Joni Mitchell 'Shine'
A consummate artist, Joni Mitchell is an accomplished musician, songwriter, poet and painter. Born Roberta Joan Anderson in the remote northwest Canada, she first found her niche on the Southern California scene of the late 60s and early 70s. A blunt critic of the music industry, Mitchell had stopped recording over the last several years, focusing mainly on her visual art until a burst of creative energy inspired her to begin anew.
Described by Mitchell as "as serious a work as I've ever done," Shine presents beautiful melodies, dark lyrics and a sparseness that recalls some of her seminal recordings. Much of the lyrical content reflects Mitchell's social and theological consciousness and her longtime plea for the health of the planet. Shine is one of three new artistic endeavors launched by Mitchell this year. The first, The Fiddle and the Drum, a ballet choreographed to Mitchell's music, debuted with the Alberta Ballet in Calgary with Mitchell serving as co-creator and artistic director. The second is a politically charged visual art exhibit that opened in New York this fall. For Shine, she composed "If" (based on Mitchell's favorite poem by Rudyard Kipling) and "If I Had a Heart," which the New York Times described as "one of the most haunting melodies she has ever written." The album also contains a joyous reinterpretation of her classic "Big Yellow Taxi." from 1970's 'Ladies of the Canyon'.
