Court and Spark is the album by which all others are set forever.

Ladies of the Canyon is damn good, but I'm still partial to Court and Spark.

And Blue sort of goes without saying.

If you're not adverse to standards, "Both Sides Now" a-freaking-mazing.

This is what happens when I work, talk and type at the same time- I meant that C&S is the STANDARD by which all other albums, blah blah blah. But I'll bet you knew that.

I've got Blue and Ladies of the Canyon. I love Blue but feel it's more of an autumn or winter album so I'll be spinning that one later. I never really warmed to LotC, dunno why...

Anyone have any opinion on Don Juan's Reckless Daughter or Mingus - I'd be interested what anyone would have to say on those as they intrigue me (probably not good next choices though).

I take back what I said about assuming all you folks were hip youngsters.

Hejira. Hejira. Hejira. (If you like the jazz feel of "Summer Lawns".) The other ones mentioned above are more of the folk feel.

Blue is the quintessential album.
Clouds is my next favorite.
And Court & Spark is the best of her later stuff.

(I like the folksy stuff.)

I like Don Juan's Reckless Daughter but it's definitely jazz; I have the record so I think of it in terms of sides - there are a couple sides that are just pure long jazz jams/riffs, almost all instrumental. Summer Lawns is my all time favorite. Blue is the musical accompaniment for my annual get-drunk-and-cry holiday event so I find it hard to listen to at other times of the year, but I think it's a totally brilliant album - and you have to listen to all of it, it's an album album, it hangs together. Hejira has Coyote on it, one of my ultra favorite songs so it is good. I'm also ambivalent on Court & Spark, I'd say the next one to get would be the live album, Both Sides Now. That was the one that turned me on to her.

have to say though, I don't/can't listen to her much anymore. When I was 17 I about wore out my copy of the Hissing of Summer Lawns and it's all just too interwrapped in my head. . .

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus! Underrated, widely despised by devout fans and very much worth hearing.

(Also, let me second-third-whatever Blue, Ladies of the Canyon and Court and Spark for the folky, and Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter and Both Sides Now for the jazzy. Oh, and the versions of "The Man I Love" and "Summertime" that she sings on Herbie Hancock's Gershwin's World are wonderful.)

Oooooh yes Mingus!

box, are you recommending the Joni Mitchell album Mingus very enthusiastically, or the Mingus album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus, on which Mitchell does not appear?

I share kenko's confusion, box. Jazz pedants can be murder.

I'm recommending the Joni Mitchell album enthusiastically, and making a reference to matildaben's 'Hejira Hejira Hejira,' and a little in-joke for the Mingus fans.

(Also, hiya, kenko. I feel like I should be posting "All Portugese pedants entrance angry robots" or something.)

I take back what I said about assuming all you folks were hip youngsters.
If you hadn't already, this might have tipped you off:
...I have the record ...

So, is it now OK to admit you like Joni Mitchell? As long as it isn't fashionable, that's OK.

Hottest day of the year, bah humbug! We had our Winter Solstice the other day, giving us only 10 hours 25 minutes of daylight - it is currently only 14c here, so stop whining about the heat, the lot of you!

Oh, and get off my lawn. Damn kids.

Your complexities are manifold, box.

(Tempted to expand "something" somehow, but the other participants here probably wouldn't appreciate it.)

Thanks all. I went out CD shopping this morning and picked up Hejira and Court & Spark (I nearly picked up Don Juan as well but realised that'd be overkill). I also got Dylan's Highway 61 on a previous recommendation. And as if anyone cares I also got Chas & Dave, Graham Coxon, The La's (replacement for my tape copy, only £3!) and a couple of Loudon Wainwright's (cos you have to snap them up when they appear - they're hard to find).

Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue.
oh, also Blue.

Got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it.
oh, and got it.

thanks anyway dude.