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‘Court and Spark’
Friends gather around in a musical tribute to Joni Mitchell
Thursday, November 5, 2009 6:14 PM EST
By Susan Van Dongen

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MUSICIANS and singers as varied as Tori Amos, Shawn Colvin, Robert Plant, Diana Krall, Janet Jackson and even Prince have hailed Joni Mitchell as an influence, for a variety of reasons. It would be interesting to know which album by the Canadian singer-songwriter-artist would be their favorite. Perhaps it would be the 1971 release Blue, with its magical songs “River,” “California” and “A Case of You,” or it could be Hejira, from 1976, with its mysterious, passionate jazz-infused songs and stellar personnel.

   No doubt there is a special place in the hearts of Ms. Mitchell’s fans for Court and Spark, which was released in January 1974. Making the radio airwaves sound sweet with hits like “Help Me” and “Free Man in Paris,” the album took Ms. Mitchell’s career to a new level of popularity. It also showed her sense of humor: just check out “Raised on Robbery” or her cover of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross’ “Twisted,” complete with guest appearances by Cheech and Chong.

   Bucks County, Pa.-based singer-songwriter LisaBeth Weber says the album is one of her all-time favorites. She started playing guitar at age 13, strongly influenced by Ms. Mitchell. In fact the first song she learned was “Circle Game.” Ms. Weber will be one five singers and musicians paying tribute to Ms. Mitchell and Court and Spark at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing in Titusville Nov. 21.

   The celebration of the album’s 35th anniversary will also include Maura Kennedy, Sloan Wainwright, Kelly Flint and Maggie Marshall, Ms. Weber’s performance partner. The performers will be drawing from Ms. Mitchell’s enormous catalog, playing classic compositions such as “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock” and “Both Sides Now.” The women will also perform some of their own songs, particularly those that were influenced by Ms. Mitchell.

   ”Joni represented to me something beautiful, kind of indescribable,” Ms. Weber says. “She was such an inspiration, but it was subtle. Her music, with its beauty and elegance, seeped into my psyche in my teens and early 20s. I was young, so I didn’t understand the complexity of her music, I was just listening purely. It wasn’t until later that I became more astonished, for example, by the album ‘Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter.’ I remember telling people, You’ve got to hear this song ‘Dreamland.’ With that album and with ‘Hejira,’ with all the amazing arranging and songwriting, people were waking up to her music,” she continues. “They were hearing that it wasn’t just three chords on a guitar, which I love, but this new kind of musical language. When Joni made the change, not everyone got it, which was their loss. But people who get Joni, really get her, that’s probably why innovators like Prince love her.”
   Ms. Weber, 47, has been appearing at the venue in Titusville for years, opening for Martin Sexton and Rani Arbo, and performing in the concert tribute to Carole King’s Tapestry a few years ago. She and Ms. Marshall, who plays upright bass, have been playing together for seven years at venues and festivals in the region. She’s recorded three CDs of original music, including her most recent self-release, The Almost Live Sessions. In addition to Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Weber’s main influences include Nanci Griffith, Patty Griffin and Peter Gabriel.

   Like Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Weber is also a visual artist and jewelry maker, known for her “Cause Pins,” whimsically-illustrated pins supporting environmental awareness, human and animal rights, health care reform and many other causes.

   She grew up in Sea Cliff, N.Y., a “tiny, artsy town on Long Island,” Ms. Weber says. Living for a while in Key West, Fla., she moved to Carversville, Pa., in the late ‘80s. “I wanted to be in an artistic community. I’ve always been drawn to small towns near bigger cities.”

   Having to choose between music and art would be almost impossible for Ms. Weber, and she imagines it would pose the same dilemma to Ms. Mitchell.

   ”She’s an incredible artist too, and when you’re both an artist and musician, like I am, you look up to Joni even more,” Ms. Weber says. “When asked to choose between art and music, my stock answer is ‘yes,’ because I wouldn’t choose, I couldn’t.”

   Although she loves Court and Spark, Hejira is Ms. Weber’s favorite Joni Mitchell album, and she recalls a special concert at Jones Beach where Ms. Mitchell performed songs from Hejira by the sea, under a full moon. She also admires the way the singer-songwriter seemed to transition from folk to jazz so easily.

   ”She crossed the lines so seamlessly and beautifully in her mid-range work like ‘Hejira,’” Ms. Weber says. “She explored so many different styles and what she did with jazz was astonishing, bringing in great players like (late bassist) Jaco Pastorius.

   ”Her songs can be a challenge to learn, but I like that,” she continues. “Joni steps out of the box, with her melody lines and arrangements. As acclaimed as she is, in other ways people didn’t always understand her. She was left-of-center and to me, that’s what’s so brilliant about her. I like that she stood out.”



  • LisaBeth Weber will perform in a concert tribute to Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing, 268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Maura Kennedy, Sloan Wainwright, Kelly Flint and Maggie Marshall will also perform. Tickets cost $20 adv, $23 day of show, $5 children under 15. 609-510-6278; http://concertsatthecrossing.com. LisaBeth Weber: www.lisabethweber.com


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