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From: superunknown373
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  • This is fucking brilliant. I suppose I understand if you don't like the whole 1970s NY jazz sound, but I do and I think everyone here is in top form. Michael Brecker's solo breathes fire, and when Joni joins in at 3:58 on that sustained note--oh baby!

  • This was some of the tastiest Joni ever. We adore you Joni. Brilliant, innovative and kept the boys on their toes.

  • I'm on my 1000th listen - very good.

  • i liked that

  • Charles asked Joni to do these lyrics; he knew true artistry when he heard it. I wish he could have lived long enough to hear this performance! RIP, Charles!

    

  • i make this comment having ignored all the others.. simply because i didn't want to read them; too much bantering here on youtube about minutiae. this is live performance at just about as good as it gets- every single musician on review here on a very obviously good day. it's my opinion that it is bass playing, in particular, on showcase here (it's a mingus tune after all..) i challenge anyone to give me a better example of a live bass guitar performance that's been recorded.

  • this was a magical night for aLL

  • The best examples of vocalese are ones in which they aren't treated as vocalese but as good tunes. Anyone knows who adapted lyrics for this song?

  • Joni adapted the lyrics herself.. she did a whole album of Mingus tunes with (essentially) this band, called "Mingus". "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" will make you cream your pants, srsly. enjoy!!

  • Wow.  She looks really hot in this vid.

  • Joni got freaked out when Jaco played those harmonics at 2:02. I lol'd

  • no she didn't, that's how the song goes.

  • Are you nuts? At 2;02 she shows NO reaction at all to Jaco's playing harmonics.

    In fact he does not play harmonics at that point.

  • It's so humbling to hear Jaco playing Mingus.

  • Joni, ...no doubt about, is THE BEST!

  • Miss Joni Mitchell, this song it is so meaningful l

    for us, Latin and black see that you have a heart

    for us, Miss,Joni the discrimination still there but i know one day will disappears.

    Thanks ,Joni for your respect., it is a beautiful song!

  • I sent a response to the question you sent me. And I agree very much with your comment.

  • bellissimo brano !!!! grandi artisti!!!

  • Geez! So many critics! You guys need to lighten up! It's brilliant! Oh, crap, she smokes and has an attitude - Wow! Big f***'in' deal! How many talented jazz musicians died early from ODs - and Jaco was beat to death in an alley - good thing he played while he was here. Showboating - are you crazy? It's tasteful. She hired him, didn't she? He's doing what he does! They're great, sorry about your need to judge what you can't understand! If she wants to smoke, it's her business.

  • Well even though those stuff seem a bit subjective and inconvincing, some even sound as rubbish, but ok, then she is probably a pretty mean personality. Allright. But why does that concern me? I don't want to meet her, dont see why should I, and even if I would want to I probably wouldn't, but she did make some wonderful music between hitting someone and smoking a cigar and it's the only thing that concerns me, and the only thing that I feel like I have the right to judge.

  • I'd wager Joni on her worst day is better than you on your best day of your life.

    God...ragging on the demon Tobacco???

    Right and lets condemn Bob Dylan, John Lennon and all the other smokers...ha.

    Get real.

    If you knew even the most basic info on Joni you'd know hat she had Polio as a kid and it has made a come back in her life recently.

    Oh, but let's blame cigarettes.

  • so what. her music is magic

  • lol your just sore cause I did your father

  • No wonder why people don't like you FOXdevelopmentSux your an asshole people's private lives should be kept private and you should only care about what work they do onstage and nothing else.

  • Funny, I don't recall any of these things that Joni does or did affecting her as a musician.

  • @FOXdevelopmentSux you sir, sound mad.

  • I'm a Jaco fan, but Jaco needed to quit showboating and let Joni sing.

  • What a great performance from Joni Mitchell, I have been a fan for years.

    NY Fashion Hats

  • Tremenda version del tema de Mingus.

    Mitchell con un seleccionado de lujo.

    Pero mejor escuchar, no?

  • I've seen this before. But it's cut just before Jaco Pastorius masterful bass performance even begins. Pity!

  • That's a song, Charles Mingus has written for Lester Young, for one of the greatest saxophone players the world has known. The 27.08 was the 100 birthday anniversary of this great jazz-musician. Joni Mitchell mastered this song, it's really difficult. I admire her for her talent!

  • The serie of harmonics Jaco does at 1:54 is so cool !

  • i love jaco and brecker in this song... perfect background players :) altho they both do INCREDIBLY on top too :P

  • One of the best tunes ever played.

  • This is just awesome.... in every way...!

  • jonis voice makes the hair on my neck stand up (in a good way)

  • ...jaco's unique feeling of music! .....jaco's unique feeling of music! .....jaco's unique feeling of music! .....jaco's unique feeling of music! .....jaco's unique feeling of music!

