I am putting together a sampling of all my Joni CDs for a friend who is not familiar with her music (ha! when she hears so many familiar songs, she'll say "Oh yeah! I didn't know Joni did that song!"). What a trip it has been, and how I imagine my friend running to the music store to purchase her first Joni CDs after realizing what she's been missing all these years.
First, I limited myself to only three songs off each CD. That was damn near impossible, because I love more than three songs on each, that's for sure. But over the course of a day or two of listening to the CDs in their original order of release, it's been such a reminder of how much Joni's voice and style have changed since her early days. And those early days -- wow, that voice! It makes my spine tingle sometimes, it is SO high and clear and bell-like and yet full and rich. Her voice is breathtakingly beautiful. Anyway, thought I'd weigh in with my opinion that the version of Woodstock on the Shadows and Light CD is the best one. Not that I really believe that there is anyone on this list who doesn't own Turbulent Indigo or hasn't seen the photo of Joni holding her Van Gogh self-portrait, but just in case ... I am posting it later today at http://xoetc.antville.org. Kate du Nord
