From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2014 #538 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Website:http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe:mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Sunday, March 8 2015 Volume 2014 : Number 538 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Willie (sjc) [Jeff Clark ] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam [kbhla@fastmail.fm] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Michael Sentance ] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Anita Gabrielle ] Re: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 [Anita Gabrielle ] Re: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 ["Susan E. McNamara" ] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Dave Blackburn ] Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Jeff Clark ] Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Michael Sentance ] Re: JM SF [Dave Blackburn ] Joni and her Yosemite Sam [kbhla@fastmail.fm] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam ["Randy Remote" ] Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam [Dave Blackburn ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 16:30:17 +0000 (UTC) From: Jeff Clark Subject: Willie (sjc) Marianne wrote: <> Turns out that it was a false alarm, thank God. As Bob said, he's still alive and tokin'. Anybody thats still taking guitar lessons at 81 because he wants to play better is an inspiration to me. And inventing his own fuel source. The hippies hippy, the rednecks redneck, he covers it all. Last night was the first night I didn't have a Joni related dream. The night before I was reading David Crosby's twitters right before bed, maybe not a good thing, and had a dream something about the Blue album being remade. And the night before I was staying in a tent in Joni's backyard by the pool. I would feed the koi and pull a few weeds until she got up and then help her with her Vignettes writing that she had worked on the night before. Helping to edit it and "give it shape". I can dream, can't I!!?Jeff ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2015 14:47:49 -0800 From: kbhla@fastmail.fm Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam Great information and background, Dave! I wonder if someone is misleading her about the cost of remixing/fixing the album? It is not clear whether she does have the master tapes. If she doesn't, how difficult would it be to improve the original? I'm sure with all the improved technology, something could be done. It would be so great if you could do it for her, since you've already worked on improving some of her other recordings. I've also always thought Clouds was sonically flawed and noticed it more than STAS. Kakki On Sat, Mar 7, 2015, at 02:38 PM, Dave Blackburn wrote: > There is much debate as to whether Crosby was to blame for the production > problems of STAS. There seem to be three directions the blame gets > pointed in: > > Some sources (stevehoffman.tv) say the original engineer did a lousy job > tracking and then fell ill and was replaced by an Elektra staff engineer. > Crosby and did what became the final mix. Most of this information comes > from Joni's biography and a history of Sunset Sound.> > > Another comment on rateyourmusic.com has this to say: > together -- parts of it sound twee indeed. Still, some of the songs -- > "Marcie", "Cactus Tree", "Michael From Mountains" -- are as strong as she > ever did. Unfortunately the album suffers from extremely poor sound (not > producer David Crosby's fault -- the record company was experimenting > with a new stereo process at the time; Neil Young's debut suffered too).> > > And then again, Crosby may, just may, have been stoned out of his gourd > and went for some psychedelia with the rather icy gothic reverb and that > bloody banshee wail! > > If the master tapes are in Jonibs possession, it bogglers the mind why > she doesnbt just hire a mix engineer to study the tapes and see what can > be done. Does she really think it would be that expensive to remix a > vocal/acoustic guitar album? Practically any engineer, myself included, > would do it for free! She has the money if it did cost and she could > restore a fine debut work to her approval, for her legacy. > > I will also say that Clouds suffers from rather awful engineering and > that was certainly nothing to do with David Crosby; it was Henry Lewybs > first album with her. > > Dave ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 18:26:18 -0500 From: Michael Sentance Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam Thanks to all for the comments. In particular, Dave.I appreciated your illuminating the various issues attendant to STAS. I have learned a great deal and will be spending some of the day tomorrow listening to the music again. I apologize for the formatting issues in my original email. It looked fine to me when I sent it. And I want to clarify that the poem was lifted from Stephen Vincent BenC)t's work; it is part of his description of Robert E. Lee. I thought it worked for Joni - especially given her dim view of biographers. As for falling off the roof, it's best to do it into a six foot snow bank. As I did. The bones get rattled but otherwise ok. Best wishes. Michael On Sat, Mar 7, 2015 at 6:08 PM, Victor wrote: > Rush, another Canadian icon, is reissuing albums on vinyl this year, one a > month. This month it is 2112. > > Sounds like it something she could pursue with relative ease. > > Victor in Bend > NP: live kirtan streaming from Atlanta's Chantlanta festival > http://newworldkirtan.com > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Mar 7, 2015, at 2:47 PM, kbhla@fastmail.fm wrote: > > > > Great information and background, Dave! I wonder if someone is > > misleading her about the cost of remixing/fixing the album? It is not > > clear whether she does have the master tapes. If she doesn't, how > > difficult would it be to improve the original? I'm sure with all the > > improved technology, something could be done. It would be so great if > > you could do it for her, since you've already worked on improving some > > of her other recordings. > > > > I've also always thought Clouds was sonically flawed and noticed it more > > than STAS. > > > > Kakki > > > >> On Sat, Mar 7, 2015, at 02:38 PM, Dave Blackburn wrote: > >> There is much debate as to whether Crosby was to blame for the > production > >> problems of STAS. There seem to be three directions the blame gets > >> pointed in: > >> > >> Some sources (stevehoffman.tv) say the original engineer did a lousy > job > >> tracking and then fell ill and was replaced by an Elektra staff > engineer. > >> >> Crosby and did what became the final mix. Most of this information comes > >> from Joni's biography and a history of Sunset Sound.> > >> > >> Another comment on rateyourmusic.com has this to say: > >> >> together -- parts of it sound twee indeed. Still, some of the songs -- > >> "Marcie", "Cactus Tree", "Michael From Mountains" -- are as strong as > she > >> ever did. Unfortunately the album suffers from extremely poor sound (not > >> producer David Crosby's fault -- the record company was experimenting > >> with a new stereo process at the time; Neil Young's debut suffered > too).> > >> > >> And then again, Crosby may, just may, have been stoned out of his gourd > >> and went for some psychedelia with the rather icy gothic reverb and that > >> bloody banshee wail! > >> > >> If the master tapes are in Jonib s possession, it bogglers the mind why > >> she doesnb t just hire a mix engineer to study the tapes and see what > can > >> be done. Does she really think it would be that expensive to remix a > >> vocal/acoustic guitar album? Practically any engineer, myself included, > >> would do it for free! She has the money if it did cost and she could > >> restore a fine debut work to her approval, for her legacy. > >> > >> I will also say that Clouds suffers from rather awful engineering and > >> that was certainly nothing to do with David Crosby; it was Henry Lewyb s > >> first album with her. > >> > >> Dave ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 21:12:17 +0000 From: Anita Gabrielle Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam Hang in there, Michael, Spring will come. As for your 'rant' as you call it, I often think we have unrealistic expectations of others to be consistent. As our life unfolds, our relationship to our past often changes and the stories we tell ourselves about our lives change,too. The difference for someone like Joni or other famous folk is that so many of their utterances about their lives are memorialised in one publication or another, so it's harder to be humanly inconsistent. My guess is that Joni has a deep feeling about Croz and sometimes she loves him and sometimes she can't stand him. Probably same for him. Don't we all feel like that about important people in our lives at times? Can't bear them one day, love 'em the next. Speaking personally, I know I do! Sending you daffodils and crocuses that are emerging here in England and hoping your fall hasn't done you too much damage, Michael, Love Anita x > On 7 Mar 2015, at 17:58, Michael Sentance wrote: > > I apologize for this rant. Ibve had nearly ten feet of snow since