Ron wrote to Will:
<<I think there is a lot of truth when you speak of JM's maturity as a
singer and the growing character of her voice. I like Joni's jazz
interpretations
and voice now far greater than in the past. It would be wonderful to
hear her redo Mingus.
And JM's maturing jazz sensibilities as an explanation for allowing
others the freedom to explore and create (and even fail, at times) is
very insightful. The act of doing is its own reward, regardless of how
it is received.>>
I couldn't agree more Ron!
After all, Travelogue IS showcasing Joni's VOICE, tributing 22 of
her fave songs.
As I've gushed ever since I first joined this list in 1997, I
think her voice & phrasing have improved with each successive album.
T'log far surpasses my wildest expectation & I still think it's
quite possibly her best yet!
For three weeks now I've listened to the whole thing every day.
It's flawless folks. Never have I enjoyed an album more,
seriously.
The way I see it, Joni Mitchell has finally become a GREAT
singer, sort of like the female Frank Sinatra of our time.
I also see T'log as a major challenge to the
disco/grunge/pop/puke dominating the airwaves for decades!!!
Pre-WTRF fans have been complaining about Joni's post-C&S voice.
Wasn't Mingus the third nail in Joni's coffin after her initially
panned Hejira & DJRD? It wasn't until the late 80s & 90s that these
seminal works began to become universally recognized.
To me if a listener always skips over Paprika Plains when they
play DJRD, they are not truly a Joniphile!
T'log reminds me a lot of Paprika Plains.....
I'm glad that T'log won't be eligible for a grammy until 2004
because it might take at least till then for people to begin to grasp the
awesome beauty of it.
Unapologetically,
ET
NP: Hejira (T'log) my fave version yet, along with most of the
other 22 songs.
PS. Does this make me a Joni Fundamentalist???
