J.David Sapp wrote:
<< I think joni takes a huge risk with T'log - evidence all the debate. I
also don't compare with the earlier versions - T'log stands as its own
work with a great song cycle.
As to Shorter I think the problem is that he is mixed at the same volume
as joni, this was a creative choice i don't understand but i think joni
may have been trying to move the music away from strictly "classical".
Meanwhile i love Blade's work - really fine. He and the other
percussionist hit a home run on Hejira. >>
Me 3!!!
Listening to T'log tonight as background music with friends (the
way most people seem to listen to music) I contemplated the huge risk
Joni (& Nonesuch) took on making such a low key high production!
2/3rds of the way through, played softly with the 3 of us
yapping, Betty commented: "It's so nice to be able to hear ever word she
sings." My 70's rock-n-roll snob friend Bill agreed, simply calling T'log
"beautiful."
I was stunned, assuming that they weren't listening. Betty & Bill
gave it 2 thumbs up, having only heard a few of Joni's songs before.
Shorter & Blade certainly SHINE (esp on the Hejira stuff)!!!
& I think Mendosa did a FANTASTIC job on all of the songs (esp
Slouching ~ turn it up real loud at "raging & raging" to relish the
Joniesque subtlety).
Most people have had major problems grasping Joni's
*differentness* ever since her first album & particularly after Hejira.
Even big fans have expected her to release another Court & Spark for
almost 30 years now. It's like asking Van Gogh to paint another Starry
Night.....
Am I the only Joni fan who thinks she has gotten progressively
better on every album that she has released???
I'm not kidding or just saying this out of kindness.
I can confidently say that Travelogue is my favorite Joni album
yet, being a huge fan since 1973.
I think T'log is a combination of several things ~ 9-11, Joni's
resistance to a final tribute album, a box set & a strong desire to
catalogue her strange tunings with one of the greatest orchestras in
history.
ET
