From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #408 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org 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, December 27 2007 Volume 2007 : Number 408 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- "River" - a Standard [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] Re: "River" - a Standard [Monika Bogdanowicz ] Re: "River" - a Standard [waytoblue@comcast.net] Joni ratings [Monika Bogdanowicz ] JoniQuiz Pt. 7 : Dog Eat Dog ("Noooo!!!") [Rian Afriadi ] Re: "River" - a Standard [waytoblue@comcast.net] Re: Warm Welcome - Just like Shine, SJC ["Jamie's Box of Paints" ] Dexcribe Joni's voice in the 10th round of NPR's Vocal Impresssions game ["Richard Flynn" ] Re: Court & Spark [PassScribe@aol.com] JoniQuiz Pt 5: Turbulent Indigo [Patti Parlette ] Re: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance [Monika Bogda] This Is Your Brain On Music (Yes, JC) [PassScribe@aol.com] Re: 0nlyJMDL Digest V2007 #405 [Eric Taylor ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:02:35 -0500 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: "River" - a Standard http://tinyurl.com/2wywbf Always nice to see articles about Joni covers, especially when they're in the NY Times. Bob NP: Elvis Costello, "Big Boys" (Demo Version) - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:42:03 -0800 (PST) From: Monika Bogdanowicz Subject: Re: "River" - a Standard "not only loved her but gave crazy-good sex (rumored to be James Taylor or Graham Nash, her boyfriends during this period)" Ahahaha. Nice way of putting it you silly NY Times people, you. Anyway, thanks for posting that Bob. It's always good to read anything about or related to Joni, especially when it is about one of my favorite songs! As for the question of why so many people cover it, I can answer that. It's covered so much because it is fucking brilliant. Period. Why is it covered on Xmas albums? Simply for the fact that it has the jingle bells melody and mentions Christmas and such. Besides, other than the musicians and fans of Joni, I doubt many pay REAL close attention to the words. It's the same thing as when someone on the list mentioned playing "A Case Of You" for someone's wedding reception (a song you wouldn't want for your wedding if you listened to the words!). Just like when that one Green Day song came out (Good Riddens-Time Of Your Life--something like that) everyone was using it for graduation parties and celebrations when if you really listened and understood the song, you wouldn't otherwise! But River isn't a standard to some according to what Joni says. Remember, she had said "River" went from being a standard to being called "overexposed." It is and always will be a standard in my heart. I say fuck 'em, Joni. -Monika, not a Green Day fan but a person who always found it funny when people thought that Green Day song was so sweet... Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: http://tinyurl.com/2wywbf Always nice to see articles about Joni covers, especially when they're in the NY Times. Bob NP: Elvis Costello, "Big Boys" (Demo Version) - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ - --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:42:09 +0000 From: waytoblue@comcast.net Subject: Re: "River" - a Standard > Always nice to see articles about Joni covers, especially when they're in > the NY Times. > > Bob > Thanks Bob, interesting article although the following statement is incorrect - "It starts with Mitchell's piano playing "Jingle Bells" in doleful minor chords..." She actually one uses only one minor chord. The first time it is in major (the tonic), the second time in major again (the major IV chord), then in minor (minor ii) and then it resolves to V and back to I. People often freely interchange the word minor with sad when in fact, all things minor are not necessarily sad and all things sad are not necessarily minor, as is the case here. Victor, in Tampa with a nasty sinus headache ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:08:02 -0800 (PST) From: Monika Bogdanowicz Subject: Joni ratings http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/joni_mitchell There's an interesting site I founf where you can rate albums and singles by artists. Joni's albums are all on there with ratings and reviews when you click on a particular album. The singles are also up there. In addition, scroll down to the bottom and you find a variety of compiled lists that Joni makes an appearance on, such as best female voices. -Monika - --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:29:03 -0800 (PST) From: Rian Afriadi Subject: JoniQuiz Pt. 7 : Dog Eat Dog ("Noooo!!!") Hurry up! The big wig financiers are ready! (i have a feeling you won't even score 60%, i know you don't really love DED.) (well, after this, you should!) 