From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2011 #256 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, September 13 2011 Volume 2011 : Number 256 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: video of Shine ballet [Brian Gross ] Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni [simon@icu.com] Re: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni [Catherine McKay ] Re: TROUBADOURS Film - A Radio Companion Piece [Corey Blake Subject: Re: video of Shine ballet http://www.deepdiscount.com/dvd/The-Fiddle-and-the-Drum take good care everyone, Brian - ----------------------------------------------------------- Politicians and diapers both need to be changed often. And usually for the same reasons. - ----------------------------------------------------------- >________________________________ >From: ava rosenblum >To: joni@smoe.org >Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:31 PM >Subject: video of Shine ballet > >Does anyone know if a DVD is available of the ballet in Canada that accompanied the release of Shine? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:42:38 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni Richard Flynn wrote > Subject: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni > > I've been regularly enjoying this Saturday afternoon show American Routes on public radio. > > On today's show Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni when she asks to play for him during > his set at the Chessmate, and later her sending him a 6-song tape. The show has an audio stream: > > This is an excellent program providing some of the BackStory about Tom's "The Circle Game" album and insights into the then current Folk Music scene, Tom's career and the transition to the folk-based Singer Songwriter movement. Unfortunately although the 'American Routes' WebSite allows one to stream and listen to their programs, they don't offer a download option. However, where there's a will ... you CAN download a copy at either of the following URLs: MP3 audio 16 bit AIFF audio Toms' comments regarding Joni begin 42min. into the 1-hr. program. However, the above URLs include a 12min. edit of the Joni segment as well as the full program. I absolutely recommend this program and hope everyone will give it a listen. You won't be disappointed. - - - - - - FROM: The CIRCLE GAME liner notes. By 1966, Tom Rush was established as one of the most striking folk talents in America. Having been poached by company boss Jac Holzanan and producer Paul Rothchild from the clutches of Prestige, he'd made two superb albuans for Elektra Records. The first, simply titled TOM RUSH, presented him as a storyteller par excellence, while the second, TAKE A LITTLE WALK WITH ME, showed off his knack for finding material and springing surprises on his audience. Elektra must have expected him to deliver a third album by spring 1967, but instead Tom kept his label, and his loyal fan base, waiting. Not until spring 1968 did he re-emerge with THE CIRCLE CAME - an astounding record that effectively kick-started a new era, marking the dawn of the singer-songwriter movement. Making that album took awhile he admits today. I was finding it hard to pick out folk material that I was excited about. But then, in quick succession, I came across three incredible songwriters who were folk in sensibility, but quite different to anything I'd recorded before - Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne. With their songs in hand, he was ready to begin work on a record that was a sharp departure from his earlier work. The album had a concept, he explains, and the challenge was to thread together all these tunes into the narrative, which was a love story, from beginning to end. In retrospect, it appears obvious that Tom would record material by three of the most successful songwriters of the rock era. But none of them was known to anyone outside the narrow confines of the folk circuit when he first heard their work. It's strange to think of Joni Mitchell as a struggling unknown desperate for her songs to be covered, but that's the way things were in late 1966, as Tom recalls: I first met Joni in Detroit, when she came to the Chessmatc Club, and asked if she could play for me. She performed four songs, including "Urge For Going", that were absolutely riveting. I think the fact that I was so enthusiastic prompted her to write some more stuff, and pretty soon she sent me a tape of six new songs. The best one of those was The Circle Game, which she prefaced with a verbal apology, because she didnt think it was any good! Besides offering Joni her first national exposure, Tom also passed on some tricks of the trade: I remember showing her some open tunings when we first metnow, that may be my memory playing tricks, but I'm pretty sure she was writing in standard tuning at that point. Of course, she took the idea of tunings to another planet! My recollection is that The Circle Came was just aboul the first song she wrote in open G tuning, whereas