_1.png)
Award-winning local musicians Erin Propp and Larry Roy are set to bring their signature blend of expressive vocals and masterful guitar work to the Rady JCC on March 25 at 2 p.m. Their concert, Circle Games and Summer Lawns: A Joni Mitchell Anthology, is part of the Music and Mavens concert and lecture series, celebrating the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter.
Propp, a celebrated jazz vocalist, and Roy, an acclaimed guitarist, are longtime admirers of Mitchell’s work. The duo has performed Mitchell’s songs for years, including Coyote, a staple in their setlist. When producer Karla Berbrayer of Music and Mavens heard them perform, she proposed an entire show dedicated to Mitchell’s music. For Propp, it was an easy yes.
“We’re both huge fans of her songwriting and artistry,” says Propp, “Her band is always killer, and all of her records—it's like finding the best author who has multiple series of many, many books. You can stay in that world forever.”
Mitchell’s music is known for its rich storytelling, intricate melodies, and jazz influences, making it a challenge and a joy to perform. Propp, who usually sings Mitchell’s songs one at a time in mixed sets, said preparing a full-length show has given her a deeper appreciation for the legendary songwriter’s phrasing and rhythmic choices.
“She is the ultimate in phrasing,” Propp said. “It’s a master class over and over again, trying to learn what she does. Every line has a different cadence to it. You’ll hear me put my own spin on things—not because I wanted to, but because I couldn’t memorize everything she does!”
For Roy, a longtime Mitchell fan, her music’s rhythmic complexity and harmonic depth make this concert particularly exciting. “Her rhythmic palette is that of the best jazz musicians of the last 50 or 60 years, which is why so many jazz greats—Charlie Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius—were drawn to her music,” Roy said. “She used so many different tunings on her guitar that I’ll have seven or eight guitars on stage. None of the fingerings work from one tuning to the next, so it’s a big challenge—but a fun one.”
The concert will feature songs from across Mitchell’s career, including The Circle Game, Hejira, Coyote, and Amelia. Propp will also take a seat at the piano for Down to You and River. One song she’s particularly looking forward to performing is Come In from the Cold—a long, lyrical piece where Roy’s playing creates “a world for us to live in.”
“Larry allows for space, for anything to happen,” Propp said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to—living in that space where the music just unfolds.”
The admiration is mutual. Roy recalled a moment years ago when a producer from a Joni Mitchell musical approached them after a performance. “He said Erin’s voice was the best he’d ever heard for that show,” Roy said. “Performing with Erin is like being in a candy store.”
With their deep respect for Mitchell’s artistry and an undeniable musical chemistry, Propp and Roy’s Joni Mitchell Anthology promises to be a moving tribute. If past performances are any indication, audiences can expect an afternoon of beauty, storytelling, and supreme musicianship—an experience as effortless and satisfying as peanut butter and jelly.
For more details on Circle Games and Summer Lawns: A Joni Mitchell Anthology. Click here.