April 5, 2000

Posted April 05, 2000

The "Rosie O'Donnell Show" taping was yesterday. It doesn't air until April 10 (Monday), but it certainly sounds worth the wait. Joni dazzles the audience with "Answer Me My Love" and "Both Sides Now," and has a fun, in depth conversation with Rosie about a wide range of topics. A partial list: How she got the desire to record with the orchestra, the cover paintings, the energizing she gets from this work, the song cycle concept.

We also get a fascinating insight into interpretive singing, as Joni talks about the needs of interpreting these songs differently than what she does with her own compositions.

I'm told that Rosie and Co. went out of their way to create a special event for Joni, Rosie and their fans. They actually removed the "home base"set for this taping, and had to replace it before the next day's live show. Special attention was paid to camera angles, and the rich romantic aura of the music is enhanced by special lighting. They allowed additional rehearsal time so Joni, Larry Klein and Vince Mendoza could make it all sound just right. The word is that professionalism and fun abounded. A must see.