Joni Mitchell – Court & Spark

Blue is my favourite Joni Mitchell album and that will never change. However, I listen more often to Court & Spark. This is probably because of the musicality of the album and also its appearance coincided with the only time I saw her perform live – at Wembley Stadium in 1974. That was a never to be forgotten day when she blew all the cobwebs out of that famous old stadium with an exhilarating performance with Tom Scott and the L.A.Express. They are the main musical contributors to this album and the later live collection – Miles of Aisles. Joni’s first serious foray into Jazz influences is a masterpiece of fusion, although you could argue the Jazz is somewhat sparsely used. It is though her voice which takes the honours on this album. It comes of age to be a glorious, multi ranged instrument, soaring high and low but at times tender and soft. The backing perfectly suits her and allows her to develop her voice to a full expressive range. She makes the point that the fusion with the L.A.Express did not come easy. This was a true established band whereas previously as she has said she was THE band with friends and session musicians adding the colour. Now she was taking on a role of bandleader with a band that already had one. It clicked as we see and the result is to me a truly fine blend of lyrics and music, stretching her love of vocal gymnastics and difficult chord changes to the limit.

The overall feel of the album is joyous because of the musical arrangements, but it contains just as much confessional personal revelations as Blue. Perhaps even more so as her relationships at this time sent her intro therapy or worse if reports that even appear on her website are to be believed. On Court and Spark, she does not write as often in the first person and this deliberate detachment from some songs that are still autobiographical allows her to express herself with a newfound confidence. This album sounds looser, even going as far as saying that she seems to be having fun with the music. The danger here is that it could tip over into being a commercial, pop album but she sees the danger and avoids that – mostly. It was certainly her best-selling album.

The finest songs on here are all up front – it starts off at a cracking pace filled with gems.

‘Court and Spark’ starts with a stark piano, and the piano holds your attention throughout with some firm chord changes. Joni sets her stall out as regards how she sees her relationships developing and how she can balance these with her need for an artistic life of her own. The theme recures throughout the album.

‘Help Me’ continues the theme but puts the hesitancy for commitment firmly back on the man. It harks back to her feeling on Blue – she falls in love too fast. This is a great band workout, complex but harmonious and almost a hit going as far as number 7 in the US charts, her highest ever single placing.

My favourite track on the album comes next – ‘Free Man in Paris.’ Maybe it is because I love Paris so much. It nearly didn’t get on the album which would be unthinkable. A great tune driven with tight energetic purpose by the band complements some of Joni’s most perceptive lyrics perfectly. David Geffen who the song is about was not happy about the exposure of his life and wanted it left off the finished album. Thankfully, Joni kept it. I found this song meant even more to me much later when I too had serious work-related responsibilities. Paris was my refuge also, a place where I couldn’t be found, as like Geffen I could wander the Champs-Élysées without a care. Maybe also sitting in that Paris park with a newspaper as Joni pictures the scene so well in ‘California.’

Joni now takes the lyrics into a much darker place.

Joni at this time was ensconced in the L.A. entertainment scene. A hedonistic time and ‘Peoples Parties’ depicts that. Joni is people watching and at times in this song is none to complimentary about her fellow guests. She though is presumably happy to be one of those guests, so although an inciteful picture of this L.A. party scene it somehow doesn’t leave us with any sympathy for her distaste for some of the crowd she has fallen in with. Rich people are not always the best shoulder to cry on. As the song concludes the next one overlaps to tell us that basically she is still in the same place, and it is not a pretty one. ‘Same Situation’ as a title tells it all. Joni is in a cycle here and it is not the one in Blue where she is more in control and going where she pleases. The results are the same – brief relationships that end. In the case of the ‘Blue’ period she appears happy with a fun period in her life. On this album she seems in turmoil and being controlled in the heavy party atmosphere of the L.A. entertainment scene. ‘Same Situation’ finds her observing the famous Hollywood man who toys with female attention that he attracts and discards just as quickly. It would appear that she too was caught in his trap. It affects her work and there is no joy in this relationship.

Perhaps she should have put ‘Troubled Child’ next on the album. The scene she had been attracted to has made her crash and burn. She describes vividly on ‘Troubled Child’ her conflict with people trying to help her with therapy. In this song she pours out her scepticism about the ways of bringing her back out of her depression. It is a song with strong lyrics and an interesting arrangement from the jazz band. Ultimately, she accepts that her life will be what it will be – she cannot change but at least she understands her relationship weaknesses.

