From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2005 #16 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 Monday, January 17 2005 Volume 2005 : Number 016 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Hejira musings J (song) C ["Russell Bowden" ] ray lamontagne with joni content [Robert Murphy ] Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] tsunami benefit ["Gerald A. Notaro" ] Jonifest updates ["Laurent Olszer" ] Re: The Same Situation [Brian Gross ] Re: The Old Grey Whistle Test Show at al [Bobsart48@aol.com] Re: The Old Grey Whistle Test Show at al ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: Chinese Cafe ["Mark or Travis" ] RE: Chinese Cafe ["Azeem" ] Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] RE: Chinese Cafe [Em ] Re: JMDL Digest V2005 #17 [Dennis Derkacs ] Re: JMDL Digest V2005 #17 [Dennis Derkacs ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 04:42:20 -0800 From: "Russell Bowden" Subject: Hejira musings J (song) C Gang, So after many years on the west coast and O'ahu, here I am in my native territory of Maine...wintry, cold, beautiful, reflective, sad. Listening to the song Hejira amidst the snow, the smoke of woodfires and the pinewood trees. There is a strong natural-ality to 'North'. You're going to thaw out or freeze. Glenn Gould...(another GREAT Canadian) did some sound scape radio shows relating to the idea of north. I wonder if our Queen was/is familiar with them. I think she must be. For further info..please see 'Thirty-two Short Films About Glenn Gould'. Forgive the rambling...Hejira is Joni narrating a huge chunk of my life to me. For 28 years I've been in the vehicles, the cafes, defecting, winning and losing. Now, sitting quietly in the frozen north among the roots of my family tree, contemplative reflection has knocked on my cranium...and I let it in. How has this prarie lady accomplished all that she has, as far as touching the souls of so many people in is so many ways? Through her words, music, illustration both visual and audial...Her thought has reached out over the time and distance that could seperate and pull us all in to a world of such joy, pain, abandon and regret? Is that the miracle of JM? I sincerely believe she is a miracle of a type....subjectively speaking....Her description of the human condition through art is right there with Shakespeare, Mozart, Dickens, Matisse and Einstein, to name but a few. Her place in the Pantheon of Super Best Friends is high and mighty. The snow gathers like bolts of lace.......White flags of winter chimneys wave truce against the moon. It's early morning here....mad sleep has given way to groggy musings...seeking it's way through the skewed by-ways of gnarled thought. I love you, Joni....it's too simple to say something that means so much. Love to all, Russ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 05:38:21 -0800 (PST) From: Robert Murphy Subject: ray lamontagne with joni content Like my uppity pal Julius, I have been impressed with this guy and his recent CD "Trouble." I had tried to find out more about him online, but there was not much out there. Today he ended up in the Boston Globe. This is a little Joni content from the closing paragraphs of the article: "The first shows were really painful and horrible and I was very quiet and just whispered my way through them," he recalls. "It was terrifying in the beginning. But I knew I had to keep doing it for my personal growth." It was the next step on a journey that had begun with that radio alarm four years before, when LaMontagne, to make up for lost time, immersed himself in albums by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ray Charles: the masters. "The thing about these guys is they set a very high standard -- you learn that quickly when you listen to them," he says. "They don't get you on just one level. There's melody, there's the lyric, and there's their own particular voice, which is unique. And they all work together, those three points, to nail you every time. That's the standard I hold myself to. I'm trying to get [listeners] on all three levels like the great songwriters did. If you don't keep reaching for it, then what's the point?" The entire article can be found at: http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2005/01/14/saved_by_music/ One more thing: He's from Maine, Russ! - --Smurf __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:19:43 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC I caught some of this as well last night, Mark - we were at a friends' house playing dominos and cards (and I had an awful run of luck, but that's neither here nor there) and we switched over to it to listen to while we were playing. Norah was the first I saw and I thought she was great. I was amazed when I heard the acoustic strains of "Wish You Were Here" and had to see who was playing, was likewise amazed to see Waters and to me this performance was the highlight. Diana Ross looked spooky and didn't sound good at all. Sherry commented about her diva-tude, and when the show closed after her number I said that she must have had it in her contract that NOBODY could follow her. Youck, she looks like a cadaver and hasn't had a hit in 30 years. I felt like calling the toll-free number and telling the celebrity that answered "Hey, I was gonna send a grand or so but since you made me listen to Diana Ross, forget it". I also thought Jay Leno's appearances as the MC were forced and awkward. He didn't know whether to try and play it for laughs (laughs?) or what. He seemed really insincere about the whole thing. Bob NP: Dave Matthews Band, "Crush" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:24:28 -0500 (EST) From: "Gerald A. Notaro" Subject: tsunami benefit As usual, Mark and I watch the same things and come to the same conclusions. I love these benefits because we get the hear the "stars" bare it all, mostly to fit the mood of the purpose. Annie gave me chills. She was a revelation. I saw her open for Sting, so I know how good she is, but she peaked last night. How I wish Joni could have joined the rest. And Diana, was a disaster. Looked awful, and sounded worse. This, from a former fan. I guess we should be grateful she didn't grab anyone's boob, again! Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 15:57:32 +0100 From: "Laurent Olszer" Subject: Jonifest updates Hi Laurent, Any up to date list of attendees? Any ideas on who might like to share a room with me, I mean, are there any people who are obviously attending alone and who I could approach with this perhaps indelicate question. Cheers, Mike Hi That's an excellent question Mike. For those of you who wish to share rooms then we need to figure out the logistics. I was planning to work at it down the line, but you're welcome to begin the process amongst yourselves. Current attendee list: Ashara (& friend), Les Irvin, Strings, Bob Muller, Lieve, Garret, Jamie Zubairi, Catherine Mc Kay (& kids, at Fargo), John Van Tiel & Claudia (at Fargo), Emiliano, Mike Pritchard, Chris Marshall Possible attendees: Colin, Kate Bennett (& husband), Bob Sartorius (+3), Less Ross, Gordon Mackie, Anita & Gabrielle, Donna Binkley, Lucy Hone, Ron, Martin Giles, Lori Hakulinen, Marian The confirmed list is 16-17 people. We need a minimum of 30 to break even. So now is the time to do some one on one recruiting. I'm cc this to several people who told me OK in 2004 but haven't confirmed yet. We need your deposits! Regarding on site lodging: Ashara was 1st to book the upper bungalow. So now we've got to assign the lower bungalow (4 single beds) & the mill (3 singles). The early birds for those are: Lieve, Garrett, Emiliano & Chris Marshall. Then to be assigned are the B&Bs: rooms for 3 and rooms for 4. This could turn into a real french Vaudeville!! Laurent ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 10:17:03 -0800 (PST) From: Brian Gross Subject: Re: The Same Situation - --- Mark-Leon Thorne in Sydney wrote: > Hi everyone. > > Does anyone know which concert the footage is from that Joni sings The > Same Situation and others on the Woman of Heart and Mind DVD? Was anyone who is here now at any of these performances in order to answer Mark's question? I know brain cells by the gazillions have been toasted over the last 32 years, but someone might remember, right? With flowers on top of the piano and Joan dressed to the nines (oo la la) I doubt it was an interview or a rehearsal. Brian nw: Eagles/Vikings game, no score JONI MITCHELL ~ A Chronology of Appearances v3.4 Compiled by Simon Montgomery, ) 2004 Special thanks to Joel Bernstein for his contributions and assistance. 1973 (as shown on the dvd at the start of that particular clip) 1973.04.15 Sir George Williams Univ. Auditorium Montreal, Quebec A Benefit Concert for the James Bay Indians. Brian Blain, Peter Yarrow and Loudon Wainwright III also performed. 1973.08.11 The Corral Club Topanga, CA 1973.08.12 The Corral Club Topanga, CA The Eagles were the opening act. Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers performed and also accompanied Joni. Two sets nightly 1973.11 The Troubadour West Hollywood, CA 1973.12 Interview-Studio Instrument Rentals Hollywood, CA Joni, Tom Scott, Henry Lewy and Elliot Roberts were interviewed by Malka during tour rehearsals. Broadcast by CBC AM in Canada in April 1974 on their program The Entertainers. Portions of this interview were also published in Macleans magazine. 1973.12 Tour Rehearsals, Studio Instrument Rentals Hollywood, CA 1973.12 Interview-Studio Instrument Rentals Hollywood, CA Joni was interviewed by Marci McDonald for an article published by The Toronto Star on Feb. 9, 1974. ===== Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got till it's gone --Roberta Joan Anderson, who never lies __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 14:30:27 EST From: Bobsart48@aol.com Subject: Re: The Old Grey Whistle Test Show at al Bob Muller replied to Mark: "Mark, I'm pretty sure that the footage comes from her 1974 London appearance which was filmed and excerpts have appeared on other sources as well, mainly The Old Grey Whistle Test BBC show." That sounds right to me, too, judging by the dress and the fact that so little was filmed from that time frame. Simon's appearance list on Joni Mitchell.com indicates that footage is from the Sunday show of 4/22/74 (even though the Whistle Test show refers to the concert as being 'back in May of this year'). A review of the Saturday 4/21 show at the same venue (Victoria Theatre) was included in 'The Joni Mitchell Companion". It also appears in The Library at JMDL. (Joni had a different dress on that night, according to the review). _http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=349_ (http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=349) It's quite the review. A second review of the same concert also appear in The Library. These critics, as you will see, very nearly lose their professional composure and with it some dignity in their over the top admiration for her talents. She was really something back then. _http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=183_ (http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=183) Mark, if you do not have The Whistle Test tape, you really ought to get it. I viewed it today for about the 20 th time, and put on a little guitar accompaniment to A Case of You (cause I was in the mood.) That said, it would have been nice if that show had contained the entire concert, instead of just snippets (for example, it does not contain The Same Situation). It would be really something if that show were turned into a DVD - come on, Joni, get the BBC to clean it up and release it !!!!! I could go for a box set of DVD's featuring: 1. The Pink Dress Concert circa 1970 ( I wouldn't mind seeing the first Carnegie Hall concert either - I attended the second one). 2. The Victoria Theatre Concert (1974). Or anything else filmed from that tour, whence came Miles of Aisles). 3. Shadows and Light 4. Refuge of the Roads 5. Painting With Words and Music 6. TNT Tribute Concert Maybe some bonus tracks from the earliest Joni TV appearances in the mid-60's, the CBC Unplugged show circa 1994, the movie short "The Black Cat in the Black Mouse Socks" from "Love". Of course, Joni's already give us the DVD's in 3, 4 and 5, above, along with the Woman of Heart and Mind DVD. What do y'all think ? Bobsart ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 15:57:41 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: The Old Grey Whistle Test Show at al Bobsart48@aol.com wrote: > > Maybe some bonus tracks from the earliest Joni TV appearances in the > mid-60's, the CBC Unplugged show circa 1994, the movie short "The > Black Cat in the Black Mouse Socks" from "Love". > > Of course, Joni's already give us the DVD's in 3, 4 and 5, above, > along with > the Woman of Heart and Mind DVD. > > What do y'all think ? Sounds wonderful to me, Bob. I would also like to see the post-Woodstock Dick Cavett show on dvd. Myself, I would like to have the entire show because I love Jefferson Airplane so much. Grace was the first one on her feet applauding after Joni's first song. Crosby and Stills were there but not Nash. I wonder if Joni would have sung 'Willy' if Graham had actually been there. Joni looked stunningly gorgeous and her performances were sterling. Mark E. in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:06:37 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC Jerry Notaro wrote: And Diana, was a disaster. Looked awful, > and sounded worse. Diana really did not come off well at all. Her dress was awful and she looked like she was stoned. Her pitch was very erratic as well. And really she was about the only performer who brought a star-diva attitude to the proceedings. Although 'Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand' was an appropriate choice, she made it obvious that the performance was all about Diana and not about the cause. My opinion, anyway. At the end of the song when she spread her arms out, my comment to Travis was 'There's nobody there to applaud, Diana.' He just chuckled. I am certainly no fan of Madonna's and when she started singing 'Imagine' I had a hard time not gagging. But I have to give her credit. Even though she's no great singer, she at least didn't do the major diva thing. Her performance was pretty honest and straigthforward. Diana should have taken her cue from Madonna. Mark E. in Seattle. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:23:41 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Chinese Cafe Azeem wrote: > Me again: obviously it would be fatuous to have an argument about > this, it all being "imho" and all, but for what it's worth, and as an > alternative view on Joni's latter career, I can state unequivocally > that I don't consider any of these songs to be *great*, although Man > From Mars and Two Grey Rooms are not far off; there are some very good > songs there, though none is fit to be considered alongside her > numerous masterpieces from the 60s and 70s. Some of these songs I > think are ordinary. As you said, Azeem, this is all a matter of opinion. But for what it's worth, I think quite a few of the songs on my list show Joni's songwriting skills at their peak. She displays a depth and maturity in some of her later work that she couldn't possibly have acheived in her 20s and 30s. Granted that her work in that time period showed an amazing amount of perception and skill. But I really think that when she began to shift her focus outward it added new dimensions to her writing. Life experience and years of experience in songwriting also enhanced her work. 'Magdalene Laundries' is a prime example of a gut-wrenching, haunting, beautiful song that she wrote about someone else's experience. An experience that she could, perhaps, strongly relate to. But nonetheless, someone else's story. My opinion, anyway. Respectfully, Mark E. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 23:57:43 -0000 From: "Azeem" Subject: RE: Chinese Cafe I wrote: << I believe it is the last truly GREAT song she wrote >> Sharon (I think) replied: << Yikes - she did write Stay In Touch and Man From Mars after this >> And Mark added: << Not to mention: The Beat of Black Wings The Tea Leaf Prophecy The Three Great Stimulants Dog Eat Dog Tax Free Two Grey Rooms Night Ride Home Passion Play Slouching Toward Bethlehem Cherokee Louise Sunny Sunday Borderline Turbulent Indigo The Sire of Sorrow Come in From the Cold Fiction Love Puts on a New Face Face Lift Harlem in Havana The Magdalene Laundries >> Me again: obviously it would be fatuous to have an argument about this, it all being "imho" and all, but for what it's worth, and as an alternative view on Joni's latter career, I can state unequivocally that I don't consider any of these songs to be *great*, although Man From Mars and Two Grey Rooms are not far off; there are some very good songs there, though none is fit to be considered alongside her numerous masterpieces from the 60s and 70s. Some of these songs I think are ordinary. Anyway, the reason I love Joni isn't because she has been writing some pretty good songs and some iffy ones for the last quarter of a century; it's because of her unparalleled achievements in the decade before that. If her career had started with Wild Things Run Fast, I'm sure this discussion list would be here, but there wouldn't be as many people on it; I certainly wouldn't be part of it, and I doubt I'm the only one. Azeem in London - --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.802 / Virus Database: 545 - Release Date: 26/11/2004 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:26:27 -0800 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > I also thought Jay Leno's appearances as the MC were forced and > awkward. He didn't know whether to try and play it for laughs > (laughs?) or what. He > seemed really insincere about the whole thing. Yeah I could have done without Leno, too. But then I'm not a particular fan of his. I prefer Letterman's schtick to Leno's. Even though Leno has tried to appropriate a lot of Letterman's over the years, imo. Mark E. in....well, you know ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 19:34:58 EST From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Tsunami telethon on NBC Oh, and after I wrote my original review, I remembered John Mayer's explosive take on Hendrix's "Axis-Bold As Love". I thought it was pretty smokin' too. Bob NP: Anna Nalick, "Breathe (2AM)" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:58:44 -0800 (PST) From: Em Subject: RE: Chinese Cafe Hi Azeem I also feel the same way. Have been thinking about this the last few days. I'm thinking the post Hejira stuff is on a par with her painting. Quite skillful, masterful, insightful...all that. But the earlier stuff is almost like channelled from beyond, or from some "source" of excellence that only very few have ever tapped into. In the interview on 60 Minutes, Bob Dylan said about his early work that he doesn't really know where it came from, or how he did it. That wellspring. And that he couldn't do it again. And about, (I think he was talking about "Tamborine Man"), he said something like, "man sit down and TRY writing that". Like it just ain't happening. Can't be done at will or by discipline. Because the source for that level of writing is not something that can be summoned at will. And Joni Mitchell had it! For quite a few years! And lucky for us, she cranked out numerous holy jewels. Certainly the rest of her stuff is really good too, but the Hejira and earlier..I dunno, that's more special than almost anything. Just on a WHOLE 'nuther level. and as you noted Azeem, this is all "imho". But it dawned on me the other day that her later stuff is about as good as her painting. Her earlier music stuff though, is like the painting of a master. A Van Gogh, a David, a Rembrandt, you get the picture - one of the all time greats. Something that matters in history. Em - --- Azeem wrote in his post: > though none is fit to be considered alongside her > numerous > masterpieces from the 60s and 70s. Some of these songs I think are > ordinary. > > Anyway, the reason I love Joni isn't because she has been writing > some > pretty good songs and some iffy ones for the last quarter of a > century; > it's because of her unparalleled achievements in the decade before > that. > If her career had started with Wild Things Run Fast, I'm sure this > discussion list would be here, but there wouldn't be as many people > on > it; I certainly wouldn't be part of it, and I doubt I'm the only one. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:40:09 -0700 From: Dennis Derkacs Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2005 #17 All: I'm not sure what any of this has to do with Joni but if you are concerned about microwave radiation from cell phones remember that the exposure is reduced by the inverse of the distance squared. So, a short distace away has a powerful effect. I know of no studies that show any danger to parts of the body other than the brain but how difficult is it to simply use a mic and ear set and keep the phone in your pocket, bag, backpack, or table? dd ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:40:09 -0700 From: Dennis Derkacs Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2005 #17 All: I'm not sure what any of this has to do with Joni but if you are concerned about microwave radiation from cell phones remember that the exposure is reduced by the inverse of the distance squared. So, a short distace away has a powerful effect. I know of no studies that show any danger to parts of the body other than the brain but how difficult is it to simply use a mic and ear set and keep the phone in your pocket, bag, backpack, or table? dd ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2005 #16 ******************************** ------- 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)