Both Sides Now - The Joni Mitchell Show on the Main Stage of Act II Gary R. Beck - Beck's Best
February 6, 2016

The music of Canadian singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell is performed live with the Don and Rhonda Band starring Canadian singer Jenny Allen. The show presents both folk and progressive pop-rock/jazz music spanning the 60's to the present. Many theater-goers were very impressed with Jenny as Mama Cass in "California Dreamin'" currently on this same stage. She has a voice which commands the room and delights listeners with clarity and melody.

The Don and Rhonda Band includes on piano and harmony, often lead vocals, Rhonda Padmos, the musical director of Act II Entertainment's productions of "California Dreamin'", "The Rocky Horror Show", "A Chorus Line" and "Sordid Lives", on acoustic and electric guitar and dulcimer, Don Pope, the leader of the sitar band Katmandu, on drums Jesús Estrada and on bass guitar Daniel López. This wonderful lineup is worth seeing this show if only to listen to the multitude of talented artists on stage. In addition, Rhonda served as the group's vocal and musical director and conductor.

Jenny explained that the evening will be a format of three distinct parts of Joni Mitchell's career styles: acoustic guitar, acoustic piano and avant-garde free jazz. So, for the first portion, Jenny stood alone with her guitar and sang the songs which she has known for a multitude of years, idolizing Miss Mitchell whom she met and casually sang with ages ago. Most definitely it was a high point in her life.

She opened fittingly with "Both Sides Now", not only the theme for the event but also Joni's biggest hit, one of hundreds she has written and recorded. "Chelsea Morning" and "The Circle Game" followed. It was wonderful viewing only a woman and her guitar, strumming and singing familiar tunes from Joni's discography. Even if one did not know the songs presented, their sheer beauty and thoughtful lyrics pleased one and all. Joni's music is a collection from a classic icon of popular song for the ages and Jenny gave them respectful justice.   

Don and Rhonda have performed together for many years, at least seventeen in the Puerto Vallarta area. The band they have assembled is synchronized immensely. The members feed off each other, knowing the appropriate notes to insert into the flow of the song. They supplied the perfect background setting for both Jenny and Rhonda, who took over part two with her dynamic piano accompaniment to her strong and clear voice. "Big Yellow Taxi" jarred many memories, but for Joni it was a blight on paradise in Hawaii, seeing distant lusciousness but down below was a parking lot as far as the eye could see. The ladies traded leads and their voices became one smooth sound.

Act 2

Now the show filled to capacity. The four members of the band and Jenny got the room jumping with joyful excitement in tight unity. Everyone meshed and grooved with one another. Rhonda and Jenny took turns at lead vocal and supplying harmony. From her most successful album, "Court and Spark", "Raised on Robbery" was presented, a delightful entry.

"Help Me"/"Free Man in Paris"/"In France They Kiss On Main Street" were interwoven aptly showcasing the folk side of Jenny's background. Her movements of the body and vocal inflections reminded many in the crowd of Joni as they remember her.
 
Arousing the audience was the psychedelic-era classic "Woodstock", written by Joni although her journey there was aborted due to mud and rain, so she was unable to perform at that world-famous festival witnessed by 400,000 people in 1969. The song became a counterculture anthem.

The third and last segment highlighted Joni Mitchell's collaboration with jazz musician Charles Mingus. The album "Mingus", his last, featured scat interplay between the two greats, with Joni writing all the lyrics. "Night of the Iguana" is a song written by Joni, a thematic and lyrical adaptation of the 1961 Tennessee Williams play about a drunk, disavowed preacher. It really has nothing to do with our town, where the film was shot several years later. This wonderful rendition was received enthusiastically.
 
Jenny and the Don and Rhonda Band presented a fine tribute to one of the generation's top songwriters. Her vast catalog was lightly touched upon and all on stage were delightfully in synch.

Jenny Allen will be presenting Both Sides Now on the Main Stage of Act II Entertainment through March 29 with 7:00 and 10:00 pm performances.

Act II Entertainment STAGES complex is located at Insurgentes 300 (corner of Basilio Badillo & Insurgentes), 2nd Floor, Zona Romántica, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Telephone is (322) 222-1512. Tickets can be purchased at the Stage II Box office opened daily at 1:00 pm with a 2nd Box office location across the street from Garbos on Pulpito street in the Romantic Zone. Go to Act II Entertainment for show details.

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