Joni Mitchell; Mingus's Goodbye Porkpie Hat

[zztomato]

Recently have been trying to work out this tune for a student and was suddenly struck by what an amazing band this must have been to have behind you. Wow!
If anyone has a guitar friendly arrangement they could share I'd really appreciate it.

 

[R13D]

Nothing to add other than that is a great version.
Jeff Beck's is right there for me as well.

 

[LanEvo]

I those albums: Hejira, Hissing of Summer Lawns, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. Each is a classic. The Shadows and Light live album is also amazing.

 

[zztomato]

It's a really sparse arrangement. Love the way the bass weaves in and out.
I've been using a chart of Joni's but the chords sometimes are hard to make sound right. I mean they are "right" but not the way I'm playing them. Anybody know of any guitarists that do this tune solo- not like Beck though. Looking for a chord melody version I guess.


I should probably move this to the "playing and technique" forum but who goes there?

 

[johan]

Maybe you can pick up some ideas from this version on steel guitar

https://soundcloud.com/#rick-schmidt/goodbye-porkpie-hat

 

[Phletch]

Joni is a treasure. Hissing of Summer Lawns and Court and Spark are my favs (Larry Carlton is on both, Robben Ford on Hissing). Check out the live Miles of Aisles from that same period; Ford on that one.

 

[Gretsch47]

Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius = awesome band

 

[Lewguitar]

Joni's a great guitarist too in her own way. Which is the only way an artist like her could ever be.

 

[Average Joe]

What a run she had in the 70s - Court & Spark, Hissing, Hejira, Mungus and then the incredible band on Shadows an Light. Mitchell is up there with the best of them

 

[pete100ca]

Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius = awesome band

metheny + jaco + LYLE MAYS = awesomer

 

[zorak]

What a lot of fans of Joni forget is she is an amazing guitarist. Her alternate tunings, tone and technique is in full view on this album. Just listen to The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey. Stunning.

It's my favorite Joni album, by far.

 

[dlguitar64]

metheny + jaco + LYLE MAYS = awesomer

Don't forget Michael Brecker and Don Alias

 

[1973Marshall]

Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius = awesome band

Joni is a genius. Greatness and genius are words that are thrown around quite a bit these days. She is the embodiment. Add in Pat and Jaco? Are you kidding me?

 

[Flogger59]

Don't forget Michael Brecker and Don Alias

She had to be sumpin' special if she got Alias behind a trap kit. He hated trap kits.

 

[Lewguitar]

Joni's 70 years old now. Like all of us now hitting our golden years, her voice has changed, her body's changed and her music's changed...but I still have a big crush on her.

Some of the comments following this video are pretty idiotic unfortunately. The comments like "It's time to hang it up..." It's never time to hang it up if you're an artist and performing your art makes you happy.

 

[pete100ca]

Don't forget Michael Brecker and Don Alias

Yes of course!

 

[Tom CT]

I know I'll get skewered for this, but as much as I love Jaco, his "lead bass" approach during this show can be a bit too much for me at times. I know - that's Jaco.

 

[JSeth]

A tragically under-rated album, in my opinion... amazing band, and no mean feat to write lyrics for Charles Mingus' tunes, ESPECIALLY considering that He was alive and giving his feedback on her work!

Got to LOVE "Dry Cleaner..."; hell, I love everything on that record!

For a more straight-ahead version of "Pork Pie...", check out Ralph Towner and Gary Burton's version on their record, "Matchook", circa 1975 on ECM Records... just Ralph on 12 string acoustic guitar and Gary Burton on vibraharp... STUNNING!

 

[Tom CT]

A tragically under-rated album, in my opinion.

Who's given this a bad rating? I've never heard anything other than stellar ratings.

 

[Mark Robinson]

I learned Goodbye Pork Pie Hat from the Jazz Workshop chart. It's been a tough little sucker for me. There are some really nice chords, which were new to me. Stretches my ear like a really hip little see-saw, rocking back and forth with these rich chords.
Jazz Workshop, I'm told was affiliated with Charles Mingus back in the day. It's a highly playable version, based in Eb. I think Beck does it in D.

You go on youtube and various folks play it all over the place different keys, tempos, arrangements. That's what happens to standards I guess. I've never yet found a recorded version that follows the chart exactly. I have that Joni show recorded at the Santa Barbara County Bowl,w/Jaco/Matheny, I think it's on there and I'll check it out.

Oh and Joni Mitchell? She's a badass if there ever was one. Master artist, just a sick concentration of talent in that soul, and she owes nothing to nobody. Well done Joni, one hell of a life of art! People will be celebrating her gifts for many, many decades, probably longer.