Joni Mitchell Poetry Inspired Herbie Hancock CD

jazz news

Herbie Hancock
CD Release
River: The Joni Mitchell Letters

Hancock creates “new vocabulary” to bring Mitchell’s poetry to life

Released September 25th, 2007, Herbie Hancock’s new album, River: The Joni Mitchell Letters, sees the the legendary jazz pianist and composer writing music that expresses the emotion in the iconic Canadian musician and composer Joni Mitchell’s poetry.

Hancock enlisted producer/ arranger/ bassist Larry Klein (Mitchell’s long-time producer and creative partner), to help him select thirteen songs that could adapt to a genre-less and conversational musical approach, while portraying the breadth of Mitchell’s music and writing.

Creating “a new vocabulary and “using the words to guide them”, the two crafted arrangements performed by a quintet of the best in jazz, including pianist Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, bassist Dave Holland, guitarist Lionel Loueke, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. The project also features appearances by a diverse range of vocalists including Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corrine Bailey Ray, Luciana Souza, Leonard Cohen, and Mitchell herself.

Herbie Hancock has worked with Joni Mitchell in the past, the first time on the Mingus (1979) project, and later on the orchestral collection Both Sides Now (2000).

for more information visit www.herbiehancock.com