Customer Rating:  
Summary: ...my ten-year old's a more sensitive editor...
Comment: I only liked half of this album on vinyl ... the latter half.
And if the performance had been transferred from the vinyl version, I'd give it three stars.
BUT
This 'transfer' from vinyl to CD is a SUCH a hack job. One can easily hear the crude edits. The intimacy of the dialogue from the original recording was slashed.
Truly, my little boy could have done a better remastering job.
For shame.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite live albums
Comment: How many high points is one artist allowed? In Joni's case, a whole pile. She gives a lot of the hold hits an extreme makeover, which in my mind is what all artists should do when they make live albums: the jazz fusion "Woodstock" has little to do with either her original studio recording or Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's rock cover. That's the most extreme example, but "Big Yellow Taxi" (redone as a blues-rocker), and the Miles Davis-influenced "Rainy Night House" are barely recognizable. Which is what playing live should be about: being spontaneous. After "Woodstock", everyone runs off to get high or something and they come back with "Cactus Tree" - one of my favorite Mitchell tracks, but presented in drab form here. Actually, a lot of the acoustic songs are lesser ("Woman of Heart and Mind"; and god does that buzzing on "A Case of You" get old fast - the solo piano treatment suits "Blue" and "For Free" well, but those tunes are hard to screw up). "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" works a lot better, and the jazz-pop treatment fits it well. And the spoken intro "The Circle Game" is funny, though I still hate the off-key chorus. Oh, I forgot to say how much I like this jazz version of "You Turn Me On I'm a Radio". Lots. It's simply beautiful. And "Carey" sounds fantastic as a Steely Dan-like rocker. To top it all off, the album ends with two songs you at the time couldn't find anywhere else: "Jericho" (which eventually found its way on Don Juan's, in a far superior arrangement) and "Love or Money". "Jericho" is nothing special, but the keyboards on the funky "Love or Money" rule, and it's got an awesome sax solo too. If that weren't good enough, it's also got a cool wah guitar solo! Seriously, why wasn't that put on a studio album?
Customer Rating:
Summary: LA Express is a fine band
Comment: I don't really understand the critism os the band here. Yes, 30 years later, it sounds cheesy in parts, but remember that they were representing a sound at that time. And remember that this is essentially the same band that just months later went on to make Court and Spark w/ Joni. Plus this is not a studio album - of course they are going to try to dress up the songs a little bit.
I own almost all of the Joni albums and this totally worth getting.
- Z
Customer Rating:
Summary: Joni is a real gem
Comment: I'm listening to this cd as I type this and I can't help but be grateful that she has helped me in so many ways along the years...her voice is so clear and strong and what a fabulous songwriter and musician. She's taught me to sing loudly and feel deeply and to keep my perspective clear. If you don't have this cd, it's a Must...I feel sorry for anyone who's not familiar with Joni's work...her talent and music is timeless.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Miles of Joni
Comment: This live set from 1974 captures Joni Mitchell with the L.A. Express performing some of her best material up to that time.
Joni is in scintillating form. Her voice at this time was as good as it ever got, and that means you're listening to one of the most flexible female voices in the history of rock music. You'll have no doubt about this when you hear a track like "All I Want". The pitch and control of dynamics she gets from her voice on this track are simply amazing.
The band are also tremendous. Listen to the rocking version of Big Yellow Taxi with Tom Scotts fabulous solo. This band also hints at the move towards the Jazz arena that Joni would move towards in the next few years. Robben Ford is on guitar who would later play with Miles of Davis. Contrary to a previous reviewer I found the group to be first class.
There quite a few tracks from Blue, plus many other well known songs such as "Woodstock", "Jericho" and a moving version of "Both Sides Now". This is a little heard treasure of an album thats essential for anybody who wants to hear Joni at her absolute best.
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