River: The Joni Letters (with Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com Exclusive
by: Herbie Hancock
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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
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.
Album Description:
The legendary pianist and innovator explores the words and music of another musical pioneer Joni Mitchell on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® Award winner Gershwin's World.Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies/harmonies, the musicians play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of one of the finest singer/songwriters of the last five decades.On the album: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Lionel Loueke, Dave Holland & Vinnie Colaiuta with special guests Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, Leonard Cohen & Joni Mitchell
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
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.
Album Description:
The legendary pianist and innovator explores the words and music of another musical pioneer Joni Mitchell on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® Award winner Gershwin's World.Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies/harmonies, the musicians play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of one of the finest singer/songwriters of the last five decades.On the album: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Lionel Loueke, Dave Holland & Vinnie Colaiuta with special guests Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, Leonard Cohen & Joni Mitchell
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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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Best interpretation of Joni Mitchell songs
Herbie Hancock takes classic Joni Mitchell tunes and makes them his own.Who knew that it would work so well?My favorite track is Court and Spark featuring Norah Jones on vocals.This is spell-binding.I heard this track on a plane, and immediately ordered the album.The rest of it is not quite as breath-taking, but well worth it, especially if you like jazz, and grew up on Joni Mitchell.
Rating: - Grammy's Album of the Year
Herbie Hancock is one jazz pianist/composer who needs no introduction for when it comes to jazz music, his name always pops up and never goes unnoticed. He has recorded quite a number of jazz albums as a leader most notably his wonderful tribute to the timeless standards of George and Ira Gershwin entitled Gershwin's World. And not to mention his projects as a sideman to many jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter and Grant Green, to name but a ... Read More
Rating: 
- 33&1/3 rpmstill in use with vacuum tubes!
Hail hail hail to the victors valiant hail hail Michigan
There once was an time which many of you do not remember long ago before "8 tracks or Casingles" when Analog was king and vacuum tubes would amplify phonographic audio. Thought i would try some new music from Herbie Hancock on my wooden furniture. It still does its thing ! the groove really is groovy with great quality. Only problem is that no one on this side of the pond is printing vynil (I hade to get this from europe).
Rating: 
- Herbie Needs To Retire
I think the title of my review says it all. Herbie Hancock is a brilliant pianist, but his output since the 70s has been terrible. It's like he isn't capable of playing beautiful music anymore and he can't swing anymore. This recording is just pure, unadulterated garbage. Why Herbie continues to record with vocalists is beyond me.
Everything about this album bothers me. It's like a bad orange, each layer you peel back the worst it becomes. Herbie should just do everyone a favor and go ... Read More
Rating: 
- Im-Possibilities
After being pleasantly surprised by Hancock's collaborations on "Possibilities," I was very disappointed is this effort, especially since I bought it after the Grammy's were announced.High expectations dissipated soon after the first track, as the album plods along and halts to a screatch with some rendetions, which are unrecognizable compared to Mitchell's originals.There are virtually no upbeat moments on this CD save for the title track, and the the dense arrangements require the listener to ... Read More
- Best interpretation of Joni Mitchell songsHerbie Hancock takes classic Joni Mitchell tunes and makes them his own.Who knew that it would work so well?My favorite track is Court and Spark featuring Norah Jones on vocals.This is spell-binding.I heard this track on a plane, and immediately ordered the album.The rest of it is not quite as breath-taking, but well worth it, especially if you like jazz, and grew up on Joni Mitchell.
- Grammy's Album of the YearHerbie Hancock is one jazz pianist/composer who needs no introduction for when it comes to jazz music, his name always pops up and never goes unnoticed. He has recorded quite a number of jazz albums as a leader most notably his wonderful tribute to the timeless standards of George and Ira Gershwin entitled Gershwin's World. And not to mention his projects as a sideman to many jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter and Grant Green, to name but a ... Read More
- 33&1/3 rpmstill in use with vacuum tubes!Hail hail hail to the victors valiant hail hail Michigan
There once was an time which many of you do not remember long ago before "8 tracks or Casingles" when Analog was king and vacuum tubes would amplify phonographic audio. Thought i would try some new music from Herbie Hancock on my wooden furniture. It still does its thing ! the groove really is groovy with great quality. Only problem is that no one on this side of the pond is printing vynil (I hade to get this from europe).
- Herbie Needs To RetireI think the title of my review says it all. Herbie Hancock is a brilliant pianist, but his output since the 70s has been terrible. It's like he isn't capable of playing beautiful music anymore and he can't swing anymore. This recording is just pure, unadulterated garbage. Why Herbie continues to record with vocalists is beyond me.
Everything about this album bothers me. It's like a bad orange, each layer you peel back the worst it becomes. Herbie should just do everyone a favor and go ... Read More
- Im-PossibilitiesAfter being pleasantly surprised by Hancock's collaborations on "Possibilities," I was very disappointed is this effort, especially since I bought it after the Grammy's were announced.High expectations dissipated soon after the first track, as the album plods along and halts to a screatch with some rendetions, which are unrecognizable compared to Mitchell's originals.There are virtually no upbeat moments on this CD save for the title track, and the the dense arrangements require the listener to ... Read More