  • I'm not a jazz fan but always a Joni fan. Great post

  • ...........

  • Jaco is just incredible here!

  • grandes musicos pesima cantante

  • ?????????????

  • What gives you that idea?

  • Went to this concert at Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI They got in 4 songs and the skies opened up. It stormed so hard the water almost rose up to stage level. Jaco came out all by himself and had an "argument" with the thunder for a while with his bass. Then he got wise and decided it was too dangerous even for him. Joni was yelling without a P.A. "Save your ticket stubs, we'll come back!" Don't think that ever happened though. Bummer.

  • sorry to interrupt the reminscence of this concert but this actually the Santa Barbara County Bowl show not Alpine Valley.

  • Oh yeah. I didn't mean to imply that this broadcast was from Alpine Valley.What I meant was that I saw this tour concert at Alpine Valley when the chaos happened.

  • is that Don Alias playing the... drums?

  • Yep, sure is.

  • enchanting and memorizing!

  • Mitchell,Methany and Pastorious...pure jazz pure awesome

  • awesome. and michael brecker on tenor!

  • Lyle Mays on keys. From the 1979 tour.

  • loosen up and enjoy...

  • metheny plus mitchell =GENIUS

  • Don't forget Mr. Pastorius on the Bass.

  • Jaco ist einfach wahnsinnig ! Er brachte Harmonie in Kontrapunkt ein

  • amazing version, what a band!

  • one of the great mingus compositions. and one of the great interpretations.

  • I wish I were there right now.

  • This lady personifies all that is worthwhile about 'jazz ' (aka always exploring YOUR own possibilities)...thanx for the inspiration JM

  • Who wrote the lyrics to this, was it joni?

  • Yes, Porkpie Hat was among the songs Mingus suggested to Joni

  • Thanks a bunch

  • Has anyone catch the "yeah" at 0:30 ?? I think Don Alias is the one who say it !! ^^ and someone is singing at 1:48 with her Is it Don Alias again ??

  • Jaco Pastorious, amazing and also legendary Weather Report bassist. Also very influential. Sadly died young in a violent incident.

    Pat Metheny, from Uof Miami, made quite a career for himself, kicked off a stage by Joe Pass once because he couldn't play jazz. And he can't. But he is a fine player in his own right.

    Don Alias, also lost to us in in 2006, another NY session guy. Also played with Jaco, Weather Report, Miles, the Brecker Bros. and many more.

  • I know, lol..... that was just an expression!

    I only disagree with the fact that Metheny 'cant play jazz'..... I think it really doesnt matter what genre we would say he plays in, right?

    But well, anyway......a lucky human being you really are, getting to see these gods live. I can imagine how wonderful it must have been. I envy you badly and forever...............

  • To say that Pat Metheny can't play jazz is... naive. If you're thinking of jazz as only traditional jazz style, pick up any of his trio cuts and be proved wrong.

    If you count jazz as the hugely encommpassing genre that it is based around improvisation, pick up any of his records and be proved wrong.

    It is true he doesn't play much swing, but if you dig around you can find obscure video's of him doing it. And he swings real hard when he does.

    In any case, an awesome performance.

  • dream team

  • Tell me about great backing band!

  • Michael Brecker, NY legendary session player. His work with so many artists including Steely Dan, Zappa, Chick Corea and an almost endless list, is transcendent. I've lost count of his Grammy wins. One of the best, if not the best jazz saxmen since the 60s. He passed away in 2007 from Leukemia.

    I saw him with his brother, Randy, Mike Mainieri, Peter Erskine, and Eddie Gomez (Steps Ahead). Needless to say, it was amazing.

  • ...voce e sound straordinari!!!

  • who is on Fender Rhodes...I haven't my dvd with me and I really can't recall who is he !! This is my favorite version of this song !!

  • It's Lyle Mays.

  • u just picked a rider on the night to learning.

    thanks JM.

  • I own this DVD too. It's absolutely fabulous!

    R.I.P. Jaco, Don, Michael........

  • Mingus didnt play on the album, because of his Lou Gehrig's disease, he couldnt play bass anymore but he supervised the recording of the album Mingus. I had never heard this version w/ Joni Mitchell before, I cant get over how good this is!

  • Very beautiful - I had never seen this live version

  • Jaco,s old jazz and Joni vocals , what a great version. What a great band.

  • The extraordinary Joni Mitchell and the genius of Jaco Pastorius...absolute bliss!!

  • Holy crap the bassist is badass.

  • That is Jaco Pastorius my friend and on guitar is Pat Metheny!!!

  • What the hell is a Pork pie hat?

  • A hat which looks like it has a pork pie on it.

