Sasha Weiss

And maybe that was true at Newport too, but I just felt that she kind of returned to some kind of energetic center. I could feel it the minute I saw her come on the stage.

And maybe that was true at Newport too, but I just felt that she kind of returned to some kind of energetic center. I could feel it the minute I saw her come on the stage.

But at the same time, she's so playful. I mean, there's the chair and there's the scepter-like cane, which looked to me to be gilded. There's like a wolf.

But at the same time, she's so playful. I mean, there's the chair and there's the scepter-like cane, which looked to me to be gilded. There's like a wolf.

Something metallic and glinting. And, you know, it's like she's wielding it, but she's so playful. And as you were talking about earlier, you know, her rhythms, her rhythms are so unusual. And she's tapping them and tracing this kind of rhythmic rhythm. idiosyncratic signature throughout the songs. And it's just incredible.

Something metallic and glinting. And, you know, it's like she's wielding it, but she's so playful. And as you were talking about earlier, you know, her rhythms, her rhythms are so unusual. And she's tapping them and tracing this kind of rhythmic rhythm. idiosyncratic signature throughout the songs. And it's just incredible.

So she's at once grand, and there's just something droll and fun and playful about her in her posture. It's both. It's both ends. And also, I would say that the way the stage looks, it's a recreation, as I understand it, of the Joanie jams that took place in her living room.

So she's at once grand, and there's just something droll and fun and playful about her in her posture. It's both. It's both ends. And also, I would say that the way the stage looks, it's a recreation, as I understand it, of the Joanie jams that took place in her living room.

Yes.

Yes.

over the course of many years, which, you know, led up to this moment of coming back to the stage, you know, where she'd gather with musician friends. And I think Brandy really facilitated it and all these different people would come.

over the course of many years, which, you know, led up to this moment of coming back to the stage, you know, where she'd gather with musician friends. And I think Brandy really facilitated it and all these different people would come.

But it seemed like there was a core group.

But it seemed like there was a core group.

Those were the people on stage who clearly had a long running experience singing with her. Like an ability to improvise that seemed to me to be drawing from the experience of having done a lot of work together. But the stage, I mean, it felt very intimate. And from where I was sitting, like everyone sort of seemed in a pile. So it was like, you know, it was both really like an ensemble.

Those were the people on stage who clearly had a long running experience singing with her. Like an ability to improvise that seemed to me to be drawing from the experience of having done a lot of work together. But the stage, I mean, it felt very intimate. And from where I was sitting, like everyone sort of seemed in a pile. So it was like, you know, it was both really like an ensemble.

And yes, Joni was this commanding presence. Yeah.

And yes, Joni was this commanding presence. Yeah.

Part of the feeling that I got of her being in command was the set list, which I felt like she was preaching. She was not bringing nostalgia and comfort.

Part of the feeling that I got of her being in command was the set list, which I felt like she was preaching. She was not bringing nostalgia and comfort.