Court and Spark

by Joni Mitchell

Overview

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). ~ Jason Ankeny

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Elektra / Asylum
UPC:	0075596059329
Rank:	1284

Tracks

1. Court and Spark
2. Help Me
3. Free Man in Paris
4. People's Parties
5. Same Situation
6. Car on a Hill
7. Down to You
8. Just Like This Train
9. Raised on Robbery
10. Trouble Child
11. Twisted

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Joni Mitchell   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background),Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Clavinet
Tommy Chong   Vocals (Background)
Cheech Marin   Vocals (Background)
Milt Holland   Guest Artist,Chimes,Percussion
Tom Scott   Guest Artist,Oboe,Wind,Reeds,Woodwind
Jose Feliciano   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Cheech & Chong   Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Joe Sample   Guest Artist,Piano,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Robbie Robertson   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Graham Nash   Guest Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Vocals (Background)
Larry Carlton   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
David Crosby   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Victor Feldman   Keyboards,Percussion
Dennis Dudimir   Guitar (Electric)
Chong   Vocals (Background)
Max Bennett   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Wilton Felder   Bass
Susan Webb   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Chuck Findley   Trumpet
Wayne Perkins   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
John Guerin   Drums,Percussion
Dennis Budimir   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Jim Hughart   Bass

Technical Credits

Joni Mitchell   Audio Production,Lyricist,Producer,Artwork,Arranger,Composer
Henry Lewy   Audio Engineer,Engineer,Producer
Tom Scott   Arranger,String Arrangements
Annie Ross Quartet   Composer
Ellis Sorkin   Engineer
Norman Seeff   Photography
Anthony Hudson   Art Direction
Annie Ross   Composer,Lyricist
Andy Paley   Mastering Supervisor
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Joe Gastwirt   Mastering
Vince Mendoza   Arranger
Wardell Gray   Composer