Joni versus KB, SV (also in net.music)

[hound!hejira]

> From: nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan)
> Newsgroups: net.music
> Subject: Re: Suzanne Vega

> Why is it that when any female does a ballad or two, they are the next
> Joni Mitchell?  They said this about Kate Bush too.  Foo!  Not very
> similar at all.  And both Suzanne Vega and Kate Bush are much better
> than Joni Mitchell!  (Sorry, Joni...)

Doug, I think you're a little off-base here.  You admitted to having only
limited exposure to Joni the other day:

> From: Doug Alan <ihnp4!allegra!mit-eddie!nessus>
> [Love-Hounds Digest:]

> Actually, I shouldn't comment on "Hejira", cuz I haven't heard it.  But
> "Wild Things Run Fast" and "Court And Spark" didn't do much for me,
> though they are certainly good.

First, let me assure you that you've only heard Joni's most popular style --
what I call her jazzy rock phase (1974-75 and once again in 1982).  It doesn't
do much for me either, though I do think it's excellent stuff.  The fact is
that Joni has established herself as a master folk-singer and as an excellent
jazz singer as well as a rock musician.  Just pick up some of her early 
material -- I recommend her first album (untitled, circa 1968) and the 
incredible "Blue" album for a sample of her folk material.  For her jazzy 
stuff, you might try "Hejira".  

You're insulting the artist who, through her work, propelled Judy Collins and 
Crosby Stills Nash & Young to fame in the '60s and who was recognized by jazz
great Charles Mingus -- who spent the last year of his life (1979) working
with Joni on her "Mingus" album.  The artist who was voted (along with 
Arethra Franklin) best modern female vocalist by ASCAP in 1975.  Shall I 
go on?

As for KB and Joni, I don't see a whole lot of similarity in their styles.
Some comparisons can be made though.  They're both women (profound!).  They 
both made it big in Europe.  Neither is a US citizen.  Seriously, there is 
one similarity that comes to mind.  Both artists have a tendency to ignore
what is "popular" and have taken  big chances by exploring new
styles that are quite different -- just at the times they are doing well 
in the charts!  Joni did this right after "Court and Spark" (her best-selling
album) with the "Hissing of Summer Lawns" and Kate did this with the shift
from TKI and Lionheart to NFE and TD (by far her best album).  Still, I 
would not have chosen to make the comparison in the first place.

To sum up, any artist who is compared to Joni should take it as a huge 
compliment.  The fact is that they are being compared with a master.
Enough said.

	Rob Preston	<ihnp4!hound!hejira   -- AT&T Bell Labs>