FunkFreak75
After two previous straight jazz-rock fusion album releases (The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira) and a very hectic touring cycle (most recently with Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, DonAlias, Michael Brecker, and Jaco Pastorius--a lineup that would be captured on tape on the 1979 Mingus tour as the Shadows and Light 1980 album release), Joni's dissatisfaction with the rock-oriented studio musicians she'd been associating with left her seeking to strip things down into much more bare-bones jazz--a jazz form much less dependent on American studio musicians.
Lineup / Musicians: Joni Mitchell / vocals, guitar, piano (4) With: John Guerin / drums (1, 3, 4, 9) Wayne Shorter / saxophone (3, 4) Michael Gibbs / conductor (4, 9) Larry Carlton / electric guitar (5) Michael Colombier / piano (5) Jaco Pastorius / bass (1-4, 8, 9), bongos (6), cowbell (7) Don Alias / congas, clave (6), vocals (6), snare drum (7), sandpaper blocks (7), shaker (8) Alejandro Acuña / congas, cowbell (6), vocals (6), shakers (7), ankle bells (8) Manolo Badreno / congas (6), vocals (lead) (6) Airto Moreira / surdo (6), vocals (6) Chaka Khan / vocals (6, 7) El Bwyd / split tongued spirit (8) Glen Frey / background vocals (9) J.D. Souther / background vocals (9)
Disc One, Side One:
1. "Overture - Cotton Avenue" (6:35) multiple tracks with Joni's treated vocalise accompanied by an empty-concert-hall sound for her idiosyncratic acoustic guitar play opens this one before Jaco Pastorius' unique fretless joins in during the third minute. At 2:45 John Guerin's drums join in as Joni and Jaco settle into a structured song--"Cotton Avenue." Pop music taken to its jazziest extreme containing, of course, her inimitable delivery of her poetic lyrics. (10/10)
2. "Talk to Me" (3:40) a hard-drivin' acoustic guitar song supported by Jaco's distinctive fretless (on two channels). Incredible lyrics sung like a stream-of-consciousness harpy. (10/10)
3. "Jericho" (3:25) Joni, Jaco, and John are here joined by Weather Report saxophonist Wayne Report. He manages to squeeze a few notes and riffs behind Joni's non-stop singing, but, again, it's Joni's unusual melody-selection and the matching wildness of Jaco's bass note choices that rule the day. This was a song that was recorded earlier, live at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater in August of 1974. This version is so much better. Complete command, complete mastery, complete domination of the audience of one (me). (10/10)
Side Two: 4. "Paprika Plains" (16:19) a very long and protracted piano-and-voice piece that for some reason never bored or annoyed me, always sucked me in as I'd play the album through, over and over, back in 1977 and 1978. Michael Gibbs' orchestral contributions were equally mesmerizing, equally revered and enjoyed. The change in motif at 5:15 to what feels more like a piano sonata was always a bit disconcerting as, suddenly the feeling coming from the music was now more classical than jazz (though in reality, what is the difference), like something Debussy or Ravel--or even Fauré or Vaughn Williams--might have composed. (Perhaps this piece was the piece that got me started in my first exploration of Classical Music.) Joni and her piano bring us back to the opening motif around the 12-minute mark--and this time Jaco, John and Wayne join in--with a full-explosion of their vast sound beginning at 13:49. This is so good! Another song in which The Master of Words and Vocal Delivery mesmerizes and hypnotizes. She was so meant for jazz! Is there any lyricist better than her? (29/30)
Disc Two, Side One:
5. "Otis and Marlena" (4:05) what sounds more like a solo performance by Joni and her guitar, the sparse contributions of Larry Carlton, Michael Colombier, and John Guerin's snare are almost incidental. A lyrics-driven song that I've never really connected with. As such, it is my least favorite on the album. (8.66667/10)
6. "The Tenth World" (6:45) a percussion jam with five members of Weather Report, past and present. I have always loved this infectious jam of joyfulness. (14/15)
7. "Dreamland" (4:37) an extension or variation of the previous song with Joni in the lead vocalist and composer's driver seat despite the employ of the same cast as "Tenth World." Brilliant lyrics though the melody and hooks never quite did it for me. (8.875/10)
Side Two:
8. "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" (6:40) a song that has become legendary for the bloody hand Jaco Pastorius incurred from his insistence at performing his neck-length whole-hand bass guitar slides live, without a break, over the course of the entire six minutes of the song. (They could have looped it.) Even without Jaco's performance, this is another favorite of mine: electrified guitar with drums, percussion, and occasion, background vocals. (9.25/10)
9. "Off Night Backstreet" (3:22) back to the "big empty hall" sound for Joni's guitar (two channels?) but with John and Paco (in two channels), Michael Gibbs orchestra, and occasional background vocals. Some real high points in this (guitar and fretless bass), yet also some irksome moments (b vox). (9/10)
10. "The Silky Veils of Ardor" (4:02) solo Joni with a fast-pick and gentle strum approach to her guitar playing that harkens back to her more country-folk styles of years before. Nice song but kind of out-of-place on this amazing album--a downer of an ending for this otherwise superlative jazz record. (8.66667/10)
A/five stars; an absolute masterpiece of bare bones vocal jazz and my #6 Favorite Album of All-Time.