talk focused on the notion that some of Jonis albums, like LOTC and Clouds are simply collections of songs, while others, such as Blue, C&S, Hejira and Hissing are concept albums or song cycles. He spoke at length about Hejira, with its themes of rootlessness and travel. He described the songs as hymns to the open road, all written in the first person. He noted the repeated animal imagery: coyote, crow and deer. He spoke of how the technical production reinforced the spirit of the lyrics and music. For example, the doubled guitar tracks, slightly out of phase with one another, evoke a haunting sense of time and space. He spoke of Jacos melodic and floating bass, with its questioning tones. The album both begins and ends in C major. He then made a case for DJRD as an alternative concept album, full of songs of wildly contrasting tone. Talk To Me vs Jericho, for example. At the time of its release, critics called this album shapeless and schizophrenic. In Whitesells view, DJRD is a concept album with clear thematic threads, split into multiple points of view that evoke a mythical sense of place. For example, Cotton Avenue is an urban setting, Jericho refers to the walled city, Otis describes a resort in Miami; mystical spaces are evoked in Paprika Plains, while the 10th world describes a kind of sonic tourism. Duality, another theme of the album, is evident by the two records, the dual nature of human instincts  the pull of the spirit vs the flesh, eagle against serpent, airplane against train, you against I. The lyrics also vacillate between detached ironic observations and personal yearnings. The next speaker, Jennifer Rycenga, is a lovely and large lesbian who teaches religious studies at San Jose State U. She spoke of Jonis unique voice as a sonic document of feminism. Not an easy case to make, in light of Jonis refusal to be pigeonholed. She spoke of the uniqueness of this voice in pop music, namely that of a self-defined, sexually active white woman who described the world around her with both ironic detachment and self doubt. She made her case analysing several songs, including, Peoples Parties, Same Situation, Song for Sharon, and Sex Kills. She stated that no song on C&S defended the gender system status quo. She also commented on the dual gender in Jonis work, which moves from powerful dominance to surrender. The last talk of the morning session was devoted to Jonis self-portraits as revealed on her album covers. Udayan Sen, a pop music aficionado, painter and frame conservator working in Montreal treated us to an eloquent commentary on Jonis art. He showed several album covers, discussing them through themes such as the seer and the seen, and the teller vs the tale. The red flower Joni holds on the Clouds cover is a Prairie Lily, the Provincial flower of Saskatchewan, which grows well in the Saskatoon region. There was lots of discussion, with many comments and questions from the floor after each of these sessions. After lunch, Jacqueline Warwick, from Dalhousie University, made a case for Joni being the principal architect of a Laurel Canyon sound in the late sixties and early seventies. This sound is characterized by poetic and introspective lyrics, a light, relaxed singing voice, and a clean acoustic sound based on the guitar. This kind of sound was seen as revolutionary for the period, eschewing sophisticated arrangements, overdubs, etc. Others in this group would be Graham Parsons and CSN. She then expounded on Reginas Empire Hotel, cited in Raised on Robbery. Next up was dapper Daniel Sonenberg, from the University of Southern Maine. He is actually a member of JMDL! http://www.jmdl.com/gallery/profiles.cfm?CurrentPage=29 His 220-page dissertation is entitled "'Who In The World She Might Be': A Contextual and Stylistic Approach to the Early Music of Joni Mitchell" - CUNY Graduate School (Ellie Hisama, advisor). It features close readings of three of Jonis songs, "I Had a King"; "The Last Time I Saw Richard"; and "Court and Spark," looking at them in their full biographical, music-industrial, historical, and music theoretical contexts. His talk was an excerpt drom his dissertation, discussing the jazz structure in The Last Time I saw Richard. It was a very technical talk, unfortunately beyond my level of comprehension. There were a few comments from non-academics afterwards, suggesting that perhaps this kind of technical analysis did not serve the music well, as it attempted to dissect integral elements of the art, which worked as a united whole. At about 4pm, during a refreshment break, we were treated to a great surprise. We were all casually milling about when Joni breezed into the room through a side door. A great round of applause erupted. It was quite miraculous really. There she was, standing there in the flesh, her skin and hair glowing white, as radiant and beautiful as ever. She wore form-fitting red and balck clothes and open-toed high heels. A media scrum ensued and she was immediately encircled by sound booms, tape recorders and cameras. She answered questions for about 20 minutes. It was impossible for any of us to approach her individually, and difficult to hear what she was saying. I took a few pictures through the crowd, but it felt almost rude and parasitic. Everyone seems to want a little piece of her! The media were eventually asked to give her some space, and the symposium continued. Joni sat up front, to the side, across the room from where I was sitting. Kilauren then appeared out of the blue and quietly joined