In a message dated 2/8/2003 1:25:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Books about or by Joni - are any outstanding "Must Haves ??" Freddy, here's a re-posting from November 28th, 2002 *************************** Lama's annual overview ========================= This isn't exhaustive but someone may want to stick this up on the refrigerator or something......... ========================= Books ========================= "Shadows and Light: Joni Mitchell The Definitive Biography", available from http://www.amazon.co.uk "voices: The Work of Joni Mitchell", available from http://www.mendel.ca/shop/ They also have a really cool poster from the exhibit that they're practically giving away. "Joni Mitchell: The Complete Poems and Lyrics", doesn't have any poems in it but it DOES slavishly reproduced one typo after another from the album's printed lyrics. Sample lyric: "Buoy winds pushed them face down in the snow." If you still want it, it's available from http://www.amazon.com How come all of these books so far have subtitles? Hmmmm. Maybe you wondered what she meant in the liner notes of 'The Hissing Of Summer Lawns' when she wrote, "This record is a total work conceived graphically, musically, lyrically and accidentally- as a whole. <edited for simplicity> It's not my intention to unravel that mystery for anyone but rather to offer some additional clues." Here's another BIG HINT: "National Geographic Magazine", February 1975, beginning on page 270. "Architectural Digest", July/August 1976. Beginning on page 72, there are six pages of pictures and text from the Bel Air home of a pretty good singer-songwriter. Not bad. Especially for a girl. [I'm not serious] "downbeat magazine" August 9th, 1979 This is the issue (that I don't have yet!) in which Leonard Feather soundly praises "Mingus". Mister Feather figured that "Mingus" deserved 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars. [Class, don't be surprised if you see this material again very soon.] Will somebody PLEASE give Joni a copy of this the next time they see her dining alfresco? Let's review what Mister Feather said: *****. Five stars. 5. 1-2-3-4-5. Okay? How can I buy one of these back issues? ========================= Videos ========================= "Painting With Words and Music", available on VHS Hi-Fi and DVD from http://www.amazon.com "Shadows and Light", (1980) in its unedited edition (including the skating video) available on region-free DVD from a guy in Hong Kong who lists auctions on www.ebay.com "Come In From The Cold" video 45 minutes, 1991 "Refuge Of The Roads" about 55 minutes, 1980 ========================= Audio ========================= 8-Track: out of print but available on www.ebay.com Cassette: out of print but available on www.ebay.com CD: There are 22 now if you count 'hits' and 'misses' and don't count the singles or remixes. Every last one of them is currently available brand new in the USA. This is a pretty nice situation so the next time Joni feels under appreciated, remind her that her *ENTIRE* catalog has not been cut-out. Here are the official releases: Song To A Seagull Clouds Ladies of the Canyon Blue For The Roses Court and Spark Miles Of Aisles The Hissing Of Summer Lawns Hejira Don Juan's Reckless Daughter Mingus Shadows and Light Wild Things Run Fast Dog Eat Dog Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm Night Ride Home Turbulent Indigo hits misses Taming The Tiger Both Sides Now Travelogue http://jonimitchell.com/jonidiscography.html The covers and release dates are: http://www.jmdl.com/lyrics/ ========================= High Res Audio ========================= CDs in the HDCD editions: If I recall, everything through "hits" and "misses" has been re-issued using the HDCD compression scheme. I don't know anyone who can decode them correctly but at least they used great equipment when they mastered them. DVD-Audio: This format, which will probably die a grisly death like the Elcaset, now offers one Joni title: "Both Sides Now". No other titles are available as far as I know of. LPs: You need a level shelf, clean records, and hideously expensive equipment, but the white-label promo editions and Japanese pressings (with "Obi") of the piano-driven and unproduced records breathe more like a person on an acoustic instrument, in my admittedly pompous opinion. (Obligatory: "This vain man wishes to seem wise.") I have a MFSL 1/2 speed mastered version of "Court and Spark" but by then the layers of production hampered the clarity. I think there are some Quinex II pressings of "Wild Things Run Fast" but my regular copy is exceptional anyway. Two review questions: 1. Who loves you guys? 2. In his review for the Jazz world's "Downbeat Magazine", how many stars, out of 5 possible, did Leonard Feather give the "MINGUS" album? Class?
