This is a tribute album in the purest sense: here singer and pianist Mann pays homage to her idol Joni Mitchell in 12 cover songs, imitating the Canadian songwriter’s distinctive vocal tics with impressive accuracy.
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Mann and her band do reimagine these songs, though, through a jazz lens, if a somewhat self-conscious one. Hear the swinging sax soloing good-naturedly between verses on “Black Crow”, for example, and the honky-tonk piano jiving away harmlessly on “Big Yellow Taxi”.
Still, Mann’s vocal is piercingly honest and clear, and the songs are sung with joy.
Discography
Mann (v, p); Dino Govoni (ts, f); Jay Azzolina (g); Dave Zinno (b); Marty Richards (d). Portsmouth, RI, 2018.
Whaling City Sound 109
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