If I could've seen Joni live at anytime it would definitely have been 1974. She hadn't yet got too deep into jazz, and she'd finally found a band to back her up. This represents her peak to me.

1971-1977.

The Hissing...-Hejira-Don Juan's...

I don't know her catalog well enough
to say if this is her best or not
but it's most definitely my FAV period

You'll have a hard time finding a "bad" period in her career. Her 80s stuff is weaker compared to the 70s but even then you'll find some great songs. Let's keep this in perspective!

carlcranshaw said:

You're missing out if you haven't gone past Court And Spark!

I like 1974 too. Miles Of Aisles is a great album (and I don't like live albums!)

Cinnie said:

Exactly.

Cinnie said:

And her folk/pop fans probably shouldn't.

But if someone ever wants to take an immensely rewarding trip, I think things get even more exceptional when shes starts to fuse more into her music, starting partially with "Court and Spark".

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[Edited 9/19/08 18:59pm]

Cinnie said:

That is true. The stuff with Jaco is great but there's something great about that Blue - Court and Spark period.

Did anyone watch the clip? It don't get no better than that, peeps.

The band is tight there, but they're doing a Court & Spark song. I found most of the concert boring.

midnightmover said:

this is nice

Flowers2 said:

I would KILL to get footage of that whole concert. Fortunately, there's a live album from that tour, Miles of Aisles, which is brilliant, but we need a DVD.

midnightmover said:

you know.. a fan had a myspace page up about Joni, was taken down, but.. there was a song (I don't remember the name) and was so georgous, full of orchestrative sounds, piano, guitar, everything going on in the song.. and as I'm listening.. I became slightly disappointed because it was like I was listening to Prince's Parade like I was listening to Alexa de Paris ...and I'm like 'dayyem Prince' .. I love Prince, but he really has incorporated so much of other artist's style into his own..

What no love for "For The Roses"? It's a very colorful album.Like Prince in his classic period, Joni musically challenged her audience. Each record was a journey and reaching for something new and not repeating a formula. So with that, I love something from everyone one of Joni Mitchell's periods.

Flowers2 said:

A friend of mine had the same reaction when she heard Curtis Mayfield's "So In Love". To her it sounded just like the kind of soul ballads Prince did later on.

sunlite said:

it's a very good album, but sandwiched in between what are may be her best, most popular albums.

But since that's my favorite time of hers, it's like Around the World or something. Not quite as good as Purple Rain or Parade or Sign, but from a very creative time.

midnightmover said:

Totally. I want that.

Cinnie said:

And there's so much stuff that was left off Miles of Aisles, like "Down To You", "Raised on Robbery", "Help Me", etc. A full length DVD would give me orgasms for years.