G'day folks! As a newcomer here, and an Australian currently savouring every word of the Karen O'Brien biography Shadows & Light, I thought I'd say hello (hello!) and dive right in with my fourpence on the reading and writing thread. As a long, long time contributor to the Mike Oldfield list ( http://www.amarok.f9.co.uk ) - I thought you might be interested to know that Mikey scribbles ideas that he gets in restaurants and coffee shops on Rizla cigarette papers! These are done in his own notational style, sprung from necessity in remembering the ideas and motifs required in composing twenty minute instrumentals. It is easy to understand Joni's resistance, though, especially in the face of all those specialised tunings - surely the attempt to notate these would defeat the purpose, rendering all things standard? I'm also guessing that the liberation the dear woman felt in relating to Pastorius and Tom Scott was aural and instinctive rather than written. I honestly can't imagine these people saying, "oh Joni, can you just write that down so that we can play it?" Whether it would have had an impact on her style (to read and write traditionally) will never be known - but my punt is, since that piano teacher wrapped her knuckles with the ruler for straying from traditional paths, she has always struck out in search of new forms. Notational facility may have trapped her in the standard modes she has always rebelled against.
~wolf
