Thumbs Up! Joni Mitchell’s Music Comes to Vivid Life at 54 Below’s Tales of Joni

The popular nightclub 54 Below has never felt more like an underground oasis than it does during the new Joni Mitchell catalogue concert Tales of Joni. The show features six versatile singers and a four-piece band performing 20 songs by Mitchell with no added dialogue or set-up. While Mitchell’s music is timeless, the songs are revitalized in this intimate live setting. Broadway and film actress Heather MacRae (Hair, Falsettos) is the standout: Her wise, warm and sorrowful interpretation of such songs as “A Little Green” and “The Song About Midway” brings Mitchell’s poetry to the forefront. Jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli also makes a strong impression with her rich and layered vocals, turning Mitchell’s “Cactus Tree” into the evening’s most powerful anthem. The addition of a passionate male performer, Broadway vet Nicholas Rodrigues, gives Mitchell’s “Conversation” a new and interesting context. In fact, all of the classic songs are arranged and performed with a freshness that gives the music and lyrics new clarity, much like watching your favorite film in high-def. Tales of Joni, which continues at 54 Below on January 24, 30 and 31, is a must-see for any Joni Mitchell fan; by the end of the night, you may wonder why some clever producer hasn’t mounted a full-blown Mitchell musical.