From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2011 #192 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 Tuesday, July 12 2011 Volume 2011 : Number 192 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Troubadours (VLJC) [Azeem Ali Khan ] Re: Troubadours (VLJC) [Jamie Zubairi ] Recycling vs innovation [betsyblue82@gmail.com] Re: Bookend/Similar Songs [Bob Muller ] Tina Fey [betsyblue82@gmail.com] Re: Troubadours (VLJC) [Lieve Reckers ] New Library item: They all (mostly) sing for Canada [TheStaff@JoniMitchel] New Library item: For sale: The house where Greenpeace was born [TheStaf] Re: Recycling vs innovation ["Mark" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:51:38 +0100 From: Azeem Ali Khan Subject: Troubadours (VLJC) I don't think anyone's posted about this really excellent programme that went out on BBC4 on Friday. There hasn't exactly been a shortage of stuff about the LA music scene in the late 60s/early 70s recently, but this had a specific angle: the Troubadour folk club from 1968-1975, its founder, Doug Weston, and many of the artists who made their name there. The framing device was a contemporary conversation with and between Carole King and James Taylor (in 2007, I think), as they prepared for a reunion tour with the band of session greats who played on everyone's records back in the day (Russ Kunkel, Danny Kortchmar, the magnificently hirsute Leland Sklar et al). The programme had a lot of footage and interviews I hadn't seen before, including some withering stuff about the Eagles. What came across most strongly was the beautiful bond between King and Taylor, one of those miraculous platonic friendships between artists that don't happen very often - - Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris spring to mind - and whose driving force is the musical partnership. I was also struck by what a delightful pair of people they seem, contrasting in just about every way. Carole King is an object lesson in how to grow up (and old) with grace and dignity, unlike Cynthia Weill, who looks like the poster girl for When Plastic Surgery Goes Wrong. And back then, she was just gorgeous. Not an obvious beauty like Joni, or an obvious sexpot like Linda Ronstadt, but a warm earth mother, beautiful and sexy almost despite herself. Joni doesn't appear in the programme, but is mentioned a couple of times, and it's made clear that she was one of the leading lights of the scene. I know people outside the UK can't access BBC Iplayer, but I suspect that there are ways and means of getting to see programmes like this (nudge nudge). Cheers, Azeem in London ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:10:34 +0100 From: Jamie Zubairi Subject: Re: Troubadours (VLJC) I must agree with Azeem, it was a very good programme on the music of the period and the club's rise and decline. There wasn't enough Joni content to satiate my voracious appetite but it was a clip of her playing (pink dress) and some very complimentary quotes from David Crosby about her writing. I guess it was focusing on James Taylor and Carole King and thee partnership (and a full reunion concert followed the programme). Really good watch Jamie Zubairi Sent from my iPhone On 11 Jul 2011, at 09:51, Azeem Ali Khan wrote: > I don't think anyone's posted about this really excellent programme that > went out on BBC4 on Friday. There hasn't exactly been a shortage of stuff > about the LA music scene in the late 60s/early 70s recently, but this had a > specific angle: the Troubadour folk club from 1968-1975, its founder, Doug > Weston, and many of the artists who made their name there. The framing > device was a contemporary conversation with and between Carole King and > James Taylor (in 2007, I think), as they prepared for a reunion tour with > the band of session greats who played on everyone's records back in the day > (Russ Kunkel, Danny Kortchmar, the magnificently hirsute Leland Sklar et > al). > The programme had a lot of footage and interviews I hadn't seen before, > including some withering stuff about the Eagles. What came across most > strongly was the beautiful bond between King and Taylor, one of those > miraculous platonic friendships between artists that don't happen very often > - Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris spring to mind - and whose driving force > is the musical partnership. I was also struck by what a delightful pair of > people they seem, contrasting in just about every way. Carole King is an > object lesson in how to grow up (and old) with grace and dignity, unlike > Cynthia Weill, who looks like the poster girl for When Plastic Surgery Goes > Wrong. And back then, she was just gorgeous. Not an obvious beauty like > Joni, or an obvious sexpot like Linda Ronstadt, but a warm earth mother, > beautiful and sexy almost despite herself. > > Joni doesn't appear in the programme, but is mentioned a couple of times, > and it's made clear that she was one of the leading lights of the scene. > > I know people outside the UK can't access BBC Iplayer, but I suspect that > there are ways and means of getting to see programmes like this (nudge > nudge). > > Cheers, > > Azeem in London ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:39:58 +0000 From: betsyblue82@gmail.com Subject: Recycling vs innovation Jim wrote: "Recycle" is usually a pejorative term when aimed at a Songwriter, so I'll say, "no". She wrote lots and lots of songs, entire albums worth by herself and almost never repeated herself. She recycled very little and gave us tons of great work. There was even a lot of variety in arrangements and instrumentation in the first 12-15 albums. I certainly did not mean to accuse Joni of being unoriginal. It's just that she has these little bits of brilliance that she brings with her when she takes a new musical adventure. I think that may be what makes her fans so willing to listen to literally anything she comes up with. I was listening to the radio and thinking about all the work that goes into making these bland songs that don't mean anything. NPR Money even did a story about the cost of making a hit song. They really are manufactured. Joni has always built prototypes for herself and on her own. Sorry to offend you all so soon. - -Betsy NP: Mariah Carey's Dream Lover (not my choice) Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:16:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: Bookend/Similar Songs (Bob Mueller, you will know the one) that repeats "Wish I Might, Wish I May..." I can hear it in my head but off the top of that same head I can't tell ya who it is. That was about 140 Rivers ago. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:58:52 +0000 From: betsyblue82@gmail.com Subject: Tina Fey I'm not sure if Tina is a huge fan, but there have been a couple of references on 30 Rock:b, b* In Season 5,B Episode 12, Liz Lemon says bSeems like one of us should sing bThe Circle Game' right nowb and takes a big breath, but is interrupted before she can sing.b, b*b, b* In Season 5, Episode 15, a parody song called Paints and Brushes (written and sung by Tina Fey) is playing in a bar. You can hear it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/22/tina-feys-fake-joni-mitch_n_826775.htmlb, b*b, b*Tina Fey explains the lack of actual Joni Mitchell music on the Jimmy Fallon show.b, b* http://videos.nymag.com/video/Late-Night-Tina-Fey-Freestyles/playerb, b* - -Betsy NP: Ethiopia Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:26:00 +0100 (BST) From: Lieve Reckers Subject: Re: Troubadours (VLJC) Hi Jamie and Azeem, I saw this programme on BBC4 several months (maybe as much as a year) ago. I think there were some posts here on the list about it then. I remember I also felt it was a very watchable and informative, warm hearted programme. Lieve in London >________________________________ >From: Jamie Zubairi >To: Azeem Ali Khan >Cc: jmdl >Sent: Monday, 11 July 2011, 10:10 >Subject: Re: Troubadours (VLJC) > >I must agree with Azeem, it was a very good programme on the music of the period and the club's rise and decline. There wasn't enough Joni content to satiate my voracious appetite but it was a clip of her playing (pink dress) and some very complimentary quotes from David Crosby about her writing. I guess it was focusing on James Taylor and Carole King and thee partnership (and a full reunion concert followed the programme). Really good watch > >Jamie Zubairi >Sent from my iPhone > >On 11 Jul 2011, at 09:51, Azeem Ali Khan wrote: > >> I don't think anyone's posted about this really excellent programme that >> went out on BBC4 on Friday. There hasn't exactly been a shortage of stuff >> about the LA music scene in the late 60s/early 70s recently, but this had a >> specific angle: the Troubadour folk club from 1968-1975, its founder, Doug >> Weston, and many of the artists who made their name there. The framing >> device was a contemporary conversation with and between Carole King and >> James Taylor (in 2007, I think), as they prepared for a reunion tour with >> the band of session greats who played on everyone's records back in the day >> (Russ Kunkel, Danny Kortchmar, the magnificently hirsute Leland Sklar et >> al). >> The programme had a lot of footage and interviews I hadn't seen before, >> including some withering stuff about the Eagles. What came across most >> strongly was the beautiful bond between King and Taylor, one of those >> miraculous platonic friendships between artists that don't happen very often >> - Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris spring to mind - and whose driving force >> is the musical partnership. I was also struck by what a delightful pair of >> people they seem, contrasting in just about every way. Carole King is an >> object lesson in how to grow up (and old) with grace and dignity, unlike >> Cynthia Weill, who looks like the poster girl for When Plastic Surgery Goes >> Wrong. And back then, she was just gorgeous. Not an obvious beauty like >> Joni, or an obvious sexpot like Linda Ronstadt, but a warm earth mother, >> beautiful and sexy almost despite herself. >> >> Joni doesn't appear in the programme, but is mentioned a couple of times, >> and it's made clear that she was one of the leading lights of the scene. >> >> I know people outside the UK can't access BBC Iplayer, but I suspect that >> there are ways and means of getting to see programmes like this (nudge >> nudge). >> >> Cheers, >> >> Azeem in London ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:46:47 -0600 (MDT) From: TheStaff@JoniMitchell.com Subject: New Library item: They all (mostly) sing for Canada Title: They all (mostly) sing for Canada Publication: Calgary Herald Date: 2011.3.12 http://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=2387 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:48:03 -0600 (MDT) From: TheStaff@JoniMitchell.com Subject: New Library item: For sale: The house where Greenpeace was born Title: For sale: The house where Greenpeace was born Publication: Toronto Globe and Mail Date: 2011.3.30 http://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=2388 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:04:09 -0700 From: "Mark" Subject: Re: Recycling vs innovation Betsy wrote: I certainly did not mean to accuse Joni of being unoriginal. It's just that she has these little bits of brilliance that she brings with her when she takes a new musical adventure. I think that may be what makes her fans so willing to listen to literally anything she comes up with. I was listening to the radio and thinking about all the work that goes into making these bland songs that don't mean anything. NPR Money even did a story about the cost of making a hit song. They really are manufactured. Joni has always built prototypes for herself and on her own. Sorry to offend you all so soon. - -Betsy Hey Betsy! I don't think you offended anybody. You created some good discussion and there's nothing wrong with that. If we all agreed on every single point, this would be an awfully dull, well, um,... discussion list. I don't think Joni recycled much of anything in her amazing body of work. That she came up with so much quality, original material is a mark of her genius, in my opinion. But I do think there are certain themes and images or maybe you could even call them threads that run throughout her lyrics. I think her questioning of the pros and cons of fame in the music business goes back as far as 'Real Good For Free' on 'Ladies of the Canyon'. Questioning has ripened to dissatisfaction in 'For the Roses' and has become out and out disgust by the time she hits 'Taming the Tiger'. And I think 'The Boho Dance' is about a fellow musician who pretends to be disdainful of the trappings of fame but secretly craves them 'like a priest with a pornographic watch looking and longing on the sly'. Welcome to the JMDL ! Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2011 #192 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe