35th Anniversary Celebration of Joni, Titusville, NJ, Nov 21

Posted November 20, 2009

Joni Mitchell's star-maker machinery inspires a tribute
BY LISA RICH
35th Anniversary Celebration of Joni Mitchell

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, November 21
Where: Concerts at the Crossing, 268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville
Admission: $23 at the door; concertsatthecrossing.com

When musician Joni Mitchell released her album "Court and Spark" in 1974, she dared to do something different.

The songstress was deliberately stepping away from the folk rock niche that had gained her adoration and scores of publicity and fans.

It was time to experiment with other sounds: jazz and jazz fusion. The process paid off. she later won a Grammy award for the album for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

Thirty-five years later, a group of musicians in their own right are paying tribute to Mitchell's release of "Court and Spark" and her decades of inspiring music that followed the album.

Tomorrow night at Concerts at the Crossing in Titusville, singer/songwriter Maura Kennedy is leading the 35th anniversary celebration.

Joining Kennedy will be three of her favorite musical friends including Sloan Wainwright, Kelly Flint and LisaBeth (with Maggie Marshall).