Here’s an artist who needs no introduction. Joni Mitchell learned to play music partly on her own and went to Toronto to try her luck. She married folk singer Chuck Mitchell, whose surname she kept. Her first album came out in 1968 and was produced by David Crosby, who had spotted her singing in a club. She quickly became an icon of folk and counterculture in the 70s. However, she remained permeable to other styles and her music sometimes became adventurous, to the extent that some of her albums confused her fans and had very mixed success at the time of their release.
This boxed set focuses on his most jazz-influenced albums. Considered by many to be a masterpiece far beyond the Canadian’s discography, Hejira strikes a perfect balance between pop, folk and jazz. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter delves a little deeper into avant garde territory, particularly on the fourth track, which is over a quarter of an hour long and features rhythms derived from traditional music. Mingus is somewhere between a collaboration and a tribute to the legendary bassist who died before the album was released. The live Shadows And Light is a graceful interlude in which the musicians’ inspiration is hard to match.
Although different in style, these albums share the same approach, letting the musicians and instruments express themselves. Given the talent on display, it would have been criminal not to do so. Of course, there’s Joni Mitchell’s guitar and voice, but what about Jaco Pastorius’s bass, Larry Carlton’s guitar or Pat Metheny’s, or Herbie Hancock or Wayne Shorter, to name but a few? Behind the voice, each sound source stands out precisely, the strings vibrate and the percussion asserts itself without anything spilling over. So don’t deny yourself this pleasure, whether you’re alone or with friends and family, turn it up.
