{"product_id":"river-the-joni-letters","title":"River: The Joni Letters","description":"Amazon.com\n\nOn 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\n\nProduct Description\n\nWith this album 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. Special guests vocalists include Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, and Tina Turner.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: B000UVLK1M\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: DBV.B000UVLK1M.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Herbie Hancock\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Audio CD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Individually inspected: Guaranteed to play perfectly or your money back. Case may show wear and may be in library packaging. Ships Fast!  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Dream Books Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41517300482106,"sku":"DBV.B000UVLK1M.G","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/6011\/0138\/files\/B000UVLK1M-0.jpg?v=1783832308","url":"https:\/\/shop.dreambooksco.com\/products\/river-the-joni-letters","provider":"Dream Books Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}