Chaka Khan was a crowd favorite at a Herbie Hancock-designed Hollywood Bowl program inspired by Joni Mitchell‘s jazz adventures in the 1970s. Khan delivered renditions of “People’s Parties” and “A Strange Boy.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Herbie Hancock’s connection to the music of Joni Mitchell includes his 2008 Grammy-winning album of the year, “River: The Joni Letters.” He’s the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Creative Chair for Jazz. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Kurt Elling sang “The Jungle Line,” “Black Crow” and “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Aimee Mann performed “Court and Spark” and “Free Man in Paris,” as well as the languid title track from “The Hissing of Summer Lawns.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Glen Hansard, of the Frames and the movie “Once,” offered his own take on the loping Joni Mitchell song “Coyote.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Herbie Hancock embraces Aimee Mann. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who’d collaborated with Joni Mitchell during her jazz fascination, was on the Hollywood Bowl bill. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Cassandra Wilson plumbed the melancholy of “Hejira.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Aimee Mann(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Herbie Hancock acknowledges the audience. The one-night “Joni’s Jazz” event on Aug. 17, 2011, was a reprise of a 1999 concert in New York‘s Central Park. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