Previous to this she is found waiting for an inattentive lover on ‘Car on a Hill.’ This song is a puzzle. A strong musical arrangement backs some lyrics that make little sense other than Joni was in a confused state over another relationship. This one would be with Jackson Browne and here she describes being stood up by him. Clearly, she is in this relationship deeply as to wait for three hours for him seems to be a cry for help. She paints a picture of the relationship going wrong, there are clues, and she understands that. However, it does not feel an angry song. She comes across as somewhat in denial. She does not contradict the critics on her website who say this relationship sent her into a deep dark place. Taking Jackson’s song ‘Fountain of Sorrow’ as a bookend to this it appears they still had a friendship ongoing. If you fast forward some years her song ‘Not to Blame’ is a truly angry and excoriating take on Jackson Browne, an attack on him he had to publicly defend. It makes ‘Car on a Hill’ seem an odd song, one Browne could use in evidence.

Next, on ‘Down to You’ she steps back and becomes the observer once again. Again, though this is another relationship gone wrong. Back in the L.A. scene this is an uncomfortable description of the shallow relationships on offer. It is a beautiful arrangement, one of the finest on the album. The flute and clarinet are gorgeous. Despite the theme she offers a hopeful vibe, perhaps acknowledging that everything is in her hands. She can avoid these situations – it does all come down to you (her) as she sings.

‘Just like this Train’ works as well as any track on the album musically. Joni mixes some perceptive people watching with her acceptance that she is departing the station with another failed relationship. On this one it is obvious that she is convinced it is his loss, she is not damaged as she appears to be on other tracks. It adds to the overall atmosphere on the album – it is a far cry from where she was when writing ‘Blue.’ The car that she was waiting for would be coming up into the L.A. canyon – she needs to let it take her out of this place. Perhaps this train is her first step to normality.

Robbie Robertson contributes fine guitar on ‘Raised on Robbery’ where she has some wry fun on this alternative take on life.

Reviewing this now from a distance of fifty years I find the sentiments uncomfortable. At the time, the album did not come across in quite the same way. At the time I think I was seduced by the musicality of the album and some beautiful effective vocals by Joni. It never occurred to me that really she was not in good place to put it mildly. It is still one of my favourite albums but perhaps more than any other I have revisited my feelings about it I find are totally different. I think I appreciate it even more having found added depth to the record. It is a work of art and as they say all great art comes from a bit of suffering.

My only time seeing Joni live was at the CSNY fest at Wembley stadium in September 1974. She was magnificent. Looking all Parisien casual chic she headed the band with dynamic confidence. This was a perfect setting for her. Tom Scott and the LA Express were tight, professional musicians who may have intimidated a lesser talent trying to perform in front of them. They backed her to perfection, but Joni was the director, the female band leader dominating the front of the stage. This album ‘Court & Spark’ formed the backbone of her set, being just the right selection of songs for such a day as this. Opening with ‘Free Man in Paris’ which soared around the famous old stadium, she went from strength to strength, confidence oozing from every note she sang. She even carried off ‘For Free,’ as incongruous as it was in this setting – no one was playing for free here to this 80,000 crowd. Tom Scott and the LA Express added that summer jazz vibe that her set needed, with such complimentary arrangements you would have thought they had all been a Joni Mitchell band performing together for years. Looking back at the set list after all these years you could easily put this together on Spotify (other streaming services are available thankfully) and call it your greatest hits list for Joni – ‘A Case of You’ was the glaring omission but I cannot quibble. The encore was the Annie Ross song ‘Twisted.’ With a nice touch she brought Annie Ross on stage. An electrifying set came to a conclusion, and she was gone. I never saw her in concert again but what joy to have seen her give such a magnificent performance – unforgettable.

With ‘Court and Spark’ Joni would be now on a run of three stunning albums. ‘Hissing of Summer Lawns’ and ‘Hejira’ would cement her standing in the hierarchy of Rock singer songwriters.

Play all these three one after the other and marvel at the genius of Joni Mitchell.

My new book looking retrospectively at my vinyl collection and the time period is out now on Amazon for Kindle/Unlimited and in print

And then there is ………………………..