Mack, you bemoaned the lack of quality tunes for sale in Central Texas
(USA). Without getting into the fact that Texas has given much to the world
of music, I'll just point you to www.jmdl.com . Les has a link to purchase
Karen O'Brien's bio "Shadows And Light". Or scroll down, ("down, down the
dark black ladder") to a link to CDNOW. Purchasing online will ensure
satisfaction especially because a modest portion of the proceeds go to
supporting the bandwidth that Les has been providing to us since the Korean
Confict. Last time I checked all 21 of Joni's titles were in print on CD.
I think they have "Painting With Words and Music" on DVD and VHS Hi-Fi too.
A Hong Kong dealer sells a fully liscenced DVD issue of "Shadows and Light"
(with the scenes deleted from the VHS Hi-Fi release intact). My goodness,
this is worth the price just to see Joni, Michael Brecker, Don Alias, Lyle
Mays, Pat Metheny, and Jaco Pastorius play "The Dry Cleaner From Des
Moines". Not to mention, this concert, astoundingly, features the finest
guitar solo ever captured on magnetic tape. (Do I have to say the name? Do
I have to speak the title?)
Curse not, therefore, your local merchant. A cultured person, such as
yourself, often finds that frequenting a foreign emporium is part of the
allure, the cache of enjoying the finer things.
Or, if you thirst for something smuggled in, like JMDL powered titles, try
CD Baby for Kate Bennett's disc "Over The Moon" or Bryan Thomas'es "Radio
Plastic Jennifer". (In 2002, expect a new one, "Ones And Zeros". Go,
Bryan!)
A must for every lover of Joni's jazz are David Lahm's "Jazz Takes on Joni
Mitchell" series, in two volumes. Or write to Victor Johnson directly for
a copy of "Tangled". Also, I love Gregg Cagno's indie release "Present
Moment Days". No idea how to obtain it though. (Gregg, are you there? Do
you have other discs available?)
And so, yes, "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" is something special. It is
worth seeking out, as are "For The Roses" (right Michael?), "Court And
Spark", "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter", "Blue".... oh, hell, you get the
point. There's a lot to like. As Grace implored, oh so long ago:
Feed you head.
Lamadoo
np: JMDL'er Fred Simon's "Songs Of My Youth Volume 1".
ps- If it's out of print video you seek, send one blank VHS tape and return
postage each for "Refuge Of The Roads" or "Come In From The Cold" with
stereo tracks intact. This offer is open to EVERYONE unless and until these
videos are released again.
I assume you already have the JMDL video tree, on four (!) VHS tapes. If
not, contact me offlist for this too.