1. True or False? Dog Eat Dog is a love-less album. You can't even find a single word "love". Very contrast to WTRF. 2. What is the media of the cover artwork? a. Oil on canvas b. Acrylic on paper c. Watercolor on paper d. Mix media e. Crayons and perfume (This will be Jamie Zooby's deadliest mortal sin if he can't answer the question) 3. How many canines are there on the front cover? a. four b. five c. six d. seven 4. Who said 'Let me show you how your petty aggravations can profit you!"? a. The televangelist b. The doctor c. The Indian chief d. The lawyer 5. The word "f*ck" was mentioned once. On which song was that? a. Three Great Stimulants b. Dog Eat Dog c. Tax Free d. Ethiopia e. Impossible Dreamer 6. Arrange this! (1) Fiction of the magazines (2) Fiction of the papers (3) Fiction of the boob tube (4) Fiction of the "buy me," "Watch me," "Listen to me" (5) Fiction of the movies (6) Fiction of the image and the image makers 7. Which one is the sentence that cannot be found the song Shiny Toys? a. "I love my Porsche" b. "Mmmm, mmmm" c. "Yippee" d. "Oh I'm so excited" e. All sentences mentioned above are on the song. 8. The street was loud / From an angry crowd and / I thought of you / I thought of you / Dreamer / .... / .... / Impossible / Impossible dreamer a. Give peace a chance / Dont think just dance b. No acid rain / Love without pain c. The moon was bright / Like day for night d. Land of the free / No hungry bellies 9. What is dog eat dog? a. A dog bites another dog, chews it, and then swallows it. Period. b. Ruthlessly competitive c. A position made famous by Kamasutra d. Joni Mitchell's seventh latest studio album e. Brutal things 10. What is the album's second single? a. Fiction b. Tax Free c. Shiny Toys d. Impossible Dreamer e. Three Great Stimulants 11. True or False? Robert Christgau rated DED higher than THoSL. 12. True or False? The line "Give peace a chance" can only be found on this album, on the song Impossible Dreamer. No other non-compilation album contains the line. 13. Where can you find the following verse? Land of snap decisions / Land of short attention spans / Nothing is savored / Long enough to really understand a. Tax Free b. The Tree Great Stimulants c. Ethiopia d. Dog Eat Dog e. Backstreet Boys' As Long As You Love Me 14. What would suit Joni best? a. betting in the OTB b. To see a friend once or twice a year c. Some downtown atmosphere d. heart of gold e. swapping stories 15. Arrange these Geffen records! (US chart position, highest to lowest) (1) WTRF (2) DED (3) CMIARS (4) NRH 16. True or False : Joni felt that Dog Eat Dog is not really her music. 17. Lucky, lucky girl Lucky, lucky girl Lucky, lucky girl Lucky, lucky girl Lucky, lucky girl .......... a. I'm a lucky girl b. You're my lucky star c. Lucky, lucky girl d. Mission Impossible e. I've been all around the world Pretty difficult eh? Well, after all, it is a dog eat dog world we're living in. Rian NR : Peace And War  Leo Tolstoy (I started to read this book 7 years ago, and i havent finished it!) NP : Lucky Girl Next : Bad quizzes are good in the great plan. PS : Shine on everybody who loves DED. - --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:08:15 -0800 (GMT-08:00) From: Darice Subject: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance Logically, this show where Joni performs Dino Valenti's "Get To tgether" is the one I'm looking for. But logic is not always correct. Anyone with memories of this show? A filming of the Mississippi River Festival with Joni and Arlo Guthrie, August 1969, shown on PBS stations???? Looking for the info for a documentary on Dino Valenti. All help vastly appreciated. thanks to all who responded with the "serial monogamist" quote. You guys are the best. Darice. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:20:02 +0000 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Re: JoniQuiz Pt. 7 : Dog Eat Dog ("Noooo!!!") THE ANSWERS FORM ZOOBY Well, put a challenge to me and I'll certainly try and rise! My answers with not much cheating - > > > > 1. True or False? Dog Eat Dog is a love-less album. You can't even find a single word "love". Very contrast to WTRF. 'Love' is mentioned 3 times and 'lover' once... (ok, I looked THIS one up! lol) > > 2. What is the media of the cover artwork? > d. Mix media - photoprint and acrylics probably.... > (This will be Jamie Zooby's deadliest mortal sin if he can't answer the question) > > 3. How many canines are there on the front cover? > a. four - 5 counting the angry b!tch shouting the sky down.... > > 4. Who said 'Let me show you how your petty aggravations can profit you!"