Joni Mitchell

**jbrownsjr** · #1 09-09-2007, 05:29 AM

Anyone else really excited for the new Joni album "Shine" Sept 25th? I heard a few clips and think she's sounds wonderful... kind of like hearing Christine's voice again... Although Joni is an alto now... I found her melodies are still haunting and the harmonies I heard were of her own uniqueness.... Of course Wayne Shorter is backing her on Soprano Sax which is another voice very consistant with her sound. I can't wait... I heard some evidence of Court and Spark and was wondering if Herbie Hancock might be on this one as well.... I'll find out soon enough...

markolas · #2 09-09-2007, 10:31 AM

You can never have too many Joni Mitchell threads.

Yes, I'm excited about it and her voice sounds stronger than her last album, based on these clips. I actually prefer her more recent, lower singing voice; her first three albums are especially unlistenable to me because she's singing so high. Her phrasing has also greatly improved over the years.

Unless I'm mistaken, Herbie Hancock did not play on Court and Spark, but I believe he does play on this one; incidentally, he is releasing a new album the same day that "Shine" comes out, entitled "River: The Joni Letters." It's mostly instrumental versions of Joni's songs, but there are a few guest vocalists - including Tina Turner on "Edith and the Kingpin," which I found a bit odd but I did hear a clip and it sounds damn good.

**jbrownsjr** · #3 09-09-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markolas

You can never have too many Joni Mitchell threads.

Yes, I'm excited about it and her voice sounds stronger than her last album, based on these clips. I actually prefer her more recent, lower singing voice; her first three albums are especially unlistenable to me because she's singing so high. Her phrasing has also greatly improved over the years.

Unless I'm mistaken, Herbie Hancock did not play on Court and Spark, but I believe he does play on this one; incidentally, he is releasing a new album the same day that "Shine" comes out, entitled "River: The Joni Letters." It's mostly instrumental versions of Joni's songs, but there are a few guest vocalists - including Tina Turner on "Edith and the Kingpin," which I found a bit odd but I did hear a clip and it sounds damn good.

Herbie and Wayne didn't start appearing until Mingus, so they would not have been on Court and Spark.. As for her early albums... I completely agree, I can't listen to her until the "Blue" album.

oh... and sorry if i'm repeating another joni thread....

rbs3676 · #4 09-09-2007, 01:34 PM

The 25th will be a very big day in my home. Joni is next to God in my book.
Can't wait for SHINE.

rbs

**jbrownsjr** · #5 09-09-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbs3676

The 25th will be a very big day in my home. Joni is next to God in my book.
Can't wait for SHINE.

rbs

Same here.... I need rehab for listening to the clips over and over again...

HejiraNYC · #6 09-19-2007, 10:08 PM

Herbie Hancock's River - The Joni Letters is streaming in high quality at:

http://www.livedaily.com/herbiehancock

From what I've heard so far... WOW! I especially lurv Tina Turner singing "Edith and the Kingpin." I'm generally not a jazz fan, but this is just... delicious! Perfect autumn album.

Also, Joni's art exhibit is only happening for one week- September 25 - October 1 at the Violet Ray Art Gallery (201 Mulberry St.) in NYC. Can't wait!

chiliD · #7 09-20-2007, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markolas

Unless I'm mistaken, Herbie Hancock did not play on Court and Spark....

No, that was Tom Scott & The LA Express (Robben Ford, Max Bennett, Larry Nash & John Guerin) who backed Joni on Court & Spark

**jbrownsjr** · #8 09-20-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

No, that was Tom Scott & The LA Express (Robben Ford, Max Bennett, Larry Nash & John Guerin) who backed Joni on Court & Spark

Joe Sample is also on here as a guest...

I actually met John Guerin what a great guy.... I miss him...

markolas · #9 09-27-2007, 10:07 PM

Y'all know I went and bought this (and Herbie Hancock's album) the day it came out. I listened to it a couple of times and put it away for a bit. I wasn't prepared for how it affected me, and I have a lot of thoughts on it.

First, after listening to the whole thing, I didn't notice a big change from the way her voice sounded on Travelogue. If you listen to this expecting to hear the woman who sang Blue or Court & Spark, or even Turbulent Indigo, you're going to be pissed off - she's not here. On the other hand, if you can appreciate Lady in Satin era Billie Holiday, then you'll "get" her singing on this album.

