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River: The Joni Letters (with Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com Exclusive | 
 enlarge | Artist: Herbie Hancock
Label: Verve
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $12.99
You Save: $5.99 (32%)
New (1) Used (3) from $12.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  109 reviews
Sales Rank: 188
Format: Special Edition
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
UPC: 602517477544
EAN: 0602517477544
ASIN: B000V9RRPQ
Release Date: September 25, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Court and Spark featuring Norah Jones | | • | Edith and the Kingpin featuring Tina Turner | | • | Both Sides Now | | • | River featuring Corinne Bailey Rae | | • | Sweet Bird | | • | Tea Leaf Prophecy featuring Joni Mitchell | | • | Solitude | | • | Amelia featuring Luciana Souza | | • | Nefertiti | | • | The Jungle Line featuring Leonard Cohen | | • | All I Want featuring Sonya Kitchell (Exclusive Bonus Track) | | • | A Case of You (Exclusive Bonus Track) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
On paper, River sounds like a match made in several versions of heaven. Legendary pianist Herbie Hancock re-imagines Joni Mitchell with his hand-picked, star-studded band--including saxophonist Wayne Shorter--in tow. Luminary guests lend vocals to a song apiece: Norah Jones ("Court and Spark"), Tina Turner ("Edith and the Kingpin"), Corinne Bailey Rae ("River"), Luciana Souza ("Amelia"), Leonard Cohen (with an unsettlingly sanguine version of "The Jungle Line"), even Mitchell herself ("Tea Leaf Prophecy"). In the event, though, a few fundamental elements go awry. Hancock plays with almost saccharine understatement throughout, and even Shorter's seminal "Nefertiti" and Duke Ellington's "Solitude" fall into the album's presiding, somnolent surface, though to a lesser degree does the instrumental version of Mitchell's "Sweet Bird." But girding, and in some measure, saving, the proceedings, the lyrics here testify to a subtler wisdom guiding Hancock's set list. The mix includes a continuum from intrepid classics to dusty, fans-only fare, but a distinct reverence for Joni Mitchell the Poet threads them together, and, in the end, this album works best as a sleepy window into one fan's giddy and particular love affair with his source material. Fans of Hancock win out. --Jason Kirk
Album Description
This Amazon.com exclusive version of River: The Joni Letters includes two bonus tracks, "All I Want" featuring Sonya Kitchell and "A Case of You." The legendary pianist and innovator Herbie Hancock explores the words and music of another musical pioneer, Joni Mitchell, on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY award-winning Gershwin's World. Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies, Hancock and saxophone giant Wayne Shorter play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of the finest Adult Pop music. Hancock builds upon his (and Shorter's) previous collaborations with Ms. Mitchell to create a sound that will appeal not only to fans of both artists, but to the listener familiar with the work of Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and the other brilliant guest vocalists featured on this session. River: The Joni Letters is the perfect CD for the music fan looking for something new that's based in the familiar.
Album Description
The legendary pianist and innovator explores the words and music of another musical pioneer Joni Mitchell on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY Award winner Gershwin's World. Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies/harmonies, the musicians play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of one of the finest singer/songwriters of the last five decades. On the album: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Lionel Loueke, Dave Holland & Vinnie Colaiuta with special guests Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, Leonard Cohen & Joni Mitchell
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| Customer Reviews: Read 104 more reviews...
 Too much Hollywood Hip Eco-Cool August 8, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Grew up impressed with Herbie Hancock. Grew up loving Joni Mitchell. Was fascinated by the concept of this but sadly disappointed with the result. Too much dominance of LA music studio in the sound track; too much self-absorbed ennui in the vocals. Maybe I've just gotten old, or the '60's have finally caught up with me (in a good way), but this CD just schmoozes too much of what I have to coin, Hollywood Hip Eco-Cool.
 words from Me August 1, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Super CD I will be using it in my Arts and Humanities class this fall.
Awesome!!! Awesome!!! Awesome!!! July 26, 2008
Herbie Hancock is a genius. The sound engineer who did this CD is a genius. Together, they created something that sounds like they are in my listening room. They are simply there! The music is perfect, chords like nowhere else.
One Fabulous CD July 17, 2008
This is a very fine CD with Joni Mitchell songs rendered by various artists, including Joni and Herbie. I've had it about a month and listen to it about once a day, average. Buy it, it's worth every penny!
Second half really makes this CD a good one July 17, 2008
A terrific CD, although the early songs didn't quite hook me the first time I listened to this CD. Once I got to "Sweet Bird", however, I was loving it. While the first few songs are good, the second half of the CD is definitely better than the first.
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