> I was referring more to the discussions of DJRD and what people think
> should have been cut from it.
I can see where you are coming from and agree with. I wouldn't dream of
saying DJRD SHOULD be cut or that Joni SHOULD not have done this or that.
However, given the choice and I have been as I have the cd, I only listen
to TTM and TTW and Dreamland. If I could have a further choice I's make
TTW nad Dreamland much longer than they are.
But you are right, it would be the height of arrogance to suggest joni
should have done anything different. We either like what she has done or
not. We cannot possibly please everyone all the time and I am sure Joni
knows this. Hence i am pretty sure she does what pleases her. if she is
mature enough she will also be aware that (some)people will not like her
work and not get upset about 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
--
bw
colin
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