The Joni Project: a Tribute to Joni Mitchell featuring Katie Pearlman & her band - Court and Spark 50th Anniversary Tour at Axelrod Performing Arts Center

The Joni Project formed as a tribute in sound and spirit to Joni Mitchell, one of music’s greatest and most innovative artists. They are quite simply the finest and most musically sophisticated tribute to Joni on the scene today.

The band is fronted by Long Island's remarkable multi-instrumentalist and singer Katie Pearlman, who impressively plays Joni's songs in their original open guitar tunings, and also includes jazz and jam band mainstays Dave Berg (guitar), Dan Ehrlich (bass), Alan Lerner (drums),Mark Mancini (keyboards), Steve Finklestein (percussion), Premik Russell Tubbs (saxophone and flute), and Victoria Faiella (backing vocals).

Collectively, they've performed with members of the Grateful Dead, The Band, The Doors, the Neville Brothers, and so many others. Together, they bring fresh interpretation to Joni's legendary tunes from their many eras and genres - particularly from the time of her stunning and dynamic collaboration with Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker.

For this special show, The Joni Project celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the release of Court and Spark, performing the album in its entirety plus a selection of other Joni favorites. Released in January 1974, Court and Spark infused the folk-rock style of Joni's previous albums with jazz elements, which The Joni Project displays in electrifying and elegant fashion.

Court and Spark track list: Court and Spark, Help Me, Free Man in Paris, People's Parties, The Same Situation, Car on a Hill, Down to You, Just Like This Train, Raised on Robbery, Trouble Child, Twisted. Some notable album achievements: RIAA certified gold soon after its 1974 release, then double platinum in 1997; The Village Voice 1974 critics poll Best Album of the Year; Included in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.