January > 30th > that has resulted in two new experiences: shoveling my roof and falling > off my roof while shoveling it. I know some of you folks in Canada and > Ithaca are used to this but in the Boston area, this is overwhelming. > > > > So my rant is: whatbs going on with Joni Mitchell and David Crosby? > > > > The KCRW interview triggered my curiosity. At about 07:26 in the interview, > this exchange occurred -- > > > > Liza Richardson: In fact, youbve always produced all of your own records. > Were you advised not to or encouraged to do so? > > > > Joni Mitchell: No, no. Ybknow, Crosby produced my first album and hebs > not > a producer. And he screwed up the sound terribly. Ibve got to re-release > that album at a certain point with it corrected. How you can mess up a > voice and a guitar and I donbt know but he did. And also he kind of --- and > hebd go [Imitating Crosby]: bShouldnbt we get a real piano player, > man?b > Ybknow, I just canbt have this. > > > > This follows what Joni said to Malka Marom in 2012 as related in her > marvelous, bJoni Mitchell. In Her Own Wordsb: > > > > JM: [Talking about a nameless producer for a box set] Okay, on the first > album, I want to give me a recording with no opinion on it. I want to hear > whatbs on the tapeb& I never heard whatbs on the tape, because that > album > was all screwed up, Crosby fucked it up. > > > > But Joni said in Crosbybs first biography bLong Time Goneb: bWhen it > came > time to record my record, David did me a solid favor for which I am > eternally grateful, because the way you enter the game in this business is > usually the way you stay. It takes a lot to break typecasting and the way > you come into the game is crucial, which is something I didnbt realize at > the time. In retrospect, I realize the importance of it.b (1988) > > > > I have no idea whether the album is mixed correctly. I have listened to it > for more than 40 years and never thought it was a hatchet job. But then > again, I am not a musician. I have looked at all of the reviews that were > contemporaneous and none discussed the production other than describing it > as bspareb. A November 2012 review on the Pitchfork.com web site by > Jessica > Hopper wrote bThe delicate album suffers under Crosbybs intrusive > production.b > > > > The Joni/Croz break continues on a more personal level. > > > > If I were to have that bMidnight in Parisb moment, other than Paris in > the > 1920s, it would be Laurel Canyon in late b67 when things started coming > together there. Now I thought I understood the saga: David Crosby heard > Joni Mitchell playing in Florida, was entranced by the music and the > beauty, pitched woo and won. The biography on the Joni web site is > circumspect on the details of the relationship: b[Crosby] was quite taken > with herb. It was the beginning of life in Los Angeles and the experiences > thereafter. > > > > But there was this from the February 2015 Vanity Fair article on Laurel > Canyon: > > > > *JONI MITCHELL:* David Crosby and I were never a couple. We spent time > together in Florida and he was off drugs and very enjoyable company at that > time. We rode bicycles through Coconut Grove and went boating. But David's > appetites were for young harem girls who would wait on him. I would not be > a servant girl. I had a child-like quality that made me attractive to him > and my talent made me attractive. But we weren't an item; I guess you could > call it a brief summer romance in Florida. > > > > Um, what? > > > > Again from Crosbybs bLong Time Goneb, Elliott Roberts is quoted thus: > > > > ER: David Crosby was responsible for my coming to California. When I first > met him, he was going with Joni Mitchell; Joni was my only client. > > > > And then there is Joni from the same source: > > > > JM: [After meeting Graham Nash again in L.A.] I took him home and was > looking after him and I got attached b here was a mess. What was I going to > say? Ibm kind of going with David and we sort of staked claims, but Ibd > written all these independent songs, trying to explain my position to him: > that Ibm still in an independent mode. But I really got attached to > Grahamb&b > > > > I could cite numerous other examples from the various biographers but her > words and the words of trusted friends are more powerful. > > > > David Crosby has been an unwavering supporter of Joni from his introducing > her to the L.A. music scene to the present. The most recent example is the > April 2015 bUncutb magazine piece on Jonibs 30 greatest songs that > concluded with an essay from Crosby: > > > > DC: At the time when I first met her and brought her back to California we > were going together, and I donbt know if it lasted a year but it lasted a > long time. It was good, but it was dauntingb&. Shebs probably the best > writer of us all, and I still think that. > > > > Now if you donbt follow @thedavidcrosby on Twitter, youbre missing a > treat. > Hebs the unvarnished Crosby, commenting on music, politics while answering > questions. He loved Laura Antoniolibs Joni album, hates Kanye and loathed > Jim Morrison. > > > > But something has happened: > > > > Q: Do you still talk to Joni? > > DC: Hung up on her the last two times. > > > > And > > > > Q: Why is Joni so crabby? > > DC: Shebs nuts. > > > > So just as the apparent break with Judy Collins was disappointing, I find > this very sad. > > > > Perhaps webll have to wait for her four volume biography. Or perhaps itbs > just this simple (apologies to Stephen Vincent BenC)t): > > > > All things except the heart > The heart she kept herself, that answers all. > For here was someone who lived all her life > In the most fierce and open light of the sun, > Wrote letters freely, did not guard her speech, > Listened and talked with every sort of man, > And kept her heart a secret to the end > From all the picklocks of biographers. > > > > As for falling off the roof, I cannot recommend it as an experience. > Gravity still works b with alarming speed. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 21:44:32 -0500 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Joni and her Yosemite Sam I'll add these comments. I think it was in David Crosby's autobiography that he said that there WAS no recording engineer. That he barely knew how to press Record and didn't even set a level. He said that is why the masters have lots of tape. He also said that he recorded some vocals with a mic INSIDE a piano because it might yield an interesting effect from the sympathetic ringing. We're lucky that they didn't have to start over. Anyway, I don't think the sound is bad at all. Not nearly as bad as "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs". I think the principals have exaggerated the problems! Jim ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 12:01:01 +0000 From: Anita Gabrielle Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 I would like to wish you all the best for the gig, too, Sue. How I wish I could be there! Sounds like it's cold where you are. Here in England where I am we are blessed by a beautiful Spring morning, with daffodils slowly emerging to join the crocuses. Good to be alive! All the best and may your strings hold their tuning, Anita x > On 7 Mar 2015, at 11:32, Susan E. McNamara wrote: > > Thanks Kimberly! I will let every one know! I heard yesterday that someone is playing Come In From The Cold which will be VERY appropriate for this season in Ithaca (plus one of my favs of Joni's!) :-) > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Mar 7, 2015, at 3:00 AM, "kimberly" wrote: >> >> Sue, >> This sounds wonderful. Have a great show and report back! >> Kimberly >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni-digest@smoe.org] >> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2015 7:09 PM >> To: joni-digest@smoe.org >> Subject: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 >> >> >> JMDL Digest Friday, March 6 2015 Volume 2014 : Number 1828 >> >> >> >> ========== >> >> TOPICS and authors in this Digest: >> -------- >> Re: 6th Annual Joni Tribute Ithica ["Susan E. McNamara" >> > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 03:09:00 +0000 >> From: "Susan E. McNamara" >> Subject: Re: 6th Annual Joni Tribute Ithica >> >> Hi Jeff! >> >> Thanks for asking! I'm really excited about this year's show! I will >> certainly post a report on Sunday! I am up first on the lineup which means I >> will be able to take a seat, relax and enjoy the rest of the show. I will be >> in FFCGAC tuning this year!!! :-) wish you all could be there too but I know >> you will in spirit! >> >> Take care, Sue >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Mar 6, 2015, at 9:32 PM, "Jeff Clark" wrote: >>> >>> Hi Sue, >>> Have a great time and fun at your Joni tribute tomorrow. Let us know how >> it goes. >>> Laurie Antonioli: Didn't you do a Joni concert in Santa Rosa March 2, or >> am I wrong? Please let us know how it went, it would be fun to hear >> about.Jeff >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> End of JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 >> ****************************** >> >> ------- >> To post messages to the list,sendtojoni@smoe.org. >> Unsubscribe by clicking here: >> mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe >> ------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 16:11:36 +0000 From: "Susan E. McNamara" Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 Thanks Anita! Weather for today here in Ithaca is 26 degrees F with 70 percent chance of snow ... Despite this I still expect a packed house tonight for Joni's music!! Love Sue Sent from my iPhone > On Mar 7, 2015, at 7:01 AM, "Anita Gabrielle" wrote: > > I would like to wish you all the best for the gig, too, Sue. How I wish I could be there! > > Sounds like it's cold where you are. Here in England where I am we are blessed by a beautiful Spring morning, with daffodils slowly emerging to join the crocuses. Good to be alive! > All the best and may your strings hold their tuning, > Anita x > > > >> On 7 Mar 2015, at 11:32, Susan E. McNamara wrote: >> >> Thanks Kimberly! I will let every one know! I heard yesterday that someone is playing Come In From The Cold which will be VERY appropriate for this season in Ithaca (plus one of my favs of Joni's!) :-) >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Mar 7, 2015, at 3:00 AM, "kimberly" wrote: >>> >>> Sue, >>> This sounds wonderful. Have a great show and report back! >>> Kimberly >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni-digest@smoe.org] >>> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2015 7:09 PM >>> To: joni-digest@smoe.org >>> Subject: JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 >>> >>> >>> JMDL Digest Friday, March 6 2015 Volume 2014 : Number 1828 >>> >>> >>> >>> ========== >>> >>> TOPICS and authors in this Digest: >>> -------- >>> Re: 6th Annual Joni Tribute Ithica ["Susan E. McNamara" >>> >> >>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 03:09:00 +0000 >>> From: "Susan E. McNamara" >>> Subject: Re: 6th Annual Joni Tribute Ithica >>> >>> Hi Jeff! >>> >>> Thanks for asking! I'm really excited about this year's show! I will >>> certainly post a report on Sunday! I am up first on the lineup which means I >>> will be able to take a seat, relax and enjoy the rest of the show. I will be >>> in FFCGAC tuning this year!!! :-) wish you all could be there too but I know >>> you will in spirit! >>> >>> Take care, Sue >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>>> On Mar 6, 2015, at 9:32 PM, "Jeff Clark" wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Sue, >>>> Have a great time and fun at your Joni tribute tomorrow. Let us know how >>> it goes. >>>> Laurie Antonioli: Didn't you do a Joni concert in Santa Rosa March 2, or >>> am I wrong? Please let us know how it went, it would be fun to hear >>> about.Jeff >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> End of JMDL Digest V2014 #1828 >>> ****************************** >>> >>> ------- >>> To post messages to the list,sendtojoni@smoe.org. >>> Unsubscribe by clicking here: >>> mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe >>> ------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 14:56:51 -0800 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam Kakki, STAS was in fact one of the seven or eight remasters I did in 2007. I did it five times before I felt I had anything worth sharing. Working from a CD source is far from ideal though. Certainly the new restoration tools can do a lot, and maybe she just discovered that in remastering for the boxed set. If anyone can find out whether she has her masters that would be the first stepb&Les, could you? > On Mar 7, 2015, at 2:47 PM, kbhla@fastmail.fm wrote: > > Great information and background, Dave! I wonder if someone is > misleading her about the cost of remixing/fixing the album? It is not > clear whether she does have the master tapes. If she doesn't, how > difficult would it be to improve the original? I'm sure with all the > improved technology, something could be done. It would be so great if > you could do it for her, since you've already worked on improving some > of her other recordings. > > I've also always thought Clouds was sonically flawed and noticed it more > than STAS. > > Kakki > > On Sat, Mar 7, 2015, at 02:38 PM, Dave Blackburn wrote: >> There is much debate as to whether Crosby was to blame for the production >> problems of STAS. There seem to be three directions the blame gets >> pointed in: >> >> Some sources (stevehoffman.tv) say the original engineer did a lousy job >> tracking and then fell ill and was replaced by an Elektra staff engineer. >> > Crosby and did what became the final mix. Most of this information comes >> from Joni's biography and a history of Sunset Sound.> >> >> Another comment on rateyourmusic.com has this to say: >> > together -- parts of it sound twee indeed. Still, some of the songs -- >> "Marcie", "Cactus Tree", "Michael From Mountains" -- are as strong as she >> ever did. Unfortunately the album suffers from extremely poor sound (not >> producer David Crosby's fault -- the record company was experimenting >> with a new stereo process at the time; Neil Young's debut suffered too).> >> >> And then again, Crosby may, just may, have been stoned out of his gourd >> and went for some psychedelia with the rather icy gothic reverb and that >> bloody banshee wail! >> >> If the master tapes are in Jonibs possession, it bogglers the mind why >> she doesnbt just hire a mix engineer to study the tapes and see what can >> be done. Does she really think it would be that expensive to remix a >> vocal/acoustic guitar album? Practically any engineer, myself included, >> would do it for free! She has the money if it did cost and she could >> restore a fine debut work to her approval, for her legacy. >> >> I will also say that Clouds suffers from rather awful engineering and >> that was certainly nothing to do with David Crosby; it was Henry Lewybs >> first album with her. >> >> Dave ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 20:45:35 +0000 (UTC) From: Jeff Clark Subject: Joni and her Yosemite Sam <> What a great poem! So Joni. I've enjoyed reading about Stephen Vincent Benet and Kazuo Ishiguro recently. Being on this list is going to make me smart eventually.B In my opinion the first album sounds somewhat muddy and sterile, and dosen't give full justice to the extraordinary guitar playing and vocals. That's why me and Hitler eagerly await release of some early live versions of the first albums songs, instead of scrounging around on the black market.JeffNP Tracy Chapman, The Times they are a changing. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 12:58:47 -0500 From: Michael Sentance Subject: Joni and her Yosemite Sam I apologize for this rant. Ibve had nearly ten feet of snow since January 30th that has resulted in two new experiences: shoveling my roof and falling off my roof while shoveling it. I know some of you folks in Canada and Ithaca are used to this but in the Boston area, this is overwhelming. So my rant is: whatbs going on with Joni Mitchell and David Crosby? The KCRW interview triggered my curiosity. At about 07:26 in the interview, this exchange occurred -- Liza Richardson: In fact, youbve always produced all of your own records. Were you advised not to or encouraged to do so? Joni Mitchell: No, no. Ybknow, Crosby produced my first album and hebs not a producer. And he screwed up the sound terribly. Ibve got to re-release that album at a certain point with it corrected. How you can mess up a voice and a guitar and I donbt know but he did. And also he kind of --- and hebd go [Imitating Crosby]: bShouldnbt we get a real piano player, man?b Ybknow, I just canbt have this. This follows what Joni said to Malka Marom in 2012 as related in her marvelous, bJoni Mitchell. In Her Own Wordsb: JM: [Talking about a nameless producer for a box set] Okay, on the first album, I want to give me a recording with no opinion on it. I want to hear whatbs on the tapeb& I never heard whatbs on the tape, because that album was all screwed up, Crosby fucked it up. But Joni said in Crosbybs first biography bLong Time Goneb: bWhen it came time to record my record, David did me a solid favor for which I am eternally grateful, because the way you enter the game in this business is usually the way you stay. It takes a lot to break typecasting and the way you come into the game is crucial, which is something I didnbt realize at the time. In retrospect, I realize the importance of it.b (1988) I have no idea whether the album is mixed correctly. I have listened to it for more than 40 years and never thought it was a hatchet job. But then again, I am not a musician. I have looked at all of the reviews that were contemporaneous and none discussed the production other than describing it as bspareb. A November 2012 review on the Pitchfork.com web site by Jessica Hopper wrote bThe delicate album suffers under Crosbybs intrusive production.b The Joni/Croz break continues on a more personal level. If I were to have that bMidnight in Parisb moment, other than Paris in the 1920s, it would be Laurel Canyon in late b67 when things started coming together there. Now I thought I understood the saga: David Crosby heard Joni Mitchell playing in Florida, was entranced by the music and the beauty, pitched woo and won. The biography on the Joni web site is circumspect on the details of the relationship: b[Crosby] was quite taken with herb. It was the beginning of life in Los Angeles and the experiences thereafter. But there was this from the February 2015 Vanity Fair article on Laurel Canyon: *JONI MITCHELL:* David Crosby and I were never a couple. We spent time together in Florida and he was off drugs and very enjoyable company at that time. We rode bicycles through Coconut Grove and went boating. But David's appetites were for young harem girls who would wait on him. I would not be a servant girl. I had a child-like quality that made me attractive to him and my talent made me attractive. But we weren't an item; I guess you could call it a brief summer romance in Florida. Um, what? Again from Crosbybs bLong Time Goneb, Elliott Roberts is quoted thus: ER: David Crosby was responsible for my coming to California. When I first met him, he was going with Joni Mitchell; Joni was my only client. And then there is Joni from the same source: JM: [After meeting Graham Nash again in L.A.] I took him home and was looking after him and I got attached b here was a mess. What was I going to say? Ibm kind of going with David and we sort of staked claims, but Ibd written all these independent songs, trying to explain my position to him: that Ibm still in an independent mode. But I really got attached to Grahamb&b I could cite numerous other examples from the various biographers but her words and the words of trusted friends are more powerful. David Crosby has been an unwavering supporter of Joni from his introducing her to the L.A. music scene to the present. The most recent example is the April 2015 bUncutb magazine piece on Jonibs 30 greatest songs that concluded with an essay from Crosby: DC: At the time when I first met her and brought her back to California we were going together, and I donbt know if it lasted a year but it lasted a long time. It was good, but it was dauntingb&. Shebs probably the best writer of us all, and I still think that. Now if you donbt follow @thedavidcrosby on Twitter, youbre missing a treat. Hebs the unvarnished Crosby, commenting on music, politics while answering questions. He loved Laura Antoniolibs Joni album, hates Kanye and loathed Jim Morrison. But something has happened: Q: Do you still talk to Joni? DC: Hung up on her the last two times. And Q: Why is Joni so crabby? DC: Shebs nuts. So just as the apparent break with Judy Collins was disappointing, I find this very sad. Perhaps webll have to wait for her four volume biography. Or perhaps itbs just this simple (apologies to Stephen Vincent BenC)t): All things except the heart The heart she kept herself, that answers all. For here was someone who lived all her life In the most fierce and open light of the sun, Wrote letters freely, did not guard her speech, Listened and talked with every sort of man, And kept her heart a secret to the end From all the picklocks of biographers. As for falling off the roof, I cannot recommend it as an experience. Gravity still works b with alarming speed. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 06:46:04 -0800 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: JM SF Huge congrats to Laurie for this exciting opportunity which is so well deserved. Joni seems to be coming out of the hermitage a lot more lately since shebs had something new to promote and that may have led her to check out some new artists doing good work. Let us know the blow by blow details, Laurie, and also how $100,000 chicken tastes! cheers Dave > On Mar 6, 2015, at 10:43 PM, Michael Paz wrote: > > Oh, dear - I thought I was sending a private email. This was not how Laurie > wanted the information to be released and it's too soon for the info to go > out! My bad. > > Well the scoop is this: Joni is curating the Gala and Laurie was invited to > sing along with a number of very famous musicians. SFJAZZ has not yet > announced the line-up, so please don't put this on social media as Laurie > wants to respect Joni, SFJAZZ and how and when they will be announcing all the > details. > > I feel terrible about letting the cat out of the bag too soon, but, I'm so > excited for Laurie as she's been with us through her whole journey with > "Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light." Joni heard the CD, and Laurie doesn't know > the details except that she was invited to perform and it is up to Joni as to > who is performing. Laurie asked me to help her look over the contracts and so > that's where I came in to the picture. I am really proud of her and she has > worked so hard on this music to great results. I know she will make us all > proud. > Please keep off of social media till the official announcement. Welcome to the > inner