Hancock Joni tribute

Amy Winehouse was the big winner in this year’s Grammy Awards. Her debut album Back to Black won in nearly all of the major categories. Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop Female Vocal Performance, Pop Album, plus others. But while it was certainly a big night for her, it was also the time she missed out on what was really the plum prize of all.

The phenomenal Back to Black was also up for Album of the Year alongside such biggies as Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace by the Foo Fighters; These Days by Vince Gill;  Graduation by Kanye West; and the then unheard of River: The Joni Letters by Herbie Hancock. This is the one that Winehouse did not win. Neither did Kanye or the Foos or country music star Vince Gill. In an unexpected turn, the prize went to Hancock.

But then you cannot really call that result unexpected. How could anybody at the Grammys not vote for Hancock’s River? That would be like telling the world that you do not know or have no regard for the famous names in the CD. Salaam, bow, kneel, or do anything similar would probably what the members of the Academy did upon sight of River: The Joni Letters because although it is not visible, the word Legend is stamped on it in big bold letters.

River: The Joni Letters is Hancock’s interpretation of the words and melodies of the acknowledged Queen of Folk Rock, Joni Mitchell. With Hancock on the piano, it has Wayne Shorter on the soprano and tenor saxophones; Dave Holland on bass; Vinnie Cotaluta on drums and Lionel Loueke on guitar. It includes Court and Spark featuring Norah Jones; Edith and the Kingpin featuring Tina Turner; Both Sides Now; River feat. Corinne Bailey Rae; Sweet Bird; Tea Leaf Prophecy feat. Joni herself; Amelia feat. Luciana Souza; and The Jungle Line read by songwriter Leonard Cohen.

Hancock is often described as legendary. He started out with another legend, Miles Davis. Then later struck out on his own mixing his classical piano training with electronic keyboards to create his own style. He made hits like Watermelon Man, Rockit, I Thought It was You and Chameleon. Unlike most jazz artists of the ‘60s and ‘70s, his music was considered accessible and he developed quite a following among the hip, young buyers. Kids today may not know this but there was a time in out here when jazz, the fusion kind, was outselling pop and Hancock was one of the leading stars.

Mitchell is another legend. She is the lovely muse who had men like Robert Plant, Jimmy Paige, Bob Dylan and others all in love with her. That is not why she is a legend though. Joni is one because she wrote the most personal of lyrics, set them against the simplest of melodies but still managed to touch the whole world. She is now considered one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time and these titles are proof. Both Sides Now, Big Yellow Taxi, Come in from the Cold, Moon at the Window, Little Green, Chinese Café, The Circle Game, Chelsea Morning, You Turn Me On I’m a Radio and Tin Angel are some of them.

Hancock conceived River as a tribute album, but not in the usual sense of the word. The production is not about Hancock playing jazzed up versions of Mitchell’s song. This is more a case of Hancock studying, performing and most of all putting his own take on what he perceives as Joni’s sensibility and the atmosphere that her music creates. I guess this explains the inclusion of non-Mitchell compositions like Duke Ellington’s Solitude or of sax wiz Shorter’s Nefertiti. These works blend seamlessly with the other tracks to make an interesting whole.

Some might feel shortchanged about the results. This is not Hancock at his best or most innovative. You should check out his Possibilities CD where he has Christina Aguilera singing A Song for You and Sting a new rendition of Sister Moon. Neither is it his most accessible. There is no Big Yellow Taxi and I am still searching for the melody in his Both Sides Now. All will surely agree though that this is an important well-thought out work by an artist at the peak of his powers. Like a scholar, he explores the depth of and the possibilities contained in Mitchell’s music. We may not always like what he finds in there but it will never be unimaginative.