Ravinia 2023 Issue 3

A tapestry of history looms large in the music and lyrics of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon BY WEB BEHRENS PEOPLE LOVE LISTS because they love to argue about who belongs on them. But here’s an assertion that shouldn’t be in dispute: Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon belong at the top of any list of 20th-century women singer-songwriters. (Looking for a debate? Ask a few friends which chanteuse they’d choose to complete a Mount Rushmore.) ¶ For anyone unconvinced about the merits of this particular trinity, Ravinia has a specially written holy book: “Clouds in My Coffee: The Trailblazing Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon.” This extravagant July 29 concert won’t simply feature straightforward covers of famous songs. Instead, the concert features Broadway singers who’ll impart their fresh takes on beloved folk-pop standards—accompanied not by mere guitar or piano, but by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. ¶ The songs of Blue , Tapestry , and many more platinum-certified albums have long reverberated in the hearts of (younger) Boomers and Gen Xers, who’ve been humming them for decades. “This is the music I enjoy relaxing to. It’s the soundtrack of my life,” says Ted Sperling, the award-winning orchestrator and conductor who conceived of the concert. “That’s really the inspira- tion for putting this program together.” ¶ But now fans can hear them in an entirely new way. “They’re not literal versions from the albums, translated verbatim to the stage,” adds Sperling, who’ll conduct the CSO for the concert. “Actually, it’s a bit of a challenge: How do you translate these songs for the orchestra? We have quite a range of ways of interpreting them.” RAVINIA MAGAZINE • JULY 17 – JULY 30, 2023 78