circle... > > Best, > > Paz > > P.S. I also realize that in my haste and excitement I misspelled Laurie's name > to boot. I should have stayed in bed instead of getting up to check email. > > > > > > On Mar 7, 2015, at 12:08 AM, Michael Paz wrote: > > LMAO!!! I wish! > I was going to get to go and be there BUT, my job here is going to prevent > that. I have shows the 7th, 8th, and 9th, > The scoop is we signed a contract for Laurie Antonelli to perform for the > show. This was at the request of Joni. I am > going to be helping her with mgmt. for a while. Keep it hush for now. > More soon > > > > > > > > > > On Mar 6, 2015, at 7:53 PM, kbhla@fastmail.fm wrote: > > So, you will on the road with the BB band and maybe can get some of us > in the back door?? ;-) > > Kakki ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2015 13:35:33 -0800 From: kbhla@fastmail.fm Subject: Joni and her Yosemite Sam Michael, Awful to hear of your fall but glad you were up to writing that great post! I was around 14 when I heard her first album and thought it was completely magical with a haunting feel to it. Later many of us learned that Crosby had messed up the sound and it was a wreck but if one didn't know about the mistakes, one could still think that was the way it was supposed to sound. It is definitely unique and one of my favorites "as is" but maybe it would be even more awesome if it was somehow fixed. As for Crosby and Joni, even though we've read about their past relationship, I've always felt that they were mostly just really good buddies who had a lot of synergy and affection at the time. I never could see him as one of her "true loves." He is brutally honest about her and she is the same about him. It is kind of funny - like the Bickersons, haha! Also, Anita is right about how assessments of personal relationships can change and evolve with the passage of time. Really love your beautiful poem and think it is brilliant. Kakki ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 16:17:58 -0800 From: "Randy Remote" Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam The HDCD issue of STAS was, in fact cleaned up significantly, and offers the best version of this LP. As I recall, when they were recording, they had this (probably stoned) idea to play the album through a speaker inside a piano and mike the tinkly harmonics off the piano strings. Interesting idea, and maybe why it came out muddy sounding. Big O magazine has high quality mp3's* of Joni's Aug 22, 1974 Temple University PA show with the LA Express, sort of an alt. MOA. This probably won't stay up for long, so get 'em while they're hot. It's from a 2 CD boot, includes artwork. They have other artists available-see their homepage. http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=2218 RR *I know, oxymoron From: "Dave Blackburn" > There is much debate as to whether Crosby was to blame for the production > problems of STAS. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 22:18:59 -0800 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: Joni and her Yosemite Sam We should probably allow for this record having been made in the 60s. Distortion was commonplace, awful tape hiss over an AM radio just blended in, drastic echo and reverb were part of the groovy head trip and mono gramophones in peoples bedrooms didnbt reveal much. Once FM came along and there was wider frequency bandwidth you could sort of tell a good recording from a bad one. What we are accustomed today, mp3s notwithstanding, is pretty deep bass, clear open treble and absence of artifacts like tape noise and distortion. STAS is, to be fair, not much worse sounding than plenty of 60s records - listen to Bridge Over Troubled Water again and check out the massive echo chamber and distorted mellotron strings. > On Mar 7, 2015, at 6:44 PM, Jim L'Hommedieu wrote: > > I'll add these comments. > > I think it was in David Crosby's autobiography that he said that there WAS no recording engineer. That he barely knew how to press Record and didn't even set a level. He said that is why the masters have lots of tape. He also said that he recorded some vocals with a mic INSIDE a piano because it might yield an interesting effect from the sympathetic ringing. > > > > We're lucky that they didn't have to start over. > > Anyway, I don't think the sound is bad at all. Not nearly as bad as "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs". > > I think the principals have exaggerated the problems! > > Jim ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2014 #538 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here:mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe