Music : River: The Joni Letters (with Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com Exclusive
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In association with Amazon.com
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by: Herbie Hancock
List Price: $18.98Amazon.com's Price: $12.99 You Save: $5.99 (32%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0602517477544
Format: Special Edition
Label: Verve
Manufacturer: Verve
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Verve
Release Date: September 25, 2007
Sales Rank: 357
Studio: Verve
Disc 1:- Court and Spark featuring Norah Jones
- Edith and the Kingpin featuring Tina Turner
- Both Sides Now
- River featuring Corinne Bailey Rae
- Sweet Bird
- Tea Leaf Prophecy featuring Joni Mitchell
- Solitude
- Amelia featuring Luciana Souza
- Nefertiti
- The Jungle Line featuring Leonard Cohen
- All I Want featuring Sonya Kitchell (Exclusive Bonus Track)
- A Case of You (Exclusive Bonus Track)
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Editorial Review:
Album Description:
This Amazon.com exclusive version of River: The Joni Letters includes two bonus tracks, 'All I Want' featuring Sonya Kitchell and 'A Case of You.'
The legendary pianist and innovator Herbie Hancock explores the words and music of another musical pioneer, Joni Mitchell, on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® award-winning Gershwin's World.
Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies, Hancock and saxophone giant Wayne Shorter play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of the finest Adult Pop music.
Hancock builds upon his (and Shorter's) previous collaborations with Ms. Mitchell to create a sound that will appeal not only to fans of both artists, but to the listener familiar with the work of Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and the other brilliant guest vocalists featured on this session. River: The Joni Letters is the perfect CD for the music fan looking for something new that's based in the familiar.
Amazon.com:
On paper, River sounds like a match made in several versions of heaven. Legendary pianist Herbie Hancock re-imagines Joni Mitchell with his hand-picked, star-studded band--including saxophonist Wayne Shorter--in tow. Luminary guests lend vocals to a song apiece: Norah Jones ('Court and Spark'), Tina Turner ('Edith and the Kingpin'), Corinne Bailey Rae ('River'), Luciana Souza ('Amelia'), Leonard Cohen (with an unsettlingly sanguine version of 'The Jungle Line'), even Mitchell herself ('Tea Leaf Prophecy'). In the event, though, a few fundamental elements go awry. Hancock plays with almost saccharine understatement throughout, and even Shorter's seminal 'Nefertiti' and Duke Ellington's 'Solitude' fall into the album's presiding, somnolent surface, though to a lesser degree does the instrumental version of Mitchell's 'Sweet Bird.' But girding, and in some measure, saving, the proceedings, the lyrics here testify to a subtler wisdom guiding Hancock's set list. The mix includes a continuum from intrepid classics to dusty, fans-only fare, but a distinct reverence for Joni Mitchell the Poet threads them together, and, in the end, this album works best as a sleepy window into one fan's giddy and particular love affair with his source material. Fans of Hancock win out. --Jason Kirk
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - What a dull set
I bought this on the strength of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter being great favourites of mine for over 30 years, and I really like Joni Mitchell's "Hissing of Summer Lawns", from which this set takes it's best track (Edith and the Kingpin). Tina Turner is in superb form.
It is a very disappointing set. It's well played, but never sparks.
I cannot see how it deserves a 'Grammy' award.
I don't get the point of the Leonard Cohen monologue at all.
Get the ... Read More
Rating: - A classy tribute to a great American Songwriter
To tell the truth ,I wasn't expecting that much from this album. To me, Joni Mitchell's songs in the original form are hard to top. I haven't even been very impressed with her own recent covers of her classic work. So I put off getting this until recently. I am happy to report that for the most part this CD exceeded my expectations. First of all, I love the downtime mood of the proceedings. Herbie was creating an album, not just a collection of tunes. The pacing and order was well thought out, as was ... Read More
Rating:  - Herbie and Joni - Inspired
River: The Joni Letters is a surprising album for me. As more of a fan of Herbie's older works, I am very happy to hear some of the musical directions that were chosen here. In some regards, this is both a return to Herbie's core strengths as well as an exploration of something new. When it comes to Mr. Hancock, why should any of us be surprised by that.
There are some Joni Mitchel purists who may not appreciate or enjoy all of the choices made by Herbie. For my part, I am willing to ... Read More
Rating:  - Too much Hollywood Hip Eco-Cool
Grew up impressed with Herbie Hancock. Grew up loving Joni Mitchell. Was fascinated by the concept of this but sadly disappointed with the result. Too much dominance of LA music studio in the sound track; too much self-absorbed ennui in the vocals. Maybe I've just gotten old, or the '60's have finally caught up with me (in a good way), but this CD just schmoozes too much of what I have to coin, Hollywood Hip Eco-Cool.
Rating: - words from Me
Super CD I will be using it in my Arts and Humanities class this fall.
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