Urge For Going was in standard tuning. Urge For Going was the song that broke Joni Mitchell to the outside world. Tom issued it as a single before it appeared on THE CIRCLE CAME, but several months after he had passed a tape of his version to the massively influential Boston radio station, WBZ. Two of their DJs, Dick Summer and Jeff Kaye, loved the song, Tom remembers, and they played it to death. This was before most people had cassettes, and the only way to hear something was to call up the station and ask them to play it. That's what thousands of people did, and it became a really big deal. Ironically, its popularity backfired when Elektra finally issued it as a single. It went straight to No. 1 on WBZ, and no other station would touch it! It had become so associated with that station that if any of their rivals played it, it was like advertising WBZ.' As if discovering Joni Mitchell wasnt enough, Tom also lucked into an early encounter with another superstar in the making: I was in the Elektra office, and Paul Rothchild told me that I had lo hear this guy called James Taylor. Actually, it's weird in retrospect that Paul didn't sign him to Elektra. We sat in this empty office and listened to six of his songs. James was on his way to England then, where of course he signed up with the Beatles. The strange thing is that I was in Cambridge in 1963, having dropped out of Harvard, and I had a roommate called Zack Wiesner. He was playing in a band called The Flying Machine, and he kept saying, You should come down and see this guy sing with us, and it was James. I obviously should have followed it up, but to my mind the messenger was so suspect that it didn't seem worth it! Second time around, Tom didn't let Taylor get away, with the result that two of his songs joined three of Mitchell's on THE CIRCLE CAME. The story behind the third of Toms songwriting discoveries was more prosaic. Jackson Browne, the composer of Shadow Dream Song, was already signed to Elektra and being groomed as an artist in his own right. They had Jacksons publishing, Tom recalls. I know there was some talk of him making an album for Elektra, but my memory is that he wasn't into being a performer at that point, he just wanted to be a writer. The complete liner notes are included with the music at the URLs listed above. - - - - - - Enjoy! andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - s i m o n ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:51:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni Thanks for sharing this, Simon. This is definitely worth listening to (and made me go to I-tunes to download Tom Rush's "Circle Game" album and his greatest hits one. >________________________________ >From: "simon@icu.com" >To: joni@smoe.org >Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 11:42:38 AM >Subject: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni > >Richard Flynn wrote > > > Subject: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni > > > > I've been regularly enjoying this Saturday afternoon show American >Routes on public radio. > > > > On today's show Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni when she asks to play >for him during > > his set at the Chessmate, and later her sending him a 6-song tape. The >show has an audio stream: > > > > >h> > > >This is an excellent program providing some of the BackStory about Tom's "The >Circle Game" album and insights into the then current Folk Music scene, >Tom's career and the transition to the folk-based Singer Songwriter movement. > >Unfortunately although the 'American Routes' WebSite allows one to stream and >listen to their programs, they don't offer a download option. > >However, where there's a will ... you CAN download a copy at either of the >following URLs: > > MP3 audio > > 16 bit AIFF audio > >Toms' comments regarding Joni begin 42min. into the 1-hr. program. > >However, the above URLs include a 12min. edit of the Joni segment as well as >the full program. > >I absolutely recommend this program and hope everyone will give it a listen. > >You won't be disappointed. >- - - - - > > >FROM: The CIRCLE GAME liner notes. > >By 1966, Tom Rush was established as one of the most striking folk talents in >America. Having been poached by company boss Jac Holzanan and producer >Paul Rothchild from the clutches of Prestige, he'd made two superb albuans for >Elektra Records. The first, simply titled TOM RUSH, presented him as a >storyteller >par excellence, while the second, TAKE A LITTLE WALK WITH ME, showed off his >knack for finding material and springing surprises on his audience. > >Elektra must have expected him to deliver a third album by spring 1967, but >instead Tom kept his label, and his loyal fan base, waiting. >Not until spring 1968 did he re-emerge with THE CIRCLE CAME - an astounding >record that effectively kick-started a new era, marking >the dawn of the singer-songwriter movement. > >Making that album took awhile he admits today. I was finding it hard to >pick out