Jackie Shelley, her friend Donna Peña, and I traveled to Oakland to see Judy Collins perform tonight at Yoshi's Jazz Club, in Jack London Square, in Oakland, CA. Judy (age 76) has a new CD out with a variety of duets, plus a lush autobiography: "Judy Collins: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes".
Judy told stories of her Greenwich Village folk-singing days, made references to all kinds of exes and old boyfriends that mostly sailed right over my head, and sang her hits, but she also spent an unusual amount of time singing Stephen Sondheim songs: "Pretty Women" from Sweeney Todd, "Send in the Clowns" from "A Little Night Music", and everyone's favorite upbeat crowd-pleaser, "The Gun Song" from "Assassins". Hearing her beautifully-pure bell-like voice, I was thinking "PLEEEZE sing 'Green Finch and Linnet Bird' from "Sweeney Todd", PLEEEZE!" That didn't happen, but I whispered the suggestion to her. Great evening!
I've misplaced more in the last 24 hours than in the last 24 months. I tossed my iPhone in the laundry hamper, I went to work without my wallet, and I left my jacket in Oakland. Now I have to contrive a reason - any reason will do - to visit Oakland again.I'm not a big Joni Mitchell fan, but I could tell Judy Collins admires her a lot, and that's good enough.
Of Joni's songs, I like this one the best:
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