As a well-publicised feature of this yearÔÇÖs Llais festival, an evening ÔÇ£celebrating Joni MitchellÔÇØ was in high attendance at Wales Millennium Centre. The evening boasted the first complete performance of 2001 album Both Sides Now in this country. It was undertaken by the talents of The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, plus singers Charlotte Church, Laura Mvula, ESKA, Georgia Ruth and Olivia Chaney.
With new arrangements by American composer Vince Mendoza, Joni classics sat side by side with classical standards. What followed was some exciting selections from follow-up album Travelogue, before the star singers of the evening had the stage and a small band to themselves to round off proceedings with other Joni favourites.
The audience were given a quick, insightful introduction to the evening, which explained how Mitchell had originally envisaged a song-cycle which documented a relationship, from itÔÇÖs initial flirtations to consummation. Mvula particularly impressed during this section of the evening ÔÇô ÔÇ£At LastÔÇØ gave the well-known Etta James version a run for its money whilst being firmly in the Joni-style pocket, with plenty of smoky low notes and shimmering sensuality. This story grew all the more gripping and heart-rending when this relationship falls apart into hopeless disillusionment, and eventual acceptance ÔÇô most evident within in the title track. ESKA hit all the right notes to ensure not a dry eye in the house for Both Sides Now, a track over fifty years old yet still singularly aching in melancholy; try to spot the CD in a well-known scene from Love Actually as the seasonal period rolls closer.
Joni fans likely found the second act of the evening the best. Travelogue was a further orchestral double album of Mitchell songs following the success of Both Sides Now, reworking key personal pieces thorough her career. Interestingly, the deeper cuts proved the more intriguing ÔÇô mid-90s tune Sex Kills was a dramatic, pin-sharp indictment of an increasingly-violent world sung by Mvula with convincing determination, accompanied by sizzling violins. Hejira from the album of the same name was particularly impressive; Jaco PastoriousÔÇÖ fretless bass was fantastically recreated, like surround-sound. I also particularly enjoyed RuthÔÇÖs heart-swelling version of Chinese Caf├®/Unchained Melody; as she gazed plaintively over the audience, itÔÇÖs nostalgic mood was immediately intimate.
During the final part of the evening, itÔÇÖs safe to say Chaney stole the show with a passionate piano-led journey through the album Blue. Her version of the title track spoke of a song close to her heart, and Carey too set a heartfelt scene. ThatÔÇÖs not to dismiss ChurchÔÇÖs joyous welly, however, on a rousing Big Yellow Taxi. The Welsh national treasure has made a big name for herself through her vocal dexterity and the evening was a testament to her excellent voice control and power; particularly evident in a very pretty version of YouÔÇÖre My Thrill. For me, her best moment of the evening was a deeply atmospheric Woodstock, surely one of the most challenging Mitchell songs to perform. Treated to an impressive mix of voices and styles, the evening was well spent, and soon sent me running back to enjoy all my Joni records again, with a fresh outlook on them. It was a beautifully fitting tribute to one of the leading lights of songwriting, still twinkling today.
Words by Billy Edwards