folk material that I was excited about. But then, in quick >succession, >I came across three incredible songwriters who were folk in sensibility, but >quite different to anything I'd recorded before - - Joni Mitchell, James Taylor >and Jackson Browne. With their songs in hand, he was ready to begin work on a >record that was a sharp departure from his earlier work. The album had a >concept, he explains, >and the challenge was to thread together all these tunes into the narrative, >which was a love story, from beginning to end. > >In retrospect, it appears obvious that Tom would record material by three of >the most successful songwriters of the rock era. But none of them was known to >anyone >outside the narrow confines of the folk circuit when he first heard their >work. It's strange to think of Joni Mitchell as a struggling unknown desperate >for her songs to >be covered, but that's the way things were in late 1966, as Tom recalls: I >first met Joni in Detroit, when she came to the Chessmatc Club, and asked if >she could >play for me. She performed four songs, including "Urge For Going", that were >absolutely riveting. I think the fact that I was so enthusiastic prompted her >to write >some more stuff, and pretty soon she sent me a tape of six new songs. The best >one of those was The Circle Game, which she prefaced with a verbal apology, >because she didnt think it was any good! > >Besides offering Joni her first national exposure, Tom also passed on some >tricks of the trade: I remember showing her some open tunings when we first >metnow, >that may be my memory playing tricks, but I'm pretty sure she was writing in >standard tuning at that point. Of course, she took the idea of tunings to >another planet! >My recollection is that The Circle Came was just aboul the first song she >wrote in open G tuning, whereas Urge For Going was in standard tuning. > >Urge For Going was the song that broke Joni Mitchell to the outside world. >Tom issued it as a single before it appeared on THE CIRCLE CAME, but several >months >after he had passed a tape of his version to the massively influential Boston >radio station, WBZ. Two of their DJs, Dick Summer and Jeff Kaye, loved the >song, >Tom remembers, and they played it to death. This was before most people had >cassettes, and the only way to hear something was to call up the station and >ask >them to play it. That's what thousands of people did, and it became a really >big deal. Ironically, its popularity backfired when Elektra finally issued >it as a single. >It went straight to No. 1 on WBZ, and no other station would touch it! It >had become so associated with that station that if any of their rivals played >it, it was like >advertising WBZ.' > >As if discovering Joni Mitchell wasnt enough, Tom also lucked into an early >encounter with another superstar in the making: I was in the Elektra office, >and >Paul Rothchild told me that I had lo hear this guy called James Taylor. >Actually, it's weird in retrospect that Paul didn't sign him to Elektra. We >sat in this empty >office and listened to six of his songs. James was on his way to England then, >where of course he signed up with the Beatles. The strange thing is that I >was in >Cambridge in 1963, having dropped out of Harvard, and I had a roommate called >Zack Wiesner. He was playing in a band called The Flying Machine, and he kept >saying, You should come down and see this guy sing with us, and it was >James. I obviously should have followed it up, but to my mind the messenger >was so >suspect that it didn't seem worth it! Second time around, Tom didn't let >Taylor get away, with the result that two of his songs joined three of >Mitchell's on >THE CIRCLE CAME. The story behind the third of Toms songwriting discoveries >was more prosaic. Jackson Browne, the composer of Shadow Dream Song, >was already signed to Elektra and being groomed as an artist in his own right. >They had Jacksons publishing, Tom recalls. I know there was some talk of >him >making an album for Elektra, but my memory is that he wasn't into being a >performer at that point, he just wanted to be a writer. > > > >The complete liner notes are included with the music at the URLs listed >above. >- - - - - > >Enjoy! > > > > >andmoreagain, >- - - - - - - - - >s i m o n ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:19:58 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Re: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni On Sep 12, 2011 Catherine McKay wrote: > Thanks for sharing this, Simon. This is definitely worth listening to > (and made me go to I-tunes to download Tom Rush's "Circle Game" album and his greatest hits one. Catherine, Glad to know you're enjoying the "American Roots" program. Last week I listened to Tom Rush's "Circle Game" album several times. It's a fine, fine collection and was an 'Important' album at the time of its release. 