The music is gorgeous, some of the best she's written, and it's probably the most piano-dominant album she's ever done.

Lyrically, this is probably the most difficult of all her albums. Thematically, you could point to similarities between this and Dog Eat Dog, but where on that album she was spewing outrage every which way, on Shine, the outrage has largely turned to resignation. There are places where she tries to muster some hope, but it seems to me that there isn't much of that in her. She's crying over the looming extinction of our species, and it's not an easy thing to listen to.

I bought River - The Joni Letters also, and Herbie truly does wonderful things with Joni's music. "Court & Spark" is perfect for Norah Jones and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around Tina Turner singing "Edith & the Kingpin" - something about it does not compute, although it sounds great. "Both Sides Now" (instrumental) and "Tea Leaf Prophecy" (with Joni herself on vocals) are my other favorites off of that one. I've actually been listening to this more than Shine - I'm sure I'll go back to it, but it just hit me too hard. I'd be interested to hear what others here thought about it; I'm sure some will hate it.

David · #10 09-28-2007, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Anyone else really excited for the new Joni album "Shine" Sept 25th? I heard a few clips and think she's sounds wonderful... kind of like hearing Christine's voice again... Although Joni is an alto now... I found her melodies are still haunting and the harmonies I heard were of her own uniqueness.... Of course Wayne Shorter is backing her on Soprano Sax which is another voice very consistant with her sound. I can't wait... I heard some evidence of Court and Spark and was wondering if Herbie Hancock might be on this one as well.... I'll find out soon enough...

Wayne Shorter is one of the gods of the modal/post-bop era. He has long been one of my favorites, particularly his sessions with Art Blakey. He recorded with the Jazz Messengers perhaps my favorite hard bop album ever: A Night in Tunisia. (The Jazz Messengers recorded two albums with that title & I love them both. Shorter appears on the 1960 album.) I had no idea that Shorter had worked so frequently with Joni Mitchell. I think that's great & awesome.

This is the 1960 release of Tunisia that Shorter plays on.

This is the slightly less famous but still awesome earlier album. Check out the cover art! It's extraordinary. I'd love it in poster form to hang in my music room.

God bless Joni Mitchell & congratulations.

LiamMcConville · #11 10-01-2007, 02:48 PM

I'm listening to Shine as we speak, and I don't hate it, I don't love it. Maybe its because this is the first Joni album I've listened to all the way through. But, I absolutely HATE the keyboard-generated-horns that are littered throughout each track. VERY annoying.

markolas · #12 10-01-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiamMcConville

I'm listening to Shine as we speak, and I don't hate it, I don't love it. Maybe its because this is the first Joni album I've listened to all the way through. But, I absolutely HATE the keyboard-generated-horns that are littered throughout each track. VERY annoying.

Oh, bless your heart! I don't think I'd recommend this as a first Joni album for anybody. You definitely need to hear Court & Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns.

I like the sound of the horns, but then again, I liked the VG8 on Taming the Tiger. It's just personal preference.

markolas · #13 10-05-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Wayne Shorter is one of the gods of the modal/post-bop era. He has long been one of my favorites, particularly his sessions with Art Blakey. He recorded with the Jazz Messengers perhaps my favorite hard bop album ever: A Night in Tunisia. (The Jazz Messengers recorded two albums with that title & I love them both. Shorter appears on the 1960 album.) I had no idea that Shorter had worked so frequently with Joni Mitchell. I think that's great & awesome.

Shorter has been playing on Joni's albums since 1977. However, it doesn't appear as though he's on Shine. Looking at the CD notes, soprano and alto sax are played by Bob Sheppard. Weird. Anyway, I love Shorter - though I know him mostly just from his work w/ Joni, the 'Speak No Evil' album, and his tenure in Weather Report.

Oh, and I about had a stroke when I saw this. 'Shine' debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard album charts. It's her highest charting album since 'Hejira' in 1976.

rbs3676 · #14 10-07-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markolas

Oh, and I about had a stroke when I saw this. 'Shine' debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard album charts. It's her highest charting album since 'Hejira' in 1976.

I went to my corner Starbucks and got the CD the day it came out.
Congrats to Joni that some of us still care...

rbs