> << I think we can, as Bob said, analyze and examine but in the end I
just
> can't bring myself to say 'Joni should have done this differently'
or 'Joni
> should have cut that song from this or that album'. >>
>
> My take on this is: why not? After all, we're just a bunch of fans
chewing
> the fat about our favourite (give or take) singer and songwriter.
None of us
> has the power to influence her artistic decisions, but we're
perfectly
> entitled to volunteer our opinions on what she produces. After all,
most of
> the comment on this list is much more considered and erudite than a
lot of
> the press flak Joni has fielded over the years.
I was only speaking for myself, Azeem, and certainly not intending to
censor anybody or dictate what people should post. I agree that most
of what is written to the list is very well thought out & well
written. Personally, I just don't feel qualified or inclined to say
how Joni should do this that or the other thing as far as her music
(or her artwork for that matter) is concerned. Now I'm sure at some
point someone will probably call me on the carpet for this when
somewhere down the line I make some remark about one of Joni's songs
or albums that I am less fond of. When that happens I say go for it.
I'm as human as anybody else and sometimes I'm completely full of you
know what.
>
> 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 was referring more to the discussions of DJRD and what people think
should have been cut from it. To me each side of the original 2 disc
vinyl was kind of a mini song cycle, each one complete thematically &
musically in & of itself. I can't see removing any of it & still
preserving the integrity of the whole.
BSN is kind of a different animal in that most of it is non-Joni
material and she did not do the arrangements. It does sound like she
had absolute confidence in Vince Mendoza, however, and if you had been
lucky enough to see one of the live shows you would have seen that she
was totally & joyously involved with the creation of this music.
However, if you don't particularly care for the type of music she was
performing, you won't like BSN. If you do like music that predates
rock & roll but you think it needs to be sung by someone with a pretty
voice with a wide range, you won't like BSN. If you think these songs
should be performed in a more intimate, small jazz ensemble setting,
you won't like BSN.
However, if you are fan of singers like Billie Holiday who maybe don't
have amazing vocal instruments but are skilled masters of their craft
and have an ability to connect with the songs & communicate with an
audience on a deep & profound emotional level, you might like BSN.
I'm not saying Joni is anywhere near the level of Billie in this
regard but I do think she manages to connect with these songs and put
them across. I listened to BSN last night. I don't play it very
often but each time I do I like it a little more. When I heard Joni's
contributions to the Herbie Hancock 'Gershwin's World' I was impressed
and so proud of her for interpreting those songs so beautifully. Now
somebody can lambast me for this if they want, but I too would have
loved it if Joni had chosen to record some standards with a small jazz
ensemble. However, that's not what she wanted to do. Billie also
wanted to record with strings and she made 'Lady in Satin' with Ray
Ellis in 1958. I don't think Joni could have sung the songs on BSN
half as well 20 years ago. I think the quality of her voice is much
more suited to it now. Her maturity and life experience also add more
depth to them than she would have been able to give them when she was
younger.
however, I'm with those few Jonifans who don't
> think she's made a GREAT record for quite some time.
And here I have to disagree. I think her last three albums of
original music have all been great records and stand up along side any
of her albums from the 70s. But that's just my opinion.
. Joni's purple patch, for me, was from
> Blue to Don Juan. To have made just one of those records would have
granted
> immortality on anyone.
I certainly won't argue with that last statement. I also agree with
what you wrote about Laura Nyro.
>
> That's my two penn'orth on this vexed question.
Thanks for the contribution. I enjoyed reading what you had to say.
Mark in Seattle
