Something in common
You might not expect to find that Joni Mitchell, George Michael and June Tabor would have something in common, but they do. On Both Sides Now ( Reprise ) , Songs From The Last Century ( Virgin ) , and A Quiet Eye ( Green Linnet ) , Mitchell, Michael and Tabor, respectively, have recorded CDs on which their interpretations of standards intersect and diverge, creating beautiful and timeless collections that pay tribute to times gone by.
In the early 1980s, performers such as Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt explored that realm, and now Mitchell, Michael and Tabor, join them in their pursuit of musical history.
A criteria I have often used when considering the work of an artist, particularly a singer/songwriter, is whether or not they cover other people's material. Perhaps the greatest singer/songwriter of the 20th century, Joni Mitchell's songs have been covered countless times by a variety of performers, including Tori Amos and Betty Buckley. As a nod of respect to other songwriters, Ms. Mitchell often included at least one cover tune on most of the CDs she released during the 1980s and 1990s. On Both Sides Now she takes the nod a step farther by doing lushly orchestrated covers of ten standards, including "At Last," "Don't Go To Strangers," "You've Changed," and "I Wish I Were In Love Again," to name a few. The 12-track disc, co-produced by Mitchell and Larry Klein, also features "Comes Love" ( originally made famous by Billie Holiday ) , and the exquisite "Answer Me," which is the album's standout centerpiece.
It is perhaps the two newly realized versions of the Joni Mitchell classics "A Case Of You" and "Both Sides Now," that may create the biggest stir. Ms. Mitchell is well-known for reinventing her own songs. Anyone who has ever been to a Joni Mitchell concert knows that the live versions that she does of her own songs are often very different from what appeared on her albums. Even if you've never seen her live, all you have to do is listen to the three different versions of her song "Woodstock." The studio version from Ladies Of The Canyon, and the live versions from Miles Of Aisles and Shadows And Light are vastly different interpretations of the same song. The combination of the orchestral arrangements and, of course, the depth and maturity in her vocals in the years since she recorded the original versions of "A Case Of You" and "Both Sides Now," give these songs a new way to be approached and renew their classic status. Both sides now, indeed. A limited edition version of the album will be available in February, with the regular album set for release in March.
Speaking of reinvention, George Michael's latest Madonna-esque maneuver finds him releasing a CD of standards, old and new, Songs From The Last Century, co-produced my Phil Ramone and Michael. Listening to Michael's loving renditions of classic songs such as "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime," "I Remember You," "Secret Love," and "Where Or When," make you realize how perfectly suited his voice is to the material. Even newer songs, such as The Police's "Roxanne" and U2's "Miss Sarajevo," sound great in these orchestral arrangements. Kudos to Michael for not changing the gender on the song "My Baby Just Cares For Me" ( sample lyric: "Liz Taylor is not his style/And even Lana Turner's smile/Is something he can't see" ) in his upbeat, swinging version. Please note the irony that, like Joni Mitchell, George Michael recorded the song "You've Changed" for his album of standards, as well.
Well-known in the world of English folk singers, June Tabor joins Joni Mitchell and George Michael in celebrating the music of the twentieth century with A Quiet Eye. Collaborating with the Creative Jazz Orchestra, Tabor infuses traditional songs ( "The Water Is Wide" ) , standards ( "I'll Be Seeing You" ) and contemporary folk songs ( Richard Thompson's "Pharoah" and "Waltzing's For Dreamers" ) with an eternal quality. Call it a coincidence, but the stunning "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," appears on both Michael's Songs From The Last Century and Tabor's A Quiet Eye.
Transcendant
During February, the month of love ( Valentine's Day, and all that ) , take some time out to meditate on the music that you consider to be romantic. A Gift Of Love ( Rasa ) , for example, which can best be described as Deepak Chopra and "friends present music inspired by the love poems of Rumi," is certain to inspire romantic feelings in some. Among Chopra's friends ( on this CD, at least ) , you will find Madonna, Demi Moore, Martin Sheen, Blythe Danner, Jared Harris, Goldie Hawn, and Debra Winger.
A Gift Of Love is not the first CD to feature the work of Rumi, in an attempt to present him to an American audience. Angel Records released a CD called Vision II a few years ago. As part of their Ravi Shankar Collection, Angel records has also recently reissued West Meets East: The Historic Shankar/Menuhin Sessions ( Angel ) . Originally released as a three album series, the West Meets East CD came out one at a time in 1967, 1968 and 1976, and paired the world famous sitar player Shankar with the world famous violin player Yehudi Menuhin. A historical collaboration such as this one is just now finding its way to compact disc and is an enjoyable and celebratory musical experience.
Some of the raga music that you can hear on the West Meets East can also be heard on Global fusion ( Erato ) by L. Subramaniam. Ironically, Dr. Subramaniam dedicates his album to his "dear friend Yehudi Menuhin." Subramaniam truly does achieve the "global fusion" mentioned in the CD's title by incorporating a variety of musical instruments ( and musicians ) from the world music scene. This wonderful CD is an exotic listening and learning experience that should appeal to all listener's with a taste for the unique.
The Ravi Shankar/Yehudi Menuhin reissue is not the only reissue of importance in the eastern music world. Sheila Chandra's Quiet ( Indipop/Narada World ) is the first of five albums by Chandra now being reissued on compact disc. Hypnotic, soothing, and a little bit erotic, the ten-part Quiet would be appropriate listening for a romantic candlelight dinner, a romantic candle-lit soak in the bathtub for two, or for setting the romantic mood just before slipping under the covers.
For your post-lovemaking listening pleasure, you might want consider Dream ( Pacific Moon ) by Naoyuki Onda and East Wind ( Pacific Moon ) by Uttara-Kuru. We used to call instrumentals such as these two CDs "new age." Dream is composed of both synthetic and real instrumentation, while East Wind sounds a bit more traditional. As a bonus, both discs come with four sticks of incense inside the CD case.
A lullaby, such as "Komori Uta," can be found on the beautiful and tranquil CD The Gate by Joji Hirota ( Real World ) . Other transcendant tracks include "Lullaby From Takeda," "Reminscences II," "Esashi Oiwake," and "Profoundly."
Where it's @
compiled by Gregg Shapiro
@ Allstate Arena - 312/559— 1212 ( TM ) : Cher and Lou Bega 2.11 / Judds 3.10 / Korn 3.16 / Britney Spears 3.22 & 23 / Tina Turner 3.25
@ Aragon Ballroom - 773/561— 9500: Luscious Jackson and Smash Mouth 2.20
@ Beverly Arts Center Theater - 312/344.6245: Chicago Jazz Ensemble 3.5
@ Big Horse - Gertrude 2.11
@ Center For Performing Arts-Governors State University - 708/487— 7774: Salsa Concerto 3.18
@ Centre East - 847/673-6300: Michael Feinstein 2.19 / Ladysmith Black Mambazo 2.26 / Chicago Jazz Ensemble 3.4 / The Babes ( Sally Fingerett, Megon McDonough, Debi Smith, Camille West ) 3.25 / Coasters, Drifters and Marvelettes 4.15 / Andrea Marcovicci 5.6 / Legends Of The Catskills ( Marty Allen, Jack Carter, Frank Gorshin ) 5.10 - 14
@ Chicago Cultural Center - 312/346— 3278: Tom Waits tribute ( w/Dag Juhlin, The Blacks, Liam Davis, Nora O'Connor, Catherine Smitko, Justin Roberts, The Plunging Necklines and The Blue Meanies ) 3.2
