[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Not trying to be a smartarse here, but one of my gripes with BSN is that on
> that project, Joni doesn't do any of these things! To me she's not playing
> to any of her many strengths; as far as I'm concerned, her voice has lost a
> lot more than it has gained with the wear and tear of the years. I know
> there are plenty of repectable voices who totally disagree with me here, but
> I'm sticking to my guns, and I think it may be a touch of artistic hubris
> creeping in that persuaded her to undertake this project.
>
> Q magazine made a comment a few years ago, I think when Chalk Mark came out,
> that while she had plenty left to say, she had nothing left to prove. This
> strikes me now as very astute . . .
Maybe Joni does still have something left to prove. Interpretation is
as much a craft as playing the guitar or writing a song. And it seems
(I was to young and unaware when her records prior to Mingus were first
released to speak on it firsthand) that she has always been criticized
one way or another with respect to her voice. So maybe she has moved
into the interpretation phase to conquer the criticism and not out of
hubris but MAYBE to overcome some insecurity she may have with regard to
her voice. For some she did not succeed with BSN but in retrospect BSN
may look like a necessary stepping stone for what followed it.
I don't think an artist should have to play to their strengths to
satisfy us. They should seek whatever inspires them even if it means
ignoring what is considered to be the thing or things that they do
well. I wholeheartedly subscribe to the notion that a true artist
should seek first to satisfy themselves.
My hope is that there was some challenge that she found in all of this
and that it's still there for her. It can only mean that there will be
good (and better still, great) music to come as she strives to conquer
it.
Brenda
n.p. - Youssou N'Dour - No More
