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Jan. 11th, 2007 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnny9fingersI was practising and took a break and switched the telly on. BBC Four. Joni Mitchell in concert, filmed just before 'Blue' was recorded because 'My Old Man' had only half the verse and other bits missing. Probably filmed at the BBC centre. The track listing was fantastic, but as the performances had me in tears I can't quite remember it in full. Am still awestruck. 'California' was an unbelievable rendition of a brilliant track.
I used to err on the loud'n trashy side of Rock 'n' Roll (Stones, Faces, Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Ziggy period Bowie, etc) - because I thought that's what Rock 'n' Roll should be about. And such still has a certain allure, even when filtered through the listening practices of one who these days is more accustomed to Debussy. But Joni, as a solo songwriter and performer, is without equal. Even His Imperial Dylaness, or Rasta Bob, or the solo Lennon, or for that matter anyone you can name. And those named are, by all other artistic standards, gods.
Somehow or other, practice seems to have acquired a futile edge. Will instead attempt to finish 'The Great Unknown James Bond Theme Song', which has occupied me for a short while. (A project half-finished for some three years - you know how it is.) If the top line ends up written for a soprano, I won't be too surprised.
I used to err on the loud'n trashy side of Rock 'n' Roll (Stones, Faces, Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Ziggy period Bowie, etc) - because I thought that's what Rock 'n' Roll should be about. And such still has a certain allure, even when filtered through the listening practices of one who these days is more accustomed to Debussy. But Joni, as a solo songwriter and performer, is without equal. Even His Imperial Dylaness, or Rasta Bob, or the solo Lennon, or for that matter anyone you can name. And those named are, by all other artistic standards, gods.
Somehow or other, practice seems to have acquired a futile edge. Will instead attempt to finish 'The Great Unknown James Bond Theme Song', which has occupied me for a short while. (A project half-finished for some three years - you know how it is.) If the top line ends up written for a soprano, I won't be too surprised.
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Oh, Joni.
Date: 2007-01-11 10:44 pm (UTC)One of my favourite artists - of all time. I put her up there with Miles & Duke. Apparently, it was meeting her that inspired 'Little Wing'. I'm not surprised.
Re: Oh, Joni.
Date: 2007-01-12 03:06 pm (UTC)I didn't know the Hendrix connection.
Thank you for that, it makes so much sense. (And that would have been a sonwriting partnership of interest.) Excepting possibly 'Angel', LW is his most astonishingly poigniant musical work: it floats like a butterfly and seems to have no direction but...step back and listen, and structure and form float into place - real castles in the air.
I hate Clapton's take on it for that very reason - it is leaden, lumpen; floats not, and is no butterfly, but a squat toad-like performance on top of chords that need more than just playing. An impassioned vocal can't make up for messing with a thing of rare beauty.
Miles yes, Duke yes, but the Strayhorn years, for me, are the best. Don't forget Parker, and 'Trane too.
I'm big on French composers at pres.
Debussy, Faure, Saint Saens, and Berlioz being current faves.
Glorious minor 9ths etc litter Debussy.
Also Sibelius is becoming a constant, as Bach and Beethoven have proven to be over the years.
BBC Radio 3 is the best music station in the world, and it has no commercials, so I listen to it, which is why I only hear other music(s) in other people's company.