her, unnoticed by most present. They both have the same silken, blonder than blond hair. Three of the best presentations of the day followed. First up was Greg Tate, a very cool dude. He is a founding member of the Black Rock Coalition, the author of several books and a staff writer at the Village Voice. His writings on art, music and culture have appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Washington Post, Premiere, and Downbeat. He read a prose poem entitled, How Black is Joni Mitchell? He began each line with the phrase: Joni Mitchell is so black, that The lines were so cutting, hilarious and true! Joni got a huge kick out of it and laughed heartily all throughout the piece. Some of the lines were so black, that black folk hear her as an inventor and not a vulture. It ended with, ``Joni Mitchell is so black, that she is finally getting an honorary degree in her motherland after four decades!`` He finished with a gentle air kiss - a very sweet moment. The Dean commented that he wished he could scrap his speech for the evening ceremony and have Greg do his number instead! Next up was John Kelly, whom Joni had hugged tightly when she first entered the room. He described his art, as well as his Joni-based work. At one point he played a recording of himself singing Woodstock. There he was, standing on a podium, holding a hand mike to a boom box, while his Joni-voice wafted out over the sound system, with Joni sitting 12 feet away! He said, `This is so surreal!`` He also played a couple of video clips in which his characters sing songs like River and Down to You, to further the emotional narrative in some of his non Joni-based performances. He was a charming and engaging speaker. Ann Powers is senior curator at Seattles Experience Music Project. She gave us her brilliant musings on each song from Blue. She said one of Jonis gifts was the poets ability to tell a story without telling the whole story. When it came time to discuss Little Green, she hesitated, and said, ``I have to stop here a moment because I know Im just gonna cry.`` She then looked out at Kilauren and said, ``Lm an adoptive mother myself and I know youre sitting there.`` By this point Kilauren had not been officially introduced to the gathering. She had simply been sitting discretely at Jonis side. Most people present were unaware of her presence. Joni let out a compassionate ``Aww`` as Ann held back her tears. It was a very touching moment. Ann composed herself then finished the presentation. Several audience members stood when they applauded. It was a wonderful piece, full of insight and beautifully presented. I asked her afterwards if she would be willing to send a copy of it to JMDL for the archives. She said she would, and said that the JMDL was an invaluable resource. At this point, Joni thanked the speakers for their contributions and said she was speechless. Following this, there was a round-table discussion with questions from the floor. Howie Klein, former President of Reprise Records joined Kelly, Powers Tate and Whitesell. After a few minutes, Joni herself joined the panel, to the great delight of the assembly. One lady behind me let out a very loud whoop as Joni sashayed her way to a place at the table. This whoop elicited a slight wince from Joni, who clearly she did not appreciate this kind of fervour. She lit a cigarette and fielded a few questions about the music business, jazz influences and working with Jaco and Mingus. A young student said that his generation didnt know her work well. She said she wasnt at all surprised, since his generations values were based on shock and shopping! On the subject of producers, she said that although Crosby had been her first producer, but that he was too lazy to be a producer! When she saw how little a producer does, she decided she could do without and went her own way! The symposium came to a close at about 6:15 pm. Cameras flashed once more, and Joni retreated to a small side room where she chatted briefly with some of the days speakers. She left quickly and discretely by a side door for a break before the evening ceremony. I have to say that I was surprised by my reaction to seeing Joni up close. I was certainly very pleased, it gave me a great sense of satisfaction to have finally shared the same space with her, even at a slight distance. However, I cannot say that I was overjoyed by the experience. Happy, yes. I think my meetings with Joni will always remain in the realm of the heart and mind; meeting with her in person seems next to impossible. I feel we live in different worlds, and that she has very little time to connect directly with her fans. The special convocation ceremony honouring Joni and other student grads was held at 8pm in Pollack Hall, McGills music performance auditorium. It was a very formal event. Every seat was full. Thankfully, some swing and levity was introduced by members of the 20-piece McGill student jazz band, who played original arrangements of five of Jonis songs. These arrangements were made by McGill staff or students  an unrecognizable The Priest, BSN and ACOY, with vocals. These were all fairly deconstructed and free flowing arrangements, often departing significantly from the melody line. The final two numbers, S&L and DCFDesMoine were much closer to the original versions. Joni later commented that, while grateful, she was a tough cookie to play for, and that people were usually scared of her, and that she would adjudicate later! The actual award ceremony was prefaced by a procession led by pipe player, followed by the Chancellor, Principal, Provost etc, and Joni , all dressed in full academic regalia, complete with long red shiny robes and big black floppy hats. Cameras flashed and Joni made a short speech after being handed her diploma. She began with a joke, `Well, from now on theyre gonna have to ask, ``Nyaa, whats up doc?