River: The Joni Letters | 
 enlarge | Artist: Herbie Hancock
Label: Universal Classics
Category: Music
List Price: £16.99
Buy New: £6.95
You Save: £10.04 (59%)
New (31) Used (5) from £6.95
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 6528
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Running Time: 68 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.7 x 0.4
MPN: 000979102
UPC: 602517448261
EAN: 0602517448261
ASIN: B000UVLK1M
Release Date: October 1, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Court And Spark - Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones | | • | Edith And The Kingpin - Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner | | • | Both Sides Now - Herbie Hancock | | • | River - Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae | | • | Sweet Bird - Herbie Hancock | | • | The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) - Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell | | • | Solitude - Herbie Hancock | | • | Amelia - Herbie Hancock, Luciana Souza | | • | Nefertiti - Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter | | • | The Jungle Line - Herbie Hancock, Leonard Cohen |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Why oh why did you put Cohen in it? August 11, 2008
Mr. Adam D. Willford (Harrogate U.K.)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I agree with all the other reviews on the album , well nearly all . As my title says , why for Gods sake did H.Hancock and co put this has been in on what is a good listening album - but Leonard "let me open a vein to" Cohen on a Jazz album !!???? He can't sing - never could , never will , and the only reason that I can think of why he's on this album is because he's from Canada . The track is not "interesting" it's bloody awful and the producers should hang thier heads in shame .
 quite brilliant July 30, 2008
P. Derbyshire (French Pyrenees)
Wonderful playing from a great Herbie line-up (even Shorter gets lyrical) doing great justice to Joni's genius.
 Utter rubbish.. May 23, 2008
R. Srinivas (UK)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought this album because I love all things Joni and loved her 'mingus' period and have always been a longstanding Herbie fan. I thought it may be something in that style. How wrong I was. This is the worst kind of Jazz there is. Utterly pointless and usually bears no relation at all to the original song. What's the point of re-doing a song if it's going to have only a 1% similarity or reference to the original? It's a great lesson in how 2 things that you think are great may not be that great together!
Move along. Nothing to see here...
Probably not for the casual fan April 21, 2008
Bill Peter (Malaysia)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I would describe myself as a casual fan of Joni. I like the Tom Scott albums and "Shadows and Light" with Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius. This album, however, is a bit "heavier" and probably deserves more careful listening and analysis than using it as background music.
Hancocks fans Rave & Joni Mitchell's fans Let down? April 15, 2008
Andrew Prince (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Not being a Joni listener I can only give my opinion based on the Hancock versions. I have listened to this album so many times and I just love every moment. I've been lucky enough to see Herbie perform and he manages to bring his fabulous dynamic jazz improv style to this selection of music. The vocalists though famous names pull off some unique songs unlike their mainstream styles. Most notable for me being Tina Turners "Edith & the Kingpin" it's so layed back but the silky smooth soul just oozes out! Someone who doesn't like jazz may call it all elevator music but for those of us that do and like listening to more complex dynamic arrangements this album is a modern jazz classic. The recording is beautifully executed from the subtle reed vibrations to the rumbling grand piano. Hancock should be very proud of this album, he never seems to lose his creative spark...and I hope he never will :-)
I only hope it comes out on SACD!?
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