43 Years later, it holds up amazingly well. A first rate piece of work. Tom Rush was an early, ardent supporter of Joni. He opened a lot of doors for her by performing her songs AND encouraging club owners to book her. andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - s i m o n ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:37:37 -0400 From: "Richard Flynn" Subject: RE: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni Yes, Simon. Thanks for making this available to us. I have the expanded UK-only Circle Game CD that contains the booklet you scanned. It does indeed invite repeated listening. > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of > simon@icu.com > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 2:20 PM > To: Catherine McKay > Cc: joni@smoe.org > Subject: Re: Tom Rush talks about meeting Joni > > On Sep 12, 2011 Catherine McKay wrote: > > > Thanks for sharing this, Simon. This is definitely worth > listening to > > (and made me go to I-tunes to download Tom Rush's "Circle Game" > album and his greatest hits one. > > > Catherine, > > Glad to know you're enjoying the "American Roots" program. > > Last week I listened to Tom Rush's "Circle Game" album several times. > > It's a fine, fine collection and was an 'Important' album at the time of > its release. > 43 Years later, it holds up amazingly well. A first rate piece of work. > > Tom Rush was an early, ardent supporter of Joni. > > He opened a lot of doors for her by performing her songs AND encouraging > club owners to book her. > > > > andmoreagain, > - - - - - - - - - > s i m o n ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:54:38 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: TROUBADOURS Film - A Radio Companion Piece Bob Muller wrote > Subject: Troubadours > > I watched the "Troubadours" film yesterday while at the beach as Irene's rain kept us indoors all day. > I really dug it, and how cool to watch it a week after getting the Hollywood Blvd/Laurel Canyon tour courtesy of the generous Mr. Dulson and Michelle. > Mostly about Carole King and JT (both of whom I love so no problem) but featuring quite a bit of JC and other great musicians too. > >Two thumbs up and highly recommended. I agree with Bob. The full title of the film is "TROUBADOURS - The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter", and I disagree with the notion that James, Carole or The Troubadour club are actually responsible for the rise of the singer-songwriter. I know the history. Be that as it may, that's a discussion for another time. Now it's time for "A radio companion piece to the film of the same name" a CD released to broadcasters earlier this year. You can download a copy at You'll find three items listed. 1. Troubadours - CD & Cue Sheet Info 2. Troubadours - mp3 3. Troubadours - aiff (CD Quality) Listen and Enjoy! andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - s i m o n PS: Everybody's Been Burned http://jonimitchell.com/chronology/complete.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/miscrecordings.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/songsaboutjoni.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_songs.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_albums.cfm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:31:05 -0400 From: "Robert Sartorius" Subject: Re: New Library item: Roberta makes it as Joni Bob M wrote "That's a cool little article - I forget that her real first name was Roberta. Wonder if she had kept "Roberta" as her stage name, would "Roberta" evoke the same thoughts as "Joni" does? Probably so...what did Willy the Shake say about a rose by any other name?" I think "Joni" is a bit more unique in the musical lexicon than "Roberta" (Flack, among others). You say Joni, people know. Or, at least, I say Joni, people know. Anyway, I did not forget. As the story goes, Joni says that her parents wanted a boy, and wanted to name him Robert John. When they had a girl, Roberta Joan it was. As a Robert John myself, I will always remember this. One further observation from my viewpoint - if Joni had married James and "changed her name again" (she wasn't ready, I've heard), she might have been Roberta Joan Taylor. And Sartorius means "tailor" in Latin. Hmmmmmmm. Bobsart ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:00:29 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Troubadours - Pt. 2? So ... I'm putting the TROUBADOURS Radio Program CD away when I notice AnOther program I'd completely forgotten about. It arrived last spring while I was working out of town. "Carole King: Tapestry - A One Hour Radio Special" It obviously deals with Carole's album, but it also expands on the Troubadours... time period. It's an interesting, worthy addition. You can download a copy at You'll find three items listed. 1. Info_Tapestry Radio Special (CD Title Inserts w/Info) 2. TAPESTRY_1 Hr. Radio Special.MP3 3. TAPESTRY_1 Hr. Radio Special.AIFF (CD Quality) Listen and Enjoy! andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - s i m o n PS: Everybody's Been Burned http://jonimitchell.com/chronology/complete.