For songwriting, I'd say Blue to Don Juan was her greatest period - and
anyone else's gretest for that matter, with Mingus still scoring pretty high.
Instrumentally, it's got to be Hejira, Don Juan and Mingus - she was in the
company of such extraordinary musicians that I believe she really pushed
herself. Her rhythm guitar playing on Hejira is stunning; and I LOVE what
she does with The Wolf That Lives In Lindsay.
I'd have to side with Azeem on these two. I'd been struggling to figure out what I regard to be her highs and lows, and I realised then that the stuff going on around her voice influences me so much as to my opinion of her voice itself.
I really think you're right, Azeem, about Joni having pushed herself as a result of those around her in the creative process. I really think that some of her later collaborations led to her being pushed in directions that she wasn't so naturally good at in fact. I won't name names - it'll just lead to unpleasantness, then Les'll get involved, then we'll all go navel gazing for a time. (Kidding, OK?)
When did she look the "fittest"? Inner sleeve of Hissing... Sorry, did I say that out loud?
Azeem, you old fox you. Do you have the sheet music book too? I recently clapped eyes on a mint condition Hissing book (see next para), and the photos are, well, right up your street I guess!
Aside: The power of Ebay recently worked for me rather nicely. Steve T astutely spotted the sheet music books for both Hissing and Hejira on Ebay, with very reasonable "Buy it now" prices. He acted quickly, and a week later the goods arrived. Given as his fave album is Hissing, and mine is Hejira, it all worked out rather well. Can you believe I'd never really thought about checking out Ebay for this sort of stuff? Even after drooling (from a safe distance) over other listers' copies of these things. I mean, like d'uh.
I am *such* a happy bunny to finally have the Hejira music book. The artwork** is sublime but the funny stuff with lines and dots is almost incidental. I'm almost afraid to look at the thing too much for fear of damaging it or getting sticky fingerprints all over it. I think I need to find a really tatty old one to actually look at, so I can put the good one somewhere safe :)
Steve: well done - an excellent find.
As even more of an aside, does anyone already have high-res scans of the Hejira artwork from this book? If not, I'll try and (very gently!) scan the artwork. When it's cold outside, I feel the need for Hejira-style computer backdrops.
Cheers,
--Chris Marshall
**With the pictures this big, it's really immediately obvious that it's not a p*n*s on that front cover picture, OK? (Sorry, couldn't resist dredging that one up from the past...)
chrisAThatstand.org (AIM: Chr15Marshall)
"If you're ever lost, I'll beat the world to finding you"
Stryngs, "Bobblehats and Beer"
Band website, with downloads, at http://www.stryngs.com/
