Joni's body of work stands out among all contemporary artists, both in its lyrical scope and musical adventurism. Sure, the popularity of her earlier work is the product of her easy melodies and memorable lyrics. She proved repeatedly that she could catch her audience's ears and hearts.
But her work following Blue became more challenging.…
Joni's body of work stands out among all contemporary artists, both in its lyrical scope and musical adventurism. Sure, the popularity of her earlier work is the product of her easy melodies and memorable lyrics. She proved repeatedly that she could catch her audience's ears and hearts.
But her work following Blue became more challenging. You had to listen deeply - it wasn't background music to play at a dinner party or while sipping coffee and chatting. But if you dig into it, it's rewarding for the stories she tells and the harmonies she coaxes out of her instruments. And she has been a restless enough artist to never settle for less than her best effort - nothing she has released could be considered a throwaway.
The fact that some of the most accomplished jazz musicians of our time shared the stage with her, where she held her own with her playing and singing, and expressive way of moving as she performed, is unmatched. I can't think of another artist with her breadth of talent.
I'm so glad that she's enjoying a renaissance today, and has returned to the pubic stage to get some love from the public. I don't think she really got her due before this, and although I enjoyed "Reckless Daughter" by David Yaffe, which tells us much about her life and times, I look forward to someone with a deep understanding of harmony/lyrics/rhythm taking on the work of helping us to understand all she has achieved.
Joni's body of work stands out among all contemporary artists, both in its lyrical scope and musical adventurism. Sure, the popularity of her earlier work is the product of her easy melodies and memorable lyrics. She proved repeatedly that she could catch her audience's ears and hearts.
But her work following Blue became more challenging. You had to listen deeply - it wasn't background music to play at a dinner party or while sipping coffee and chatting. But if you dig into it, it's rewarding for the stories she tells and the harmonies she coaxes out of her instruments. And she has been a restless enough artist to never settle for less than her best effort - nothing she has released could be considered a throwaway.
The fact that some of the most accomplished jazz musicians of our time shared the stage with her, where she held her own with her playing and singing, and expressive way of moving as she performed, is unmatched. I can't think of another artist with her breadth of talent.
I'm so glad that she's enjoying a renaissance today, and has returned to the pubic stage to get some love from the public. I don't think she really got her due before this, and although I enjoyed "Reckless Daughter" by David Yaffe, which tells us much about her life and times, I look forward to someone with a deep understanding of harmony/lyrics/rhythm taking on the work of helping us to understand all she has achieved.
Ted?
I'd love that too. I also enjoyed "Reckless Daughter."