‘Woman of heart and mind’ goes the title of this over two hour DVD that showcases the folk singer – songwriter Joni Mitchell’s life story from her simple beginnings to her stellar performances and successful career.

Celebrating her birthday this month (she is past her 70s mind you), this Canadian songstress, painter, and songwriter began singing in the streets of Toronto and later became one of the top singers of the Woodstock era.

Crossing musical boundaries with scorn, she has garnered critical acclaim whichever routes she choose to follow. From jamming with bands like Crosby, Stills and Nash and Young who also covered her work, to working with be – hop legend Charles Mingus, to her most recent and still as highly acclaimed work, this DVD documents the incredible achievements and influence that Joni Mitchell has had against all odds in this ever more conformist world.

With over 40 archive musical excerpts and interviews with collaborators David Crosby who produced her first record, Graham Nash, James Taylor, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, plus archive and contemporary interviews with Joni herself, this documentary – auto biographical visually stunning feature tells for the very first time the full remarkable story of a performer and songwriter which clearly justifies her iconic status. There are also comments by her ex – agent David Geffen, Elliot Roberts her former manager and other musicians like Bill Flanagan.

The DVD also shows her search for her daughter Kiladren Gibb who now has children of her own and keeps Joni busy. Herbie Hancock recounts his experience when he saw Joni meet her daughter after several years. “They were like little children, Joni behaved like a child. She was so overwhelmed with passion to see her daughter after so many years that it brought back memories to her.”

There is also the section when Joni recounts her days in school and how she began her career as an artist. For those who don’t know almost all Joni Mitchell music inlays covers are drawings done by Mitchell herself. “When I was in school” recalls Mitchell, “we were asked to draw a dog house. I drew one pretty good compared to the others that I had se3en. We were asked to draw one with a ‘U’ shaped door. The teacher showed us a copy of what they wanted. Mine was very close to the real copy. From that day I forged myself as an artist. Infact the kids at school too thought of me as an artist. From then on I pursued it and today I have a passion for drawing and singing too.” Plainly put one can say she was the subject and also the picture.

The chapters recount her childhood, her music, her romance with Nash, her foray from folk into jazz music, her painting, marriage and divorce and lastly her honors received throughout her career, coming full circle to what she does today. She also talks about how she got afflicted to polio and how she managed to come out of it.

Bonus features include songs like ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, ‘Amelia’, ‘Hejira’, ‘Woodstock’, however the favorites like ‘Circle Game’ and ‘Both sides now’ are missing.

The added on features also include a CD packshots of all her albums, a short photo gallery of Mitchell’s pictures, her discography, Travelogue and interviews based on certain songs that were really close to her and made her what she is today.

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira