Court and Spark

( 12 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Jason Ankeny
Joni Mitchell reached her commercial high point with Court and Spark, a remarkably deft fusion of folk, pop, and jazz which stands as her best-selling work to date. While as unified and insightful as Blue, the album -- a concept record exploring the roles of honesty and trust in relationships, romantic and otherwise -- moves away from confessional songwriting into evocative character studies: the hit "Free Man in Paris," written about David Geffen, is a not-so-subtle dig at the machinations of the music industry, while "Raised on Robbery" offers an acutely funny look at the predatory environment of the singles bar scene. Much of Court and Spark is devoted to wary love ...
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More About This Product

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Jason Ankeny
Joni Mitchell reached her commercial high point with Court and Spark, a remarkably deft fusion of folk, pop, and jazz which stands as her best-selling work to date. While as unified and insightful as Blue, the album -- a concept record exploring the roles of honesty and trust in relationships, romantic and otherwise -- moves away from confessional songwriting into evocative character studies: the hit "Free Man in Paris," written about David Geffen, is a not-so-subtle dig at the machinations of the music industry, while "Raised on Robbery" offers an acutely funny look at the predatory environment of the singles bar scene. Much of Court and Spark is devoted to wary love songs: both the title cut and "Help Me," the record's most successful single, carefully measure the risks of romance, while "People's Parties" and "The Same Situation" are fraught with worry and self-doubt standing in direct opposition to the music, which is smart, smooth, and assured from the first note to the last.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/25/1990
  • Label: Elektra / Wea
  • UPC: 075596059329
  • Catalog Number: 1001
  • Sales rank: 200

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Court and Spark (2:46)
  2. 2 Help Me (3:22)
  3. 3 Free Man in Paris (3:02)
  4. 4 People's Parties (2:20)
  5. 5 Same Situation (3:05)
  6. 6 Car on a Hill (2:58)
  7. 7 Down to You (5:36)
  8. 8 Just Like This Train (4:23)
  9. 9 Raised on Robbery (3:05)
  10. 10 Trouble Child (3:57)
  11. 11 Twisted (2:18)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Joni Mitchell Primary Artist, Primary Artist, Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals, Clavinet
Cheech & Chong Vocals, Background Vocals
José Feliciano Guitar, Electric Guitar
Graham Nash Harmonica, Vocals, Background Vocals
Robbie Robertson Guitar, Electric Guitar
Larry Carlton Guitar, Electric Guitar
Victor Feldman Percussion, Keyboards
Joe Sample Keyboards, Electric Piano
Tom Scott Reeds, Wind, Multiple Reeds, Woodwind
Max Bennett Bass
Dennis Budimir Guitar, Electric Guitar
Tommy Chong Background Vocals
David Crosby Vocals, Background Vocals
Wilton Felder Bass
Chuck Findley Trumpet
John Guerin Percussion, Drums
Milt Holland Percussion, Chimes
Jim Hughart Bass
Cheech Marin Background Vocals
Wayne Perkins Guitar, Electric Guitar
Susan Webb Vocals, Background Vocals
Dennis Dudimir Electric Guitar
Chong Background Vocals
Technical Credits
Joni Mitchell Arranger, Composer, Artwork, Audio Production
Wardell Gray Composer
Annie Ross Composer
Tom Scott Arranger
Dave Lambert Composer
Joe Gastwirt Mastering
Bernie Grundman Mastering
Jon Hendricks Composer
Henry Lewy Engineer
Anthony Hudson Art Direction
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 12 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(11)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

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Sort by: Showing all of 12 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Blue

    Still Timely and Fresh

    This is an unbelievable album. Superb engineering (described by sound engineers as a masterpiece); gorgeous lyrics; lush, jazzy instrumentation and vocals. The songs are linked together beautifully, and the editing is exquisite. If you want to understand why Joni Mitchell is such a legend, get Court and Spark and Blue.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Clouds
    For the Roses
    Blue
    Song to a Seagull
    Ladies of the Canyon

    Joni in love

    As Joni's Blue album was a masterpiece of grief, this album is a masterpiece of love. We had not heard this kind of pure joy from Joni since her Ladies of the Canyon album and it is pure pleasure to listen to.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I had forgotten what a great album this is.

    Of course my memories of the time this came out are part of the whole listening experience. Still, I rediscovered the richness of the arrangements.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Simply a Classic Album

    Without question, Joni produced an incredible volume of work, some that satisfied her traditional fan-base and some that expanded her audience to the jazz side. What makes this THE clear winner in the Mitchell camp is the relative consistency of the work, her unbelievable vocal range, the beautifully done harmonies and the clever lyrics. A tip of the hat to the recording engineers as well. Many thanks to Canada for sharing one the top talents to come from that country.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    HELP ME I THINK I 'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU

    COURT AND SPARK IS JONI MITCHELL'S HIGHEST HONORS, AND EVEN IF THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE ALBUM TO "BLUE". THIS ALBUMS IS JUST AS SPECIAL.COURT AND SPARK MADE JONI MITCHELL A STAR WITH "HELP ME" WHICH IS THE ALBUMS TOP 10 HIT. THE 1982 ALBUM" WILD THINGS RUN FAST TRIED TO DO THE SAME THING BUT FAILED. NOW WILD THINGS RUN FAST WAS FIRST ALBUM ON DAVID GEFFEN RECORD LABEL. JONI DEDICATED THE SONG " FREE MAN IN PARIS FOR HIM WHICH IS FEATURE ON COURT AND SPARK. PEOPLE'S PARTIES,THE SAME SITUATION,COURT AND SPARK AND A CAR ON HILL BRING A STRETCH OF ROMANIC SONGS TO THE ALBUM. "DOWN TO YOU" JONI EXPERENCES WITH ORCHESTRA BEFORE PAPRIKA PLAIN ON "DON JUAN'S RECKLESS DAUGHTER". JUST LIKE THIS TRAIN AND RAISED ON ROBBERY BRINGS A TRAINING EFFECT TO ALBUMS. HUMOR ENDS THE ALBUMS WITH TROUBLE CHILD AND TWISTED WHICH FEATURE CHEECH AND CHONG. COURT AND SPARK MAKES ME FALL IN LOVE. I AM IN LOVE JONI MITCHELL.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Excallent

    First, I love Joni Mitchell, so anything I have to say is going to be biased, but this is definitely a fun album. Jazzy, pop delight.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Mitchell's masterpiece

    This is an outstanding work, a sort of cross-over between rock, pop, folk, and even jazz (on 'Twisted'). It may not be her best album (I think that "Hejira" and "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" are her best), but it's almost the best album you can ever listen to. I highly recommend it!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    It is a Court & Spark !

    Joni's ''Help Me'' is the best. Her background orchestra is fantastic, almost in a jazzy beat and mellow too for the time this was recorded.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    An absolute classic

    The definitive Joni Mitchell set -- every cut is a keeper. How many albums can say that? Maybe twenty -- ever?

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 24, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 4, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 10, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 12 Customer Reviews