`` he then said, `` Rarely am I at a loss for words.`` A pregnant pause, then a short description of the medicine wheel, the four directions, and the need to balance emotionality, sensitivity, clarity and intellect in art (music) and in life. This event made the nightly national news and the front page of the next days National Post. I took a few pictures, with my camera zoomed out to the max. Not great shots, but perhaps better that nothing. Let me know if I can post them somewhere for you to see. Tonight, Saturday, Joni was made a companion of the Order of Canada in Ottawa. Thats our Joan. Isnt she grand? Michael in Quebec, looking forward to the new Joni / Starbucks Artists Choice compilation _________________________________________________________________ Powerful Parental Controls Let your child discover the best the Internet has to offer. http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=http://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines Start enjoying all the benefits of MSN. Premium right now and get the first two months FREE*. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 00:35:07 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: Joni Symposium Report (long) --- Michael O'Malley wrote: > Joni Mitchell Symposium > > McGill University > Redpath Hall > October 27th 2004 > > It was a crisp and sunny day that greeted me as I > walked through McGills > main campus in downtown Montreal. Michael, thanks for the WONDERFUL description of your day at the symposium. I'm so glad one of us made it there, and that it was you. Having read various articles on it (I've transcribed the National Post one and will send it in the next few minutes), it's great to get a more complete view of the whole day. And it's great to see Don Juan's Reckless Daughter vindicated at last. ===== Catherine Toronto - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We all live so close to that line, and so far from satisfaction ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 00:43:32 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference - The National Post, 28 October, 2004 Here is a transcription of the National Post article from Thursday, Oct. 28 that I mentioned earlier. The Post unfortunately doesn't allow you to read most of their paper on line, unless you are a subscriber, so it's pointless to point to a url for this. - -------------------------------------------------- Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference Scholars at McGill dissect work of songwriter by Graeme Hamilton The National Post, 28 October, 2004 Montreal - It was a day devoted to serious scholarly analysis of Joni Mitchell's music. Her work is "a sonic document of feminism," one professor argued. A composer from Maine spent half an hour dissecting the structure of a single song. Then, late in the afternoon, Ms. Mitchell walked into the McGill University conference hall, cameras flashed and the scholars suddenly went weak at the knees. "It's striking," said Daniel Sonnenberg of the University of Southern Maine, who did his doctoral dissertation on Ms. Mitchell's music but has never met her. He wondered whether he would have been able to present his paper analyzing the 1971 song, The Last Time I Saw Richard had the song's author been in the room. "It's nerve-wracking," admitted fellow Mitchell scholar Ann Powers, who had yet to present her paper. Ms. Mitchell, 60, was in Montreal to receive an honorary degree from McGill last night, which the university said is the first such degree bestowed on her in Canada. The symposium leading up to the convocation ceremony drew about 100 people, most of them seemingly diehard fans. One young woman wore a Mitchell-esque beret and strummed a guitar during a coffee break. Rick Malo, a Montreal jazz musician, bemoaned the fact that Ms. Mitchell - "a genius" - is not in the running for the CBC's Greatest Canadian contest. "She should be by herself," he said. "It's like the Italians ignoring Da Vinci." Even before she arrived, the proceedings were not far removed from a love-in, with the academics stumbling over one another to sing Ms. Mitchell's praises. More often than not, they referred to her simply as Joni. "Even if Joni is ambivalent about her musical legacy, we're not," said Ms. Powers, senior curator of Seattle's Experience Music Project. Ms. Mitchell, who was born in Alberta and raised in Saskatchewan, seemed touched by all the attention. However, speaking to reporters she made it clear that she does not have a lot of time for the kind of talk that occupied most of the day. "You can't really talk about music," she said. "You can kind of skirt around it and hope that the language kind of lands close to what you mean, but it's an abstract art form. It's a way of conveying emotion directly, and to talk about it, to pull it through the intellectual process kind of does it a disservice, like translating from any language into another language, you lose something in the translation." Organizers succeeded in breaking the somewhat heavy tone of the proceedings once Ms. Mitchell arrived. American performance artist John Kelly played a recording of himself singing