Like her muse Joni Mitchell, jazz singer Christine Fagan was inspired to write words for two songs by the late bassist Charles Mingus. Photograph by: Jana Chytilova, The Ottawa Citizen

When Joni Met Mingus

What: Christine Fagan and the Impressions in Jazz Orchestra perform new arrangements of music by Joni Mitchell and Charles Mingus
When: Friday
Where: Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper St.
Tickets: $25/adults, $15/students

Thirty years ago, when Joni Mitchell's album Mingus was released, it blew Christine Fagan's mind.

"I was young, and couldn't have grown up without the guidance and wisdom of Joni's lyrics, I think," the Ottawa singer recalls. "I hope young women have some kind of equivalent today."

The 1979 album was a collaboration between Mitchell and the fiery jazz bassist Charles Mingus, recorded in the months before Mingus' death. It featured Mitchell setting lyrics to Mingus compositions and supported by such jazz all-stars as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius.

The combination of such jazz mastery with Mitchell's sublime lyrics proved intoxicating for Fagan, who was also just getting into jazz at the time.

"Here they both were, all in one package," she says.

For years, she has wanted to pay tribute to this recording that has meant so much to her. That's what she will do Friday, when she joins forces with Ottawa's Impressions in Jazz Orchestra (IJO) to perform an ambitious program of re-arranged music from the Mingus album, as well as other songs by Mitchell and Mingus.

"Lucky for me, Adrian (Cho, the bassist and conductor of the IJO) had been thinking of doing some kind of Mingus show," says Fagan, who several years ago brought the notion of a Mingus tribute to Cho.

In the weeks leading up to Friday's show, Cho has been re-tooling Mitchell and Mingus pieces for his 13-piece ensemble, which unites Ottawa classical string players and jazz horn players. He offers one example: Mitchell's plaintive A Case of You inspired him to write an introduction reminiscent of a classical fugue.

"This show could be our most interesting IJO show to date," says Cho. His ensemble, which he founded in 2005, is known for note-for-note recreations of classic jazz by Duke Ellington, Gil Evans and other celebrated composers. Friday's concert will feature Cho and his group departing from their roots in repertory. "In terms of recreating the original (music), we are not trying to do that at all," he says.

Fagan says Cho's arrangements and his group's instrumentation will provide "a new twist to the music ... giving the audience more than just cover versions of the songs."

Inspired by Mitchell, Fagan has set lyrics to two Mingus tunes (Smooch, Work Song) that did not have words. "I loved and admired the way Joni Mitchell was able to write lyrics to existing music," says Fagan.

She has also adopted the same method for her forthcoming debut CD, Once. It will feature Fagan singing her lyrics to compositions by Ottawa jazz musicians such as Roddy Ellias and Rob Frayne.

"I did want to record one CD in my life, and was encouraged to do so by friends and peers, but had no desire to put out yet another version of (jazz) standards," Fagan says. "It was only once I discovered my interest in writing lyrics to songs written by musicians I knew and had played with that I felt it was relevant."

By day, Fagan is the National Gallery of Canada's lighting designer. She has worked at the gallery for 20 years, following her training in visual arts and design.

However, she has also been an accomplished singer in Ottawa for most of the last decade. Her four-woman a cappella group, Cantarra, which includes Peggy White, Saffron Bradbury and Lee Hayes, was nominated vocal group of the year by the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Fagan says she has no qualms about trying to measure up to the greatness of Mitchell and the Mingus album.

"I know I won't come close," she says. "It's just me expressing the love I have for this music.

"I don't think of myself as playing the role of Joni, although, I must admit, I've been asking myself lately, 'What would Joni wear to this?'"