Monika Herzig's Both Sides of Joni feat. Alexis Cole - MCGJazz, Manchester
The "Both Sides of Joni Mitchell" project was the product of a period of soul searching during the COVID-19 summer of 2020. Janiece Jaffe started listening closely to Joni Mitchell's music and lyrics with her jazz vocalist ears and found truth and wisdom that inspired her and that she wanted to share with the world to inspire others. She studied the words more deeply and got the urge to re-imagine them in Jazz arrangements. "I could almost 'Hear' them!"
Together with friend and collaborator pianist/arranger Monika Herzig, they spent many summer days of 2020 in the barn with keyboard and masks working out arrangements and rediscovering Joni's music. The music was recorded with a stellar group of musicians with a release date of March 2023.
Janiece sadly left this world in November 2022, leaving her friend Monika to continue sharing their project and music. Monika is joined by New York jazz vocalist Alexis Cole in 2023. This program is funded in part by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and Jazz Roads.