@ Chicago Theater - 312/443— 1130: Morrissey 2.10
@ Cubby Bear North - 847/541— 4700: Bumpus 2.12
@ Cubby Bear Wrigleyville - 773/327— 1662: The Bad Example 3.4 / Bumpus 3.25
@ Double Door - 773/489— 3160: The Girls 2.9 / House Of Large Sizes and Big Hello 2.10 / Tonic 2.19 / Motorhome and Ruth Buzzy 2.24 / Waco Brothers and Devil In A Woodpile 2.25 / Tommy Keene 2.29 / Kelly Hogan and The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel, Cowlily 3.11 / Neko Case & Her Boyfriends and Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire 3.25
@ Fitzgerald's - 708/788— 2118: Lunasa 2.16 / Anders Osborne 2.19
@ Gentry of Chicago - 312/836— 0933: Open Mic with Beckie Menzie ( every Sunday )
@ Heartland - 773/465— 8005: Jolie Christine Rickman 2.18
@ Hideout - 773/227— 4433: Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys 2.19
@ Hot House - 312/362— 9707: 8 Bold Souls 2.18
@ House Of Blues - 312/923— 2000: Macy Gray 2.9 / Bela Flack & The Flecktones 2.19 / X 2.23 / Vertical Horizon 2.29 / The Fabulous Bacon Brothers 3.3 / Willy Porter 4.7 / King Sunny Ade 4.20 / Ray Charles 6.16
@ Jazz Showcase - 312/670— 2473: The Chicago Jazz Ensemble 2.15 & 16
@ Joe's - 312/337— 3486: Gertrude 2.9 & 25 / Biz Markie 2.20
@ Karma - 312/321— 1331: "The Art of Noize" w/ Sandy Rivera ( NYC ) and DJ Lego ( CHGO ) 2.10 / "The RED Party" w/ Misstress Barbara ( Montreal ) and Dave Clarke ( London ) 2.12
@ The Legacy Theater - 708/293— 0927: "We're Dreaming of You Selena" concert ( reservations suggested ) 2.13
@ Martyr's - 773/404— 9494: Fox Trot Zulu 2.10 / James McMurtry 2.11 / Lowen & Navarro 2.14 / Torben Floor 2.24 / Moxy Fruvous 2.25 & 26
@ McAninch Arts Center - 630/942— 4000: Michael Feinstein 2.20 / Ellis Marsalis and Bobby Hutcherson 2.27 / Irish Rovers 3.3 / Mavis Staples 3.18 / "Weird Al" Yankovic 4.30 / Tom Paxton 5.13
@ Metro - 773/549— 0203: Prescriptions 2.15 / Apollo Four Forty 2.29 / Yo La Tengo 3.4 / Grooverider 3.17
@ Music Center Concert Hall - 312/344-6245: Chicago Jazz Ensemble 3.2
@ Old Town School of Folk Music - 773/728-6000: Leo Kottke 2.18 / Eliades Ochoa 2.19 / Maura O'Connell and Sons Of The Never Wrong 2.25 / The Flatlanders: Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock 3.4 / Psychograss 3.10 / Word Jazz ( Ken Nordine ) 3.11 / Cheryl Wheeler and Ralph Covert / Guy Clark and Jesse Winchester 4.22 / Richard Shindell 5.19
@ Park West - 773/929— 5959: Ladysmith Black Mambazo 2.24 / Gas Giants 2.25 / Warren Zevon 3.4 / Shannon Curfman 3.11
@ Rialton Square Theater - 815/726— 7171: Davey Jones 3.25 / Neil Sedaka 5.19
@ Riviera Theater - 773/275— 6800: Pretenders and Gay Dad 2.25 & 26 / Static X and Dope 3.1 / Fiona Apple 3.11 / Peter Murphy 3.14
@ Rosemont Theater - The Kids In The Hall 2.26
@ Schuba's - 773/525— 2508: Verbow 2.9 / Jupiter Coyote 2.10 / The Handsome Family and Nora O'Connor 2.11 / Rose Polenzani 2.27
@ Temptations - 847/455— 0888: The Cathy Richardson Band 2.12
@ Uncommon Ground - 773/929— 3680: Sheila Nichols 2.18
@ Vic Theater - 773/472— 0449: Bruce Cockburn 3.3 / Luka Bloom 3.18 / Mary Black 3.19 / Pat Metheny 3.24
