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Editorial Review:
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
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Why oh why did you put Cohen in it? I agree with all the other reviews on the album , well nearly all . As my title says , why for Gods sake did H.Hancock and co put this has been in on what is a good listening album - but Leonard "let me open a vein to" Cohen on a Jazz album !!???? He can't sing - never could , never will , and the only reason that I can think of why he's on this album is because he's from Canada . The track is not "interesting" it's bloody awful and the producers should hang thier heads in shame .
quite brilliant Wonderful playing from a great Herbie line-up (even Shorter gets lyrical) doing great justice to Joni's genius.
Utter rubbish.. I bought this album because I love all things Joni and loved her 'mingus' period and have always been a longstanding Herbie fan. I thought it may be something in that style. How wrong I was. This is the worst kind of Jazz there is. Utterly pointless and usually bears no relation at all to the original song. What's the point of re-doing a song if it's going to have only a 1% similarity or reference to the original? It's a great lesson in how 2 things that you think are great may not be that great together!... more info
Probably not for the casual fan I would describe myself as a casual fan of Joni. I like the Tom Scott albums and "Shadows and Light" with Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius. This album, however, is a bit "heavier" and probably deserves more careful listening and analysis than using it as background music.
Tracks:
Court And Spark - Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones
Edith And The Kingpin - Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner
Both Sides Now - Herbie Hancock
River - Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae
Sweet Bird - Herbie Hancock
The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) - Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell
