Joni; jaco & Pat. Doesn’t get much better

[triplebass]

On 25/03/2021 at 11:41, Grahambythesea said:

Recently found this amazing performance on YouTube. Joni Mitchell, who’s guitar work is pretty good, with Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius and Michael Brecker on sax thrown in for good measure.  Jaco has a solo spot at around 24, but it’s his accompanying playing that I think is so good. He seems to be using a fretted jazz on track 1 before switching to the more familiar fretless. Enjoy.

Not a fan or a scholar, but IMHO this is pure beauty, mesmerizing IMHO, thankful that it happened and that we can still enjoy it, wouldn't dare throwing even the smallest of stones. Obviously not everybody's cup of tea, thankfully there's all sorts of beverages out there for all of us to enjoy.

[Bilbo]

Taken int total, there is no way you can accuse anyone of over playing on this album. Jaco's lines are no busier that James Jamerson's on 90% of the Motown stuff. His melodic inter-playing is exquisite. Even 'Dry Cleaner' is just a slightly funked up 12 bar really. I get that some don't like it but 'overplaying'? Not to my ears. I have been listening to the S&L lp for four decades and it remains my favourite album of all time. I like a lot of Joni but I LOVE the Shadows and Light album because of the band who are, to my ears, one of the most musical enembles ever to have graced a stage. Greater than the sum of it's considerable parts.

[Stingray5]

23 minutes ago, Bilbo said:

Taken int total, there is no way you can accuse anyone of over playing on this album. Jaco's lines are no busier that James Jamerson's on 90% of the Motown stuff. His melodic inter-playing is exquisite. Even 'Dry Cleaner' is just a slightly funked up 12 bar really. I get that some don't like it but 'overplaying'? Not to my ears. I have been listening to the S&L lp for four decades and it remains my favourite album of all time. I like a lot of Joni but I LOVE the Shadows and Light album because of the band who are, to my ears, one of the most musical enembles ever to have graced a stage. Greater than the sum of it's considerable parts.

+1 (x10)  

[dmccombe7]

I'm finding i prefer her 80's work. Bought Wild Things Run Fast and listening to earlier albums i find them a little too laid back or maybe its a more jazz influenced feel to them or folk sounding on the really early albums.

I'm looking at Dog Eat Dog album next. It has a similar feel to Wild Things.

Some of the other 80's albums i'm liking too. I'm listening to Night Ride Home at moment on youtube to get a feel for it before i'll buy but it sounds good too.

Maybe its the production that's changed from 80's but def a different feel on the albums.

Its on-going but i'm slowly getting more and more into her music.

Dave

 

[Stingray5]

16 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

I'm finding i prefer her 80's work. Bought Wild Things Run Fast and listening to earlier albums i find them a little too laid back or maybe its a more jazz influenced feel to them or folk sounding on the really early albums.

I'm looking at Dog Eat Dog album next. It has a similar feel to Wild Things.

Some of the other 80's albums i'm liking too. I'm listening to Night Ride Home at moment on youtube to get a feel for it before i'll buy but it sounds good too.

Maybe its the production that's changed from 80's but def a different feel on the albums.

Its on-going but i'm slowly getting more and more into her music.

Dave

 

You may want to add the Grammy award-winning "Turbulent Indigo" to that list. And mustn't forget "Chalkmark In A Rainstorm". Both superb albums (imho).  

[stewblack]

I love passionate discussion of music. I haven't even listened to any of it and with only one exception everyone here has really put their case well. 

Off to have a listen to see who is right and who is wrong! 

[chris_b]

10 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Off to have a listen to see who is right and who is wrong! 

Start at the beginning, with Max Bennett and Wilton Felder on basses.

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, stewblack said:

I love passionate discussion of music. I haven't even listened to any of it and with only one exception everyone here has really put their case well. 

Off to have a listen to see who is right and who is wrong! 

To be honest i had always passed her by because most of the songs i heard were a bit too folk or jazz sounding. Altho Big Yellow Taxi was a song i've liked since first hearing it so many years ago but had it in my mind it was a one off success. How could i be so wrong. She has a very varied style over the years but her  voice has remained the outstanding feature in almost every song.

I just prefer the 80's albums as they were a little bit more "modern" or "upbeat". The albums late 90's onwatds i need to have a listen too but from what i have heard she seemed to go a little bit more laid back in her songs but still good. Just not what i'd buy. 

I think i have the choice of around 4-5 albums within the era i like most.

Dave

Edited April 13, 2021 by dmccombe7

[Passinwind]

I managed to catch a date on the Shadows And Light tour, a week or two before the video was shot IIRC. The perspective is likely to be a bit different here, but from my viewpoint Pat Metheny had just been voted Guitarist of the Year in numerous US publications including Guitar Player, and I found his playing to be a bit overly restrained if anything. I admired that a lot at the time though and I still think it's pretty cool. For a concert in a big old hockey barn it was about as good as it gets in any case.

[Bilbo]

This went up on my transcription website yesterday. If you read through this, you will see Jaco's genius and why he was the perfect foil for Ms. Mitchell. The bass part to Refuge If The Road from Hejira. 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/refuge-of-the-road-joni-mitchell/

Edited April 13, 2021 by Bilbo

[EMG456]

23 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

To be honest i had always passed her by because most of the songs i heard were a bit too folk or jazz sounding. Altho Big Yellow Taxi was a song i've liked since first hearing it so many years ago but had it in my mind it was a one off success. How could i be so wrong. She has a very varied style over the years but her  voice has remained the outstanding feature in almost every song.

I just prefer the 80's albums as they were a little bit more "modern" or "upbeat". The albums late 90's onwatds i need to have a listen too but from what i have heard she seemed to go a little bit more laid back in her songs but still good. Just not what i'd buy. 

I think i have the choice of around 4-5 albums within the era i like most.

Dave

I'm always late to these things... have loved Joni's music for decades now.

From what you say, Wild Things, Dog Eat Dog, Chalk Mark (my own favourite probably), Night ride and Turbulent Indigo are probably where you want to go at first. Joni has always worked with great bassists though so there's a lot to like on Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira even if Jaco's not your poison. I can find songs I love on almost any Joni album right back to Song to a Seagull and Clouds but they do tend to be more folksy/ singer/songwritery.

And once you've absorbed all that, the truly beautiful reinterpretations on the Larry Klein produced Travelogue will be waiting to grab you all over again.