The Boundary Dweller

The title of this week's episode comes from a term that legendary
rock photographer Norman Seeff uses to describe a truly innovative
artist, one who is willing to risk sacrificing their career in
order to expand beyond their creative comfort zone. He calls these
people “boundary dweller artists.” Norman says that he sees Joni as
the archetype of this concept. Her evolution to incorporate jazz
influences in the 70s, threw some of her fans for a loop, but as
we’ve heard in previous episodes, Joni was not concerned with what
others think. Working with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Herbie
Hancock and Charles Mingus, Joni pushed her own boundaries. She
pushed Norman’s boundaries, too. His photo sessions with Joni
Mitchell spanned over 15 years and 12 sessions, and his photography
of Joni has appeared in the album packaging and covers
for Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns, Don Juan's
Reckless Daughter, Hejira, Dog Eat Dog, and
her Hits and Misses compilations. Norman Seeff
tells host Carmel Holt that Joni is one of the most courageous
people he’s ever worked with, and in this fascinating episode that
traces Norman's road to Joni and where it led him, we learn how the
process of writing and compiling his book Joni: The Joni
Mitchell Sessions he realized that he had not only captured
Joni's metamorphosis but he also had been led to the guiding
philosophy about creativity and the artistic spirit that has guided
his work, and his personal evolution.