Joni Vivre

Let it be known that Joni Mitchell is one of the musical loves of my life. Though her early career, marked by exquisite folk albums like Ladies of the Canyon, Blue, Court and Spark, is impressive enough, she experienced continued artistic success with mid-career albums like Hejira and For the Roses, and continued to record even through an artistically rocky patch during the 1980s and 90s, when she experimented heavily with synthesizers (blech).

Though Joni certainly has her musical faults now and then, it would be hard for any level-headed individual to ever call her boring. She doesn't box herself into any genre, experimenting with folk, jazz, rock, and whatever suits her fancy. After "retiring" with 2002's Travelogue, an orchestral reworking of various songs from throughout her career, it was announced this week that she's signed a 2-record deal with Hear Music, the Starbucks music label. Her new album, Shine, will be released September 25!

Lately I've been swooning over the samples for Travelogue, and I finally broke down and forced myself to pay the $19.99 to download the extensive double album on iTunes. Many of the songs are extended reworkings of older songs she feels haven't received the attention they deserve or she believes could be enhanced with more extensive orchestrations. And, while overall I prefer her youthful voice better, with its vibrancy and more extensive range, there's something special about hearing her sing some of her older songs with her raspier, smokier older voice (much like the experience of hearing Elton John sing his greatest hits now that he's older - also thrilling oftentimes).

The point of this post is - if you don't know Joni Mitchell, buy some of her albums. Start out with Blue or Court and Spark, and then work your way through her canon.

The painting above is a self portrait Joni did for the cover of Travelogue.