Capannelle, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Multi-talented artist, restless explorer, guitar innovator, world-class songwriter . . . Joni Mitchell overcame childhood polio, identity crises, relationship complications and many a battle with the music industry to create timeless music in multiple genres.
I wish I had explored more of her work, but that wish does not include two of her most popular albums: Ladies of the Canyon and Blue. I avoid Ladies because it feels like an attempt to transform herself into a generational spokesperson, which seriously dates the music. Blue is far too confessional for my tastes, and most of those confessions involve backstory hanky-panky with other famous musicians, tilting the album in the direction of a gossip column. To her credit, she did learn from the unexpected success of Blue and resolved to keep her private life private.
Conformation of her status as a true musical artist came from a surprising source—the prickly and demanding Charles Mingus, who asked Joni to write lyrics for what would be his final composition. The fact that “The Angry Man of Jazz” sought her out speaks volumes of her growth as a musician and her credibility as a true artist.
