Sometimes it is so hard to start writing
about somebody, who`s career lasts for almost half of a century resulting with
priceless contribution to modern music, art and culture as well. That`s why its
maybe easier to start from the beginning.

Born 70 years ago as Roberta Joan Anderson
in Canada, Joni started playing in small clubs, performing her music to folk
audience in her homeland. Her turbulent life brought her many tears, joy and
inspiration. There are so many facts that marked herself as an artist and
person, that pile of books can be written. In 1965 she gave birth to a baby
girl and gave her for adoption. Later she wrote a song about her called “Little
Green”. In 1965 Joni changed her surname after marring Chuck Mitchel after only
36 hours after they met but marriage didn`t last for long.

She lived and travelled across the USA from
East to West Coast. During that period, while playing in clubs, she met many
new artists for that time. Tom Rush, Judy Collins, George Hamilton IV, Buffy
Saint-Marie and Dave Van Ronk were amongst the first artists who recorded and
released her songs. One night while she performed in Florida, David Crosby came
and heard her playing. He was so stunned by her, that she immediately offered
her cooperation and helped her move to West Coast. Her first music success came
when she moved to California. In Los Angeles she recorded her first album and
in 1968. 45 years ago, her debut masterpiece came out on Reprise Records and
opened the door of great success.

The album “Song to a seagull” was
revolutionary for its combination of folk, unusual for that time harmonies and
honest and sophisticated poetry. It is a concept album divided in two parts:
“I Came to the City” and “Out of the City and Down to the Seaside”,
like two sides of the LP.

The story opens with “I had a king” the
song about Mitchell`s failed marriage with Chuck. Followed by similar message
in “Michael from mountains”, Joni speaks about loving somebody without actually
knowing him. In “Night in the city”, Joni accompanied with Stephen Stills on
bass guitar, sings about the big city nightlife. Next song “Marcie” is about
the woman who`s days pass in loneliness while she needs a man. The first part
of the album ends with her taxi ride story and the driver called Nathan La
Franeer, singing probably about leaving the city “I hired a coach to take me
from confusion to the plane, and though we shared a common space I know I’ll
never meet again”

Part two is more about the need for freedom
and turning to the nature and starts with “Sisotowbell”, as Joni has said
stands for “Somehow, in spite of trouble, ours will be everlasting love”.
Second song from the Part 2 – “Dawntreader” was named by the story of C. S.
Lewis, and is about the sea captain and followed by the story of a pirate
“Pirate of Penance” Joni underlines how she sees freedom in infinitely sea.
Grandeur of the song “Song to a seagull” is in the manner how Joni connected
her taught and wishes with beautiful lyrics and glamorous voice and music. She
sees the bird as a reflection of freedom “Fly silly seabird, no dreams can
possess you, no voices can blame you for sun on your wings…” and sings about
the urge for escaping the city rush and noise “I came to the city and lived
like old Crusoe on an island of noise in a cobblestone sea.” Album concludes
with another ode to the freedom “Cactus Tree” and lyrics “While she’s so busy
being free like a cactus tree, being free.”

Her debut was produced by David Crosby.
Joni recorded all guitars, piano and vocals, helped with Stephen Stills on bass
(“Night in the City”) and Lee Keefer on banshee.

Mitchell is outstanding musician –
especially guitar player. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked her 72nd place on Top
100 best guitarists. Her guitar skills improved significantly on each next
album, leading her to exploring new music sounds and genres, moving from folk
to jazz, fusion and soul later in her career.

After her debut, Mitchell`s career started
to rise with writing, recording and releasing many other gems that contributed
to the music of 20th century. Her track “Woodstock” is probably the most famous
song about the historic event that was held in August 1969, although she hasn`t
been there, but watched the whole thing on TV, that inspired her to write it.

She cooperated with many famous musicians
like Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Larry Klein, Stephen Stills,
Graham Nash, David Crosby, Neil Young, The Band, and many many others.

Her beauty and intelligence enchanted many
artists to admire or even fell in love and dedicate many songs to her, like
Crosby, Stills & Nash, James Taylor, Neil Young, The Hudson Brothers, Sonic
Youth and many others. There`s even an assumption that Led Zeppelin`s “Going to
California” was also inspired by Joni. Robert Plant said her name several times
during the live performances of the song, while singing the verse about finding
the queen without the king, referring to her “I had a king”.

Mitchell is not only famous for her music
and poetry. She is and extraordinary painter who painted many of her album
covers. After her musical retirement in the beginning of the 2000s, Joni
dedicated more to painting and even started acknowledging herself more as a
painter than musician, although her visual art is not something she is showing
to often on exhibitions. She said that main reason for her retirement was her
dissatisfaction with modern music industry.

This year she celebrates 45 years from her
debut album and her 70th birthday with a tribute concert in famous Massey Hall
that was held on June 18th.

She is multitalented visionary, poet of
life, always one step ahead with urge for going. She is the woman of heart and
mind – Joni Mitchell.