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/miscrecordings.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/songsaboutjoni.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_songs.cfm http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_albums.cfm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:09:07 +0100 (BST) From: Lieve Reckers Subject: Re: TROUBADOURS Film - A Radio Companion Piece Simon wrote: "I disagree with the notion that James, Carole or The Troubadour club are actuallyresponsible for the rise of the singer-songwriter. I know the history. Be that as it may, that's a discussion for another time." Now Simon, that's too much of a tease! Come on, do give us some details, that is surely what this list is for. Pretty please! I saw the Troubadours film when BBC4 showed it one or two years ago, and I recorded it on DVD. I did enjoy it a lot, but it annoyed me a bit that it focused so much on James and Carole (however much I like them), as it seemed unbalanced without more weight given to Joni. In that case the program should have been called "The story of James and Carole", not something generic like "Troubadours, the rise of the singer-songwriter". Lieve in London >________________________________ >From:"simon@icu.com" >To:joni@smoe.org >Sent:Monday, 12 September 2011, 19:54 >Subject:TROUBADOURS Film - A Radio Companion Piece > >Bob Muller wrote > > > Subject: Troubadours > > > > I watched the "Troubadours" film yesterday while at the beach as Irene's rain kept us indoors all day. > > I really dug it, and how cool to watch it a week after getting the Hollywood Blvd/Laurel Canyon tour courtesy of the generous Mr. Dulson and Michelle. > > Mostly about Carole King and JT (both of whom I love so no problem) but featuring quite a bit of JC and other great musicians too. > > > >Two thumbs up and highly recommended. > > >I agree with Bob. > >The full title of the film is "TROUBADOURS - The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter", >and I disagree with the notion that James, Carole or The Troubadour club are actually >responsible for the rise of the singer-songwriter. I know the history. > >Be that as it may, that's a discussion for another time. > > >Now it's time for "A radio companion piece to the film of the same name" a CD released to broadcasters earlier this year. > >You can download a copy at > > >You'll find three items listed. > >1. Troubadours - CD & Cue Sheet Info > >2. Troubadours - mp3 > >3. Troubadours - aiff (CD Quality) > > >Listen and Enjoy! > > > > >andmoreagain, >- - - - - - - - - >s i m o n > >PS: Everybody's Been Burned > > >http://jonimitchell.com/chronology/complete.cfm >http://jonimitchell.com/music/miscrecordings.cfm >http://jonimitchell.com/music/songsaboutjoni.cfm >http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_songs.cfm >http://jonimitchell.com/music/inspiredbyjoni_albums.cfm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:39:10 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Tom Rush and The Circle Game CD Richard Flynn writes > Yes, Simon. Thanks for making this available to us. I have the expanded > UK-only Circle Game CD that contains the booklet you scanned. It does indeed > invite repeated listening. I'd forgotten that the 40th Anniversary edition of Tom Rush's "The Circle Game" album was a Rhino-UK Import. This edition is both ReMastered and Expanded. People need to keep this in mind if they intend to buy it, since the 'Original' version is still listed for sale. Here's the Amazon URL . There are -7- copies available for under $7.00 That's cheaper than a digital download from iTunes. YOU be the judge as to which is the better deal. andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - s i m o n ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:24:10 -0600 From: Les Irvin Subject: Interview with Max Bennett Brand new on JoniMitchell.com, Dave Blackburn's interview with bassist Max Bennett. Very interesting read with lots of Joni tidbits. Check it out: http://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=2418 Thanks to Dave for conducting and transcribing the interview for the site! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:26:08 -0700 From: Corey Blake Subject: Re: TROUBADOURS Film - A Radio Companion Piece On Sep 12, 2011, at 11:54 AM, simon@icu.com wrote: > The full title of the film is "TROUBADOURS - The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter", > and I disagree with the notion that James, Carole or The Troubadour club are actually > responsible for the rise of the singer-songwriter. I know the history. > > Be that as it may, that's a discussion for another time. I'd love to hear it too. The obvious guess, to me, would be Bob Dylan. But where do you draw the line between folk musician who writes their own songs and singer/songwriter. Maybe there's no difference? Anyway, thank you for the excellent radio specials. - -Corey ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2011 #256 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe