Joni Mitchell, Canadian-American icon of folk music and champion of the singer-songwriter genre, released “Joni’s Jazz,” a four-part collection of new and old music, on Friday, Sept. 5.
The 81-year-old singer curated 61 of her most jazz-influenced songs on the collection, which runs for just under five hours from start to end.
“Joni’s Jazz” is five hours of peace and beautiful thought. Though it may be slightly boring or repetitive to the unacclimatized listener, the collection is a treat to fans.
Traditional jazz might not be what first comes to mind when the name “Joni Mitchell” is muttered, though the influence is present throughout her career with her use of the piano and brass instruments, like the saxophone.
The collection is officially dedicated to Wayne Shorter, Mitchell’s former saxophonist and composer to others, who passed away in 2023. Wayne was a Grammy Award-winning musician himself and a large influence on Mitchell’s work.
The four parts of the collection are separated by discs and can be played on four separate physical CDs.
The collection features some of Mitchell’s most famous songs (either remastered or left as is), as well as live and alternate versions of songs and previously unreleased demos.
Many of the live versions of songs are from more recent years, such as a cover of the famous song, “Summertime,” which she sang at her return to the Newport Folk Festival after a 53-year absence from the event.
Previously unreleased demos include earlier versions of songs “Moon at the Window,” “Be Cool” and “Two Grey Rooms.”
The best part of the collection is not the new material, but rather the grouping of old material. Disc one sticks out to me in particular and is the highlight of the collection. It opens with my personal favorite Mitchell song, “Blue.” The song was remastered for her collection, as it was originally recorded in 1971 as the title track of her third studio album. The song perfectly encapsulates the somber but romantic music that Mitchell is famous for producing. “Blue” relies heavily on piano, unlike most of Mitchell’s early acoustic music, showing signs of jazz influence even in her earliest songs.
Immediately after, we are hit with “Trouble Man,” a more recent song, recorded in 1998 as a collaboration between Mitchell and Kyle Eastwood, popular bassist and another staple musician of jazz.
“Trouble Man” is much more of a typically jazz song with percussion and brass, setting us up for the bulk of the collection which follows similar instrumental themes.
Mitchell, as an ode to the creators of jazz, also includes multiple songs touching on political and racial injustice. In the past, Mitchell controversially took on the persona of a black male to deliver some crucial messages in her songs. Despite this strange and offensive choice, Mitchell has spoken out about injustice throughout her career.
Other standout songs in the collection are “Cherokee Louise” and “Sex Kills” which also have political messages critiquing the current culture and state of the world.
I can best see this collection being played fully on a long road trip or in the evening as dinner music. It is beautiful and rewarding, but very lengthy. However, it is hard for Mitchell’s music — new or old — to ever be a miss.
Rating: 4/5
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