  • If you don't know, this is really just altered blues changes with a different set of minor blues changes for the solos. The genius here is a history of jazz - passed down and personalized (the way its supposed to be)

    Lester Young's playing and eventual death (Pork Pie Hat) to Charlie Mingus's incredible composition and arrangement

    Booker Ervin's Solo to Joni Mitchell's lyrics to her singing, to the live playing here by all!

    Listen and learn or at least shut up

  • It isn't easy as an altered minor blues, try to analise it!

  • I just read through all the comments here and many are correct but many are also clueless. To clear the confusion, the words that Joni wrote are to Booker Ervin's solo on Pork Pie Hat. Despite what Ridicopedia might indicate its his incredible solo being sung here. For my money, one of the most underrated soulful tenor players ever.

    Incredible line up here and the studio version with Wayne Shorter is excellent as well. (another great loss)

  • Wayne Shorter's still going strong pmolsonmus.

  • Jaco...the greatest.

  • 1:54 -- those fantastic bass harmonics. But listen to how Jaco is never just doing a groove. He's reflecting all the articulations around him, including the singer's jagged line, getting 'inside' the music like no other bass guitarist before and since.

  • Yes, Jaco's amazing.

    I read an interview where he said he was a big Frank Sinatra fan and that when he played bass he was "really just singing". That explains some of it for me.

    But it doesn't explain the incredible creativity behinds his harmonic chord at 2:26 nor the fast pedalling afterwards that defines the character of the verse.

    But isn't just the Jaco show because Joni and he have a sensitive combination going on, and Michael Brecker's solo is outstanding.

  • Agreed, it isn't just the Jaco show, but as an amateur jazz bass player I focus mostly on his performance. I get simultaneously thrilled and depressed, because I'm crap compared to him!

  • Here here, Winkle.

  • Poor winkle and jenkins ... more of the many bassists traumatised by Jaco.

    But trying being a drummer and seeing the Mahavishnu Orchestra on YouTube playing "you know you know". Or try looking up "Dave Weckl Basic Brushes" here.

    Ouch!

  • Yes traumatised by Jaco. There again, if I I was near the top of the tree of music, I'd find another hobby. We like having unreachable Gods with super powers to validate our actions. Clapton was called God in the 60s. Perhaps Jaco went mad because he didn't have a "super player" to look up to. (Yes, I know not all the top players go mad!)

  • AlmostEthical, the "fast pedalling" you refer to is actually copied from what Mingus does on the original recording at that point... take a listen to it.

  • That's about as good as it gets for me. Joni and the band's ideas, execution and musical chemistry are so beautiful.

  • Amen!

  • Her phrasings are so unique and work very well in jazz also. She is a great musician and songwriter. Does anyone know if she has recorded some good jazz with a more acoustic sound than this? I would've loved to hear her play the song with Mingus. That would've been interesting.

  • Her phrasing is the same as the sax solo in the original from Mingus Ah Um, I do believe.

  • superunknown373  Your videos are always the Best.

    RIP

    Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Don Alias ,

    Michael we miss you the most...

  • I miss also Jaco quite a lot, brother.

  • Joni et Pasto n'étaient plus trop des amis aprés le travail qu'ils avaient eu en commun . Joni aurait meme traité Jaco Pastorius de Saboteur aprés qu'il lui eut gaché une de ces prestation . Sur cette vidéo Pastorius est plutot à coté de la plaque .

  • Jaco plays independently his own melodies but stll complementary to the Joni's, enhancing the beauty of the song, that is AMAZING !

  • I just love Joni, always have and the rest of the band. But for me, it's Joni and Jaco that really GET to me. Everyone else, totally brilliant as well. Wish they'd shown Lyle...

  • LOVELY!!

    As always Joni!!

    Thank You for letting us listen.

  • beautiful rendition of the mastermind's song

  • Anybody know who wrote the lyrics? Joanie maybe? The original Mingus version had no lyrics as far as I know.

  • this is my wife. hands off

  • WTF? Yea and she's my lover.

  • Joni Mitchhell wrote the lyrics man

  • Wonderful Song, Joni amazing like all the time, and once more no words for the genius Jaco!

  • I love that song, and Joni delivered it very sweet and credible here. Great artist. If you like, check out my little blog with loads of swingin' jazz. Link in profile.

    Keep up the good work!

    Brewyes Lite'o

  • have you heard John McLaughlin's version?

    gary burton?

  • MY WIFE. HANDS OFF

  • so !!

  • Joni never stop. Thank you for your endless gift.

  • listen how locked in they are at 2:47 its amazing

  • i luv u Joni

  • Heavenly! <3

  • Jaco makes hes astoning, unique sound of eternity on this track... So damn beautiful!

  • This lineup is killer.

  • This...IS MUSIC!!!!

  • I will NEVER get tired of Joni! What a great layout, and Brecker was amazing. What a great number!

  • Metheny is perfect on this vid : inaudible ! The rest of the band is exceptionnal, great great stuff !!

  • What? Not a Metheny fan?

    That's too bad.

  • I just said that Metheny has no sound coming out of his amp !

  • That was freaking phenomenal.

  • Does anybody know where this video (and the others posted here with the same superlative lineup) was filmed? Thanks!

  • Santa Barbara County Bowl, Calif, September '79

  • Who wrote the lyrics?

  • HendrixcommaMartin:

    Joni wrote the lyrics for this Mingus tune.

    Great, isn't it?

  • My thoughts exactly.

  • what a band ... love the sound of lyle mays on fender rhodes here is perfect.

    jaco's bass tone is stunning. michael brecker is superb... and joni's voice is brilliant....drumming perfect.... and poor old pat metheny just listening... should have given him a mini solo, but then again maybe he just enjoyed the great music.

  • Jaco's bass is amazing - so cool that drives the song and pat just sits back and bobs his head.

  • people like joni are highly evolved specimens. look at her...she's too flawless. shes like aether...another element...another time zone of musicianship. i bet she likes to have penguins and tea for lunch.

  • ..............................­....... what

  • I would give my left testicle to see them again. What a loss to the music industry - Jaco.

  • Joni - excellent! Jaco - enough said, Pat Metheny - unusually quiet, Michael Brecker - predictable at best, saxophone trickery, but what about crediting the pianist - as usual, nobody considers a pianist worth mentioning

  • The pianist is Lyle Mays, Pat's man. He is great, isn't he?

  • Great version. Jaco rules!

  • Incredible rendition. I love this version better than the studio one. Every musician at their best !

  • Is Joni still around? She had a MAGNIFICENT voice!

  • Joni is still around: listen to "Chinese Cafe" or "Two Grey Rooms". She is older, and her voice is a bit deeper than

    earlier, thanks to smoking. Great jazz singer.

  • She released an album in 2007! She's still going strong, although her voice has lost its high notes (smoking, but age takes it anyways).

  • How weird that all hese years I forgot about Joni Mitchell. Lovely voice, interpretation and I love the tune anyway. First time I hear a vocal on it.

  • who else does vox on goodbye pork pie hat? i personally like this version but migus is teh o.g.

  • Charlie and Joni are equals in terms of telling the truth. Don't get caught up in squabbles. Just accept it for a beautiful piece of music.

  • joni mitchell is a w-o-m-a-n. so pretty

  • wow that was like amazing idk what u guys r talking about

  • this is the best video i've seen of Jaco, away from Weather Report. it's rare look at him as a supportive sideman, rather than a lead bassist.

    this jazz standard has been covered numerous times... even by rock musicians (most notably, Jeff Beck). and, by Joni in 1979 (20 yrs before Wikipedia came into existence).

    Originally recorded 1959 by jazz bassist Charles Mingus, who is the composer of this piece (rumored to have been written for Lester Young because of the style of hats he wore).

  • Yeah, Jaco is great, but on this recording Lyle Mays never had the honors he should deserve for his incredible and sensitive harmonic approach to the song. Please listen to him carefully.

  • Sorry that's Lester Young, not Yound, should learn to proof read eh?

  • What about Gillespie "covering" Whispering in writing Grooving High, Coltrane with My Favourite THings, Everytime We Say Goodbye, etc. Playing jazz is like building a pyramid, climbing over other peoples' bolders to put your's on the top. Plus it's called a tribute (not a "cover"), Mingus wrote it as a tribute to the late Lester Yound and these musicians no doubt are performing it as a tribute to the same great man. This is the first thing I ever heard by Mitchell and thought it was incredible.

  • joni deserves way more cred then she gets for her jazz work.

  • is not  a cover, is called standar and is totally personal,.

  • lyrics written off a wikipedia page? I'm sure you're not being literal, but come on.

    Considering this version of the song came off of an album Mingus was a part of, I see no problem. PErsonally I prefer it without Mitchell's lyrics and vocals but either way the song sounds great

  • THIS IS A FREAKIN MASTERPIECE!!!!!!

  • grande Jaco

  • Such a wonderful band !!!

  • Awesome.

  • what a treat to see jaco and pat. nice surprise! Thanks for posting

  • One of the greatest pieces ever played !!!!

  • 5:09 - 5:17 roughly

    is the coolest set of notes I've heard in a while :P

  • thats jaco

  • Indeed it is, Jaco was (and is) the essence of cool

  • oh-my-god.

  • Phrasing,phrasing,phrasing!...­Joni and Jaco;what a dance!!!

  • is he using a fretless bass?

    he is a very precise player.

  • jaco was a very precise player.  :( RIP.

    Yeah, it's fretless. He was The Man.

  • Is that Jaco on bass??

  • yep!

  • Blown away.

  • Really amazing... amazing.