Review: NSO POPS: LOVE: A JONI MITCHELL SONGBOOK

The prolific, gifted, and influential artist Joni Mitchell has amassed a group of devoted followers and aficionados who have followed her genre-exploring career from folk, pop, rhythm and blues, jazz, and the romantic standards she has explored in her later years. Devotees of Ms. Mitchell often speak of the revelatory awakenings they experienced when first hearing the music of Ms. Mitchell; Joni Mitchell seems to speak directly to the inner feelings of those who respond to her complex music and her lyrics. Aside from writing her own lyrics and music, Ms. Mitchell plays several instruments and is an accomplished painter.

On Wednesday evening at the Kennedy Center's Concert Hall, I was reminded why I often felt so attracted to the music of Joni Mitchell. Grammy-Award winning Composer, music arranger, recording artist, and conductor Vince Mendoza conducted the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in an evening of music dedicated to the romantic standards from the American Songbook ---and, especially, to the unique and beloved songs of Ms. Joni Mitchell.

Entitled NSO Pops: Love: A Joni Mitchell Songbook, this marvelous Kennedy Center concert reminded me why my soul was awakened to the world of Joni Mitchell---there is such a wealth of unique imagery in the lyrics (her songs have been published as stand-alone poems), such a panoply of musical experimentation and a heightened artistic "feel" to the work (akin to Sondheim's in musical theatre and Tennessee Williams in drama).

Mr. Mendoza has earned Grammy Awards for his work on Mitchell's two more recent albums, namely Both Sides Now and Travelogue and his lushly romantic or innovatively creatively sculptured arrangements (as befitted the particular song being sung) flowed and stimulated the soul like manna from heaven. The National Symphony Orchestra played with elegance and concurrent relevance throughout the songs --as well as in the rich instrumental interludes in the songs.

Ms. Mitchell's lyrics must be heard clearly and occasionally there was a danger of not catching every word due to the intensity of the NSO's engaging sound but the attrition rate on this was minuscule when the arrangements by Mr. Mendoza were such knockouts as in the hard -hitting cover of "Sex Kills".

Mitchell's career arc has produced such a wealth of composer/songwriting gems that in recent years there has been tremendous fluidity in approaches to interpreting her work. (This is a tribute to her influence and musicianship).

With the riches of the arrangements of Mr. Mendoza, the source material of Joni Mitchell's lyrics and music, several standards of the great American Songbook and the full energy of the NSO all garnering interest for the attentive ear---the five artists chosen to interpret the songs had their work cut out for them. The artists rarely made the mistake of allowing the lyrics to become overpowered by the music and it was a treat to hear exciting new musical interpretations that were clearly delivered as well as innovative and artistically challenging.

Soprano Renée Fleming, vocalists Lalah Hathaway, Jimmie Herrod, Raul Midόn and Acoustic Bass Aoife O'Donovan melded beautifully into the artistic cooperation of this ambitious artistic enterprise.

Vocalist Jimmie Herrod sang the standard "You're my Thrill" with a sense of immediacy and excitement. Mr. Herrod also raised the rafters with a swinging version of "I Wish I were in Love Again" that had a Broadway bounce and verve throughout. Mr. Herrod's cover of Mitchell's "The Last Time I Saw Richard" was outstanding---intimate and impressionistically delivered with feeling and sensuous recall. Mr. Herrod's voice glided effortlessly from upper to lower register with ease.

Vocalist Lalah Hathaway interpreted a beautiful rendition of the romantic classic "At Last" with her clear and engaging tone. The arrangement by Mendoza was elegant and quietly joyful as it led up to a soul-stirring final note. Ms. Hathaway personified jazz incarnate in the perversely deadpan and whimsical "God Must Be a Boogie Man" (Mingus must be smiling down form the heavens) and she sang with a fine Raul Midόn on Mitchell's "Sex Kills" (which was given an intense, driving and excitingly "revved up" accompaniment by the NSO courtesy of Mr. Mendoza's arrangement).

Mitchell's "Both Sides Now' is one of the most often-performed songs and I was thrilled to hear an altogether unique and sensitive interpretation by Lalah Hathaway. Ms. Hathaway sang with a clarity and depth that cut through to the core of the song and the arrangement by Mendoza and the orchestral playing by the NSO was illuminating.

Soprano Renée Fleming delivered an intriguing rendition of the classic song "Answer Me, My Love" with impeccable vocal control and interpretation. Ms. Fleming also delivered a superb rendition of the beloved Mitchell song "Blue". Ms. Fleming beautifully conveyed the pain of immersion in the depths of anguish and despair.

Acoustic Bass Aoife O'Donovan vocalized on the Joni Mitchell classics "River" and "Woodstock". "River" is increasingly being performed during the holiday season as a melancholy holiday song. In this evening's performance, Ms. O'Donovan stressed the melancholy of those who are lonely during the holidays and, indeed, one could grasp Ms. Mitchell's words: "I wish I had a river I could skate away on".

Ms. O'Donovan's rendition of "Woodstock" was a standout as a sense of innocence lost was accentuated. The arrangement by Mendoza was almost mystical in feel and the NSO played with evocative feeling.

Vocalist Raul Midόn delivered a jazzy and swinging rendition of Mitchell's "Be Cool". Percussion and flutes aided to the air of abandon.

Mr. Midόn captured the enigmatic flight, escape, and retreat dualities inherent in Mitchell's "Refuge of the Roads". Mr. Midόn had an instinctual flair for the pacing of Mitchell's lyrics and possessed a keen ear for the joyful and effervescent ambiance of the music.

Joni Mitchell has recently been awarded a Kennedy Center Honor and has also been recently awarded the Grammy Award for Best Historical Album for her five-disc box set Joni Mitchell Archives-Volume1: The Early Years (1963-1967).

The Kennedy Center should be commended for celebrating the legendary genius of Joni Mitchell.

Running Time: Two Hours with one fifteen-minute intermission

NSO Pops: Love: A Joni Mitchell Songbook was presented on Wednesday, May 25 and 26, 2022 at 8pm at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20566. For information on the Kennedy Center, click here.

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