Mark writes:
<< Joni has referred to her singing on some of the early records as her
'helium
voice' and I go back and forth on how I feel about it. Sometimes it is
beautiful and ethereal. Other times it just grates on me. >>
I agree, and I know that's it's that voice that has often turned off people I
when I have tried to get them to love Joni.
The Pazfest CD (such a great holidays gift -- and all for a good cause!) gave
me a whole new appreciation for Joni the songwriter. So from now on, whenever
I try to tell anyone how great Joni is, I think I'll let this nifty 2-CD set
of great performances do the work. It's all Joni songs without the early
voice that some people find grating or the later voice that some say is
cigarette-ravaged. Pazfest demonstrates that even if Joni had never sang or
played any musical instruments in public, her song writing alone would have
given her genius status.
--Bob