? > d. The lawyer - > > 5. The word "f*ck" was mentioned once. On which song was that? > c. Tax Free - I think the line is 'F*ck it - tonight I'm going dancing, with the drag-queens and the punks > > 6. Arrange this! 1, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4 - I think > (1) Fiction of the magazines > (2) Fiction of the papers > (3) Fiction of the boob tube > (4) Fiction of the "buy me," "Watch me," "Listen to me" > (5) Fiction of the movies > (6) Fiction of the image and the image makers > > 7. Which one is the sentence that cannot be found the song Shiny Toys? > c. "Yippee > > 8. The street was loud / From an angry crowd and / I thought of you / I thought of you / Dreamer / .... / .... / Impossible / Impossible dreamer > d. Land of the free / No hungry bellies > > 9. What is dog eat dog? > b. Ruthlessly competitive > > 10. What is the album's second single? > c. Shiny Toys > > 11. True or False? Robert Christgau rated DED higher than THoSL. No idea.... I doubt he did though so false > > 12. True or False? The line "Give peace a chance" can only be found on this album, on the song Impossible Dreamer. No other non-compilation album contains the line. OMG you little trickster you!!!! False. > > 13. Where can you find the following verse? > Land of snap decisions / Land of short attention spans / Nothing is savored / Long enough to really understand > d. Dog Eat Dog > > 14. What would suit Joni best? > a. betting in the OTB > b. To see a friend once or twice a year > c. Some downtown atmosphere > d. heart of gold > e. swapping stories all apart from 'd' > > 15. Arrange these Geffen records! (US chart position, highest to lowest) > (1) WTRF > (2) DED > (3) CMIARS > (4) NRH at a guess.... 4, 3, 1, 2 > > 16. True or False : Joni felt that Dog Eat Dog is not really her music. True. The over-production killed it.... > > 17. > Lucky, lucky girl > Lucky, lucky girl > Lucky, lucky girl > Lucky, lucky girl > Lucky, lucky girl > .......... > a. I'm a lucky girl > Rian, these are great quizzes... I'm thinking of entering Mastermind and entering 'The Life and Works of Joni Mitchell' as my specialist subject. Hope you had a good holiday and sorry to hear about your robbery! Some people can't have enough can they? Much Joni Jamie Zooby - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:23:19 +0000 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Re: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance Hey Darice I think it's called 'Celebration at Big Sur' Have fun and Merry Christmas Jamie Zooby On 26/12/2007, Darice wrote: > Logically, this show where Joni performs Dino Valenti's "Get To tgether" is the one I'm looking for. > But logic is not always correct. > Anyone with memories of this show? > A filming of the Mississippi River Festival with Joni and Arlo Guthrie, August 1969, shown on PBS stations???? > Looking for the info for a documentary on Dino Valenti. > All help vastly appreciated. > > > thanks to all who responded with the "serial monogamist" quote. > You guys are the best. > > Darice. > - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:25:20 -0500 (EST) From: "Jerry Notaro" Subject: Re: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance Mississippi River Festival, July 7, 1969. Joni does not perform with him, but sings Get Together and describes it as "the best song she ever heard." Hyperbole at its worst! Jerry Darice wrote: > Logically, this show where Joni performs Dino Valenti's "Get To tgether" > is the one I'm looking for. > But logic is not always correct. > Anyone with memories of this show? > A filming of the Mississippi River Festival with Joni and Arlo Guthrie, > August 1969, shown on PBS stations???? > Looking for the info for a documentary on Dino Valenti. > All help vastly appreciated. > > > thanks to all who responded with the "serial monogamist" quote. > You guys are the best. > > Darice. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:58:05 -0500 From: "Richard Flynn" Subject: RE: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance On the second Oscar Brand "Let's Sing Out" show that Joni appeared on (1966-10-24) a trio that I haven't identified sings "Let's Get Together." However, it was performed in her act with Chuck for some time (see http://jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=1454 ) It was a popular song in folk music circles. The Kingston Trio had a version. It was in Judy Collins's live repertoire, though not her recorded repertoire. Jefferson Airplane put it on Takes Off. But I don't know of any appearance of Joni with Dino Valenti on film. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Darice Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 11:08 AM To: joni@smoe.org Subject: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance Logically, this show where Joni performs Dino Valenti's "Get To tgether" is the one I'm looking for. But logic is not always correct. Anyone with memories of this show? A filming of the Mississippi River Festival with Joni and Arlo Guthrie, August 1969, shown on PBS stations???? Looking for the info for a documentary on Dino Valenti. All help vastly appreciated. thanks to all who responded with the "serial monogamist" quote. You guys are the best. Darice. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:57:13 -0500 From: Martha Winkel Subject: Warm Welcome - Just like Shine, SJC Hey All, Thanks for such a warm welcome. Especially welcome in this Northern Hemisphere in this season. As a new JMDLer I was asked my opinion of Shine. Overall, I love it. To me it is like having a friend who has been away for a long time come home to stay for a while. When friends or family go away or are away for a while, they change. The changes can be curious, enlightening and unnerving. But then there are characteristics which are unique and will always be a part of them. There are segments of Joni's music in Shine that reflect these characteristics, like a dear friend walking into the room after being away. There is something fresh to their demeanor, yet their smile and SHINE from their eyes is the same. What I love about Shine is the rifts of music on the album that remind me of other songs, yet all composed in a fresh way. Again, thanks for such a welcome. Martha ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:23:12 +0000 From: waytoblue@comcast.net Subject: Re: "River" - a Standard Thinking about it again, she actually plays I - vi- IV - I which is still just one minor chord. Just wanted to be accurate. Now back to your regularly scheduled program. Victor NP: James Taylor live "Line 'Em Up" from One Man Band DVD > Thanks Bob, interesting article although the following statement is incorrect - > "It starts with Mitchell's piano playing "Jingle Bells" in doleful minor > chords..." She actually one uses only one minor chord. The first time it is > in major (the tonic), the second time in major again (the major IV chord), then > in minor (minor ii) and then it resolves to V and back to I. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:48:58 +0000 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Re: Warm Welcome - Just like Shine, SJC That is one of the loveliest ways of putting it I have ever read about a new Joni album. Welcome to the fold Martha! Much Joni Jamie Zooby On 26/12/2007, Martha Winkel wrote: > Hey All, > Thanks for such a warm welcome. Especially welcome in this Northern > Hemisphere in this season. > As a new JMDLer I was asked my opinion of Shine. > Overall, I love it. To me it is like having a friend who has been > away for a long time come home to stay for a while. > When friends or family go away or are away for a while, they change. > The changes can be curious, enlightening and unnerving. But then > there are characteristics which are unique and will always be a part > of them. There are segments of Joni's music in Shine that reflect > these characteristics, like a dear friend walking into the room after > being away. There is something fresh to their demeanor, yet their > smile and SHINE from their eyes is the same. What I love about Shine > is the rifts of music on the album that remind me of other songs, yet > all composed in a fresh way. > Again, thanks for such a welcome. > Martha > - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:08:50 -0800 From: "WATTS, LESLI" Subject: RE: dancing clown HI bob and lori! ________________________________ bob said;> That's true - the video is so cute and Joni's joy is so real and the whole thing > is so unpretentious that you almost can forget that the song is a total stinker, > utterly lacking in memorable melody or a meaningful lyric. It is SO below what| > we all know she is capable of. Most of CMIARS falls into that category, actually. i like that joni's body of work is uneven..you know the flaws in everything and everyone. but i know what you're saying. personally i usually like joni's instincts much more than the klein -joni mix. lori said: >I've never seen that video, darn it! I've missed out on things like that, >since I so rarely watch MTV, VH1, etc. Sigh ... i dont think i saw that video on tv, can't remember where. it seemed to be homemade, endearing corny. > lori: However, I like Dancin' Clown. It DOES have a memorable melody, for me >anyway -- or maybe it's just the chorus that I find memorable (and now, darn >it again, it's stuck in my head for the night). the dancing clown part brings out the twirling dervish in me.. lesli.. Lori Santa Rosa, CA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:05:25 -0500 From: "Richard Flynn" Subject: Dexcribe Joni's voice in the 10th round of NPR's Vocal Impresssions game A chance for all to wax poetic: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17232461 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:07:26 -0800 (PST) From: Mike and Patti Haskins Subject: NPR Vocal Impressions All Things Considered, December 26, 2007 7 Our "Vocal Impressions" series offers listeners a chance to find the words to describe the voices of well-known people. Our last batch included Ray Charles, Lucille Ball, Harvey Fierstein and Cher. Generally speaking, Ray Charles evoked comfort while Lucille Ball evoked quite the opposite. And between Cher and Fierstein, there was a fair amount of gender bending. The responses are below. And we issue a new challenge to listeners: Describe the voices of actor and singer Eartha Kitt, singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell, boxer Mike Tyson and actor Vince Vaughn. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17232461 Patti Haskins blog shop photos ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:36:55 EST From: PassScribe@aol.com Subject: Re: Court & Spark In a message dated 12/23/07 3:13:29 AM, owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org writes: > From: Kate Johnson > Subject: court and spark > > i listened to court and spark last night and was blown away by it AGAIN > after 33 years, it never gets tired > just more moving, more beautiful > wow joni > that's all i can say > > Still my fave as well. Kenny B ************************************** See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 01:52:30 +0000 From: Patti Parlette Subject: JoniQuiz Pt 5: Turbulent Indigo I'm playing catch-up ce soir, so forgive me for RBTTJLTT. Rian, your quizzes are fun but also very humbling -- kind of like the NYT Sunday crossword puzzle. But we all need heart and humour and humility, so: applause, applause! < _________________________________________________________________ Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_122007 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:38:30 -0800 (PST) From: Monika Bogdanowicz Subject: Re: Sounds of summer- possible Joni/Dino Valenti appearance I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Joni's cover of Get Together. It just kills me. -Monika Darice wrote: Logically, this show where Joni performs Dino Valenti's "Get To tgether" is the one I'm looking for. But logic is not always correct. Anyone with memories of this show? A filming of the Mississippi River Festival with Joni and Arlo Guthrie, August 1969, shown on PBS stations???? Looking for the info for a documentary on Dino Valenti. All help vastly appreciated. thanks to all who responded with the "serial monogamist" quote. You guys are the best. Darice. - --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:45:35 EST From: PassScribe@aol.com Subject: This Is Your Brain On Music (Yes, JC) Hi, and belated holiday greetings for those who observe such occasions as Christmas, Hanukuh, Quanza, etc. and a Happy New Year to all. I received a book for Christmas, from a very good friend of mine, called This Is Your Brain On Music; an extremely well-written treatise on how music affects humans, by Daniel J. Levitin. I don't know if anyone has ever mentioned anything from this book on the list before; it's copyright 2006 but the first printing appears to be Sept., 2007. Allow me to quote some passages that I think our JoniListas will appreciate (condensed to save time & space) beginning on page 212: "Francis Crick turned his lack of training into a positive aspect of his life's work. Unbound by scientific dogma, he was free- completely free, he wrote- to open his mind and discover science. When an artist brings this freedom, this tabula rasa, to music, the results can be astounding. Many of the greatest musicians of our era lacked formal training, including Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane (etc., etc.) and Joni Mitchell." (Also mentions classical composers). "Joni Mitchell had sung in choirs in public school, but had never taken guitar lessons or any other kind of music lessons. Her music has a unique quality that has been variously described as avant-garde, ethereal, and as bridging classical, folk, jazz, and rock. Joni uses a lot of alternate tunings; that is, instead of tuning the guitar in the customary way, she tunes the strings to pitches of her own choosing. This doesn't mean that she plays notes that other people don't- there are still only twelve notes in a chromatic scale- but it does mean that she can easily reach with her fingers combinations of notes that other guitarists can't reach (regardless of the size of their hands)." (Then, a whole thing on playing the guitar, on musicians Joni has worked with, etc.) Then, he mentions an interview he did with Joni, over dinner, where she talked about how she made her first album (among other things): "'When I first started out,' she said, 'the record company wanted to give me a producer, someone who had experience churning out hit records. But David (Crosby) said, "Don't let them- a producer will ruin you. Let's tell them that I'll produce it for you; they'll trust me." So basically, Crosby put his name as producer to keep the record company out of my way so that I could make the music the way that I wanted to.'" "'But then the musicians came in and they all had ideas about how they wanted to play. On my record! The worse were the bass players because they always wanted to know what the root of the chord was' (he then explains the root of a chord and how Joni throws notes together in ways that aren't easily labeled). 'The bass players wanted to know the root because that's what they've been taught to play. But I said, "Just play something that sounds good, don't worry about what the root is." And they said, "We can't do that- we have to play the root or it won't sound right."'" (Then more about music theory and chords, etc.) Then, "All of the bass players Joni worked with before Jaco insisted on playing roots, or what they perceived to be roots. The brilliance of Jaco, Joni said, is that he instinctively knew to wander around the possibilty space, reinforcing the different chord interpretations with equal emphasis, sublimely holding the ambiguity in a delicate, suspended balance. Jaco allowed Joni to have bass guitar on her songs without destroying one of their most expansive qualities. This, then, we figured out at dinner that night, was one of the secrets of why Joni's music sounds unlike anyone else's- its harmonic complexity born out of her strict insistence that the music not be anchored to a single harmonic interpretation. Add in her compelling, phonogenic voice, and we become immersed in an auditory world, a soundscape unlike any other." The only fault I've found with the book so far is that, in the index, when it directs you to certain pages to access references to certain artists, those referenced pages are sometimes wrong. That aside, I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves music (and to read the work of someone who obviously regards Joni as very special... just as we do.) Kenny B ************************************** See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:43:06 -0500 (EST) From: Eric Taylor Subject: Re: 0nlyJMDL Digest V2007 #405 I wrote Bob responded >>Well, I think that Joni's genius *is* fully appreciated - depends on what criteria you choose, but she's been awarded practically every honor that a musician/composer can be given, more tributes than you can think of, critical and financial success, and the list goes on. I think that whether you're talking about film, art, music, painting, food, whatever - there's typically a big chasm between what is POPULAR and what is EXCELLENT. It doesn't bother me a bit that Joni doesn't appeal to the masses like High School Musical, Josh Groban, McDonalds, or whatever watered-down generic product is peddled to the lowest common denominator. Further to that, it makes US a special group in that we have the ability to recognize those traits in her and her work.<< You make several good points, Bob. And you also reinforce my point. I don't like being in the fringe watching the "howling masses" trample all over the pearls of this precious planet! I suspect that the real reason Joni is recently getting so many awards and tributes is because a few of the greatest artists of our age have been standing up challenging the Rolling Stone mentality which has dismissed her as "growling at us" for some 30 years now. Ever since Joni transformed from a folk/rock "goddess" back in the 70s into a jazz/techno underdog in the 80s her most important work has been virtually ignored, even by many of her fans. Misses is a lot more interesting than Hits I don't know anyone outside the JMDL who likes post Hejira Joni, and I know a lot of baby boomers into the music of our little time. I am always trying to turn them on to stuff like Passion Play, Slouching Toward Bethlehem and Borderline but they just don't get it. What they really want to hear is Big Yellow Taxi and Help Me. Oh and BYT2007 goes over like a lead balloon! So I stick by my hope that in a hundred years Joni's prophetic genius will be fully appreciated IF we survive this tragedy unfolding..... She has been warning us for decades about the consequence of paved paradise and fundamentalist fatalism like a beautiful voice in the wilderness. We are only beginning to see how far ahead of our sad time Joni really is. ET ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #408 ********************************* ------- 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)