Joni Mitchell - Mingus (8 tracks) +Album Reviews

So good its criminal

Damien Bjorn Ruud | Boulder, CO United States | 07/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Female artists (Laura Nyro, Joni, Rickie Lee) are always getting the short end of the stick. When this album was released it was generally deemed a failure and it got no airplay and fell off the charts. Listening to it 22 years later I can't believe how underrated it has become. If you thought Joni was just a flower-powered folk singer then you were wrong. This is some of the most spacey, haunting, and eccentric music out there. Oh, the instruments may seem familiar but the way they are used is just plain out there. Jaco Pastorius can make his bass sound like a trumpet, sax, piano, Fender Rhodes, synth and more. Joni's guitar playing had never been or never was again this powerful or primal. Highlights: everything. God Must Be a Boogie Man a duet between Joni's guitar and Jaco's bass combines her haunting vocals backed by a chorus of what sounds like escapees from a mental institution. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey: with Joni's near perfect phrasing and a devil-may-care guitar strum. The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines: an uptempo jazz-tune which, in a just world, would have been a great single. Oh and one more thing, Joni's voice would never again be this perfect. She had trained her voice and it has never sounded better. It didn't have that high screechy, nails-on-the-chalkboard sound of her early days, nor the Tom Waits-gravel quality it has today. This is an essential part of Joni's oeuvre. Get it now."

My favorite Joni album....exquisite

Paul J. Escamilla | NYC | 07/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I haven't had my morning cup of coffee yet...so I 'll keep it short. This is my favorite Joni album, and it's probably because she was channelling the genius and magic of Charles Mingus when she made it. She surrounded herself with brilliant musicians (especially the phenomenal Jaco Pastorius) and let the spirit of Mingus flow through the sessions.

Sublime."

Earned my musical stripes with Mingus

Paul J. Escamilla | 11/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album, along with Joni's masterpieces The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira, taught me to LISTEN to music, to appreciate the subtleties and complexities. Joni has said that this album cost her everything, meaning that it soured pop radio programmers on her work. Well, that's the down-side. The up-side is, well, take a listen: Dry Cleaner from Des Moines cooks! The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey is a haunting synthesis of under-your-skin vocals, powerful acoustic guitar and -- wolves! Sweet Sucker Dance is charming, and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat couldn't be more memorable and does justice to the classic jazz composition. This album taught me to love jazz and introduced me to contemporary and old-time jazz legends. I'm glad I have more sense than radio programmers."

Adventurous and different. Joni can play jazz, no doubt.

Paul J. Escamilla | 08/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An excellent album, each track is thoughtful and evocative. I was immediately impressed by the qulaity of musicianship on this album, the funny thing is, Joni Mitchell always had excellent musicians on all of her albums.I am big jazz fan, so names like Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius get my attention. The song writing is different, Joni was very daring to write lyrics to Mingus music, a music never ordinary or simplistic! Jaco's contributions are hard to ignore, his bass should actually be counted as a second lead vocal! His playing is spectacular, as always, and his horn part on "The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines" is fantastic. He really brings a groove to the recordings, I actually enjoy listening to him more as a sideman than I do as a soloist. He maintains a discipline when he records with Joni Mitchell which makes his playing more outstanding. His extra voice can not be ignored on this record, it is clear that his presence was insightful.I must echo other reviewers by saying, don't give up on the first listening. This is complicated and serious music but it is worth a good listen. Joni is exploring a new territory, so her style is different and barely echoes her "Court and Spark" days. I do think that if you want to lead into Mingus the best way to do so would be through Court and Spark and then The Hissing of Summer Lawns. Both albums illustrate a transition from the folky and introspective Mitchell to the hard playing artist interested in experimentation rather relating to the listener.I definetly recommend this album and I think that if you go in with an open and adventurous mind, you will not be disappointed."

A satisfying musical journey

Huge Joni Fan | Seattle | 01/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Over the years I've gotten weary of people ragging on Mingus because it doesn't meet their expectations - it doesn't sound like Joni Mitchell should, it doesn't sound like Mingus would have wanted it to, it doesn't sound like jazz should, etc., etc. Listeners should get over all that and appreciate it for what it is - a challening, beautiful, eclectic, and even mystical musical journey. It's holding up beautifully all these years later."

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