What would Joni do?
When singer-guitarist Kimberly Ford was a teenager, Joni Mitchell’s 1971 album Blue made an indelible impression. “Joni’s melodies and lyrics cut straight to the heart of my experience as a young woman during those tumultuous times,” Ford says. “She gave language to what I was feeling before I had words for it.” That depth of impact still resonates for fans of Mitchell, and Ford herself, who fronts the June 9 show, Dreamland – featuring Kimberly Ford, at Sonoma’s Sebastiani Theatre.
The band is modeled on Mitchell’s mid-1970s tenure with Tom Scott and the L.A. Express. The homage explores Mitchell hits such as Big Yellow Taxi, Free Man in Paris, and Woodstock, but this is no cover band, Ford insists. “We try to honor the original compositions, but never think of ourselves as a tribute,” Ford said. “Her work stands alone; We could never duplicate her. I listen and learn, but try to step away with my own spin.”
Thursday, June 9. 7 p.m. $30-$40. Sebastianitheatre.org.