Ms. Mitchell's Woodstock. (He opted not to show the video of his show, in which he dresses up as his idol, including a blond wig.) Greg Tate, a black cultural critic who writes for the Village Voice, addressed the topic, "How Black is Joni Mitchell?" His conclusions seemed to delight the guest of honour. "So black that black folk hear her as an inventor and not a vulture," Mr. Tate said. "So black that she's finally getting an honorary degree in her motherland after, what, four decades?" Ms. Mitchell is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a companion in the Order of Canada. ===== Catherine Toronto - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We all live so close to that line, and so far from satisfaction ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 00:48:35 -0500 From: "mackoliver" Subject: Re: Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference - The National Post, 28 October, 2004 So very strange. Have the music playing and was happy to see 'the last time i saw richard' pop up in the rotation for hadn't heard it in ages. Then, i read Catherine's post. hmmmm. surely one of her very best. mack - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Catherine McKay" To: "Jonilist" Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 11:43 PM Subject: Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference - The National Post, 28 October, 2004 > Here is a transcription of the National Post article > from Thursday, Oct. 28 that I mentioned earlier. The > Post unfortunately doesn't allow you to read most of > their paper on line, unless you are a subscriber, so > it's pointless to point to a url for this. > > -------------------------------------------------- > > Joni Thrills Mitchell Conference > Scholars at McGill dissect work of songwriter > by Graeme Hamilton > The National Post, 28 October, 2004 > > Montreal - It was a day devoted to serious scholarly > analysis of Joni Mitchell's music. Her work is "a > sonic document of feminism," one professor argued. A > composer from Maine spent half an hour dissecting the > structure of a single song. > > Then, late in the afternoon, Ms. Mitchell walked into > the McGill University conference hall, cameras flashed > and the scholars suddenly went weak at the knees. > > "It's striking," said Daniel Sonnenberg of the > University of Southern Maine, who did his doctoral > dissertation on Ms. Mitchell's music but has never met > her. He wondered whether he would have been able to > present his paper analyzing the 1971 song, The Last > Time I Saw Richard had the song's author been in the > room. "It's nerve-wracking," admitted fellow Mitchell > scholar Ann Powers, who had yet to present her paper. > > Ms. Mitchell, 60, was in Montreal to receive an > honorary degree from McGill last night, which the > university said is the first such degree bestowed on > her in Canada. The symposium leading up to the > convocation ceremony drew about 100 people, most of > them seemingly diehard fans. One young woman wore a > Mitchell-esque beret and strummed a guitar during a > coffee break. > > Rick Malo, a Montreal jazz musician, bemoaned the fact > that Ms. Mitchell - "a genius" - is not in the running > for the CBC's Greatest Canadian contest. "She should > be by herself," he said. "It's like the Italians > ignoring Da Vinci." > > Even before she arrived, the proceedings were not far > removed from a love-in, with the academics stumbling > over one another to sing Ms. Mitchell's praises. More > often than not, they referred to her simply as Joni. > "Even if Joni is ambivalent about her musical legacy, > we're not," said Ms. Powers, senior curator of > Seattle's Experience Music Project. > > Ms. Mitchell, who was born in Alberta and raised in > Saskatchewan, seemed touched by all the attention. > However, speaking to reporters she made it clear that > she does not have a lot of time for the kind of talk > that occupied most of the day. > > "You can't really talk about music," she said. "You > can kind of skirt around it and hope that the language > kind of lands close to what you mean, but it's an > abstract art form. It's a way of conveying emotion > directly, and to talk about it, to pull it through the > intellectual process kind of does it a disservice, > like translating from any language into another > language, you lose something in the translation." > > Organizers succeeded in breaking the somewhat heavy > tone of the proceedings once Ms. Mitchell arrived. > American performance artist John Kelly played a > recording of himself singing Ms. Mitchell's Woodstock. > (He opted not to show the video of his show, in which > he dresses up as his idol, including a blond wig.) > > Greg Tate, a black cultural critic who writes for the > Village Voice, addressed the topic, "How Black is Joni > Mitchell?" His conclusions seemed to delight the guest > of honour. > > "So black that black folk hear her as an inventor and > not a vulture," Mr. Tate said. "So black that she's > finally getting an honorary degree in her motherland > after, what, four decades?" > > Ms. Mitchell is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of > Fame and a companion in the Order of Canada. > > > > ===== > Catherine > Toronto > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ----- > We all live so close to that line, and so far from satisfaction > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2004 #310 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she? (http://www.siquomb.com/siquomb.cfm)