By JESSICA NEU
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Clouds in My Coffee is a Perfect Tribute to Mitchell, King, and Simon.
Conductor Ted Sperling leads the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Clouds in My Coffee: The Trailblazing Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon, the latest installment of the PNC Pops programs, Clouds in My Coffeefeatures three trailblazing vocalists in their own right, take audiences on a journey dating back to the 1960s and 70s. Broadway juggernauts Micaela Diamond, Morgan James, and Bryonha Marie unite in a harmonized sisterhood to capture the essence of three of pop music’s most influential female singer-songwriters.
Mitchell, King, and Simon penned dozens of songs comprising the soundtrack to our lives. They came of age in a time ofturbulent social change and found a way to channel their deepest emotions about love, life, and their place in the world that still resonates with listeners today. All three women wrote about topics such as sensuality and self-determination with a frankness that women had yet to explore in popular music. This edginess pushed the boundaries of what was allowed to be played on top 40 radio then. They originated the meta lyric – a writing style still prominent in today’s female singer-songwriters. Before Taylor Swift had a “Picture to Burn,” Carole King said it was “Too Late.” Before Chappell Roan was “Hot to Go,” Joni Mitchell could “Drink a Case” of her lover.” And Carly Simon was putting vanity on full display long before Olivia Rodrigo got her “driver’s license.”
Diamond started the show with the first verse of Simon’s “You’re So Vain” before being joined by James and Marie for the remainder of Simon’s biggest hits. Their three-part harmonies soared from the start. Audiences knew they were in for a great night. Diamond had her first of several solo moments with King’s “Beautiful.” This was King’s favorite opening number and offers a message of unbounded optimism.
All three vocalists returned to the stage and kept the energy high for Mitchell’s classic “Big Yellow Taxi.” After suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015, Mitchell re-learned how to sing and play guitar and, with the help of her dear friend Brandi Carlile, began the “Joni Jams.” Dozens of artists come together with Mitchell to perform her catalog in a jam-like format. At Heinz Hall, we were experiencing our own Joni Jam. Full of inspiration, feminism, and revelry, we collectively begrudged the paving of paradise in exchange for a parking lot. James took a prominent lead on the number, completewith a flawless execution of Mitchell’s famous low notes on the final “Put Up a Parking Lot.”
Marie shined as she fiercely delivered King’s “So Far Away,” perfectly capturing King’s angst as she wrote this song about missing her children while away on tour. King and Mitchell both began their careers in the famous Los Angeles neighborhood, Laurel Canyon. Pittsburgh is indeed “so far away” from Laurel Canyon (over 2,400 miles away, to be exact). But Marie’s vocals and the PSO’s arrangements connected us to the canyon.
If Marie’s “So Far Away” took us to Laurel Canyon, James’ rendition of Mitchell’s “California” put us in Mitchell’s front yard (the one she shared with Graham Nash that inspired CSNY’s “Our House“). Jones executed Mitchell’s early iconic vocals to perfection. Every high note was delicate, but Jones’ chest voice is much stronger than Mitchell’s, giving “California” a new sense of depth and fullness.
Accompanied only by a stunning piano arrangement, Diamond returned for Mitchell’s “River” before all three ladies closed out the first act with King’s “Way Over Yonder.” As incredible as each woman sounded during their solo moments, their harmonies were truly a force to be reckoned with.
To begin the second act, Jones was joined by the Hamlisch-Page Student Choir, who fearlessly tackled Simon’s “Let the River Run.” This Oscar-winning song sounded fresh yet still fierce, with the youth choir, Jones’s powerful vocals, and the PSO delivering the song’s iconic percussion.
In a cheeky nod to Pittsburgh and Heinz Hall, all three ladies performed Simon’s “Anticipation.” The song was famously used in a Heinz Ketchup ad campaign, and Sterling noted that the color of the carpet in Heinz Hall supposedly matches the exact color of the ketchup.
Marie took the audience into the early ’90s with a deep dive into Mitchell’s catalog. Her delivery of the lesser-known “Night Ride Home” reminded us of Mitchell’s versatility and all three female trailblazers’ timelessness, creativity, and fortitude.
The performance culminated with Marie, Diamond, and Jones delivering some of the most well-known songs from the three artists in a show-stopping manner that deserves to be experienced in person. We were instantly taken aback to the first time we heard these classics, feeling as though they were written specifically for us. Indeed, you will leave “Clouds in My Coffee” hoping for a sequel performance as there are still so many songs in all three of the singer-songwriter’s catalogs yet to be performed.
Throughout my time with onStage Pittsburgh, I have had the immense privilege of attending a variety of stellar performances. However, few moments have been as moving or as powerful as Diamond’s acapella first verse of Mitchell’s classic “Both Sides Now.” Heinz Hall was silent. Time stood still. The moment was transcendent. A core memory. Jones, Marie, and the PSO later joined in showcasing the song’s brilliance. There might have been clouds in Carly Simon’s coffee, but they certainly did not get in the symphony’s way. The PSO’s arrangements swelled throughout the show. They had moments to shine in each number, most poignantly at the end of certain songs where they played several bars without vocals, ending on delicate minor notes that brought the number to a close as gently as a Laurel Canyon sunset.
At one point, Jones noted that she “grew up on this music” and acknowledged her parents for exposing her to these singer-songwriters. “You’re only as good as your parents’ record collection,” Jones told the crowd. My parent’s record collection was filled with Journey and Genesis (the mainstream albums, not the cool, progressive early prog-rock years). In fact, I discovered Joni Mitchell on a late-night Time Life infomercial, Carly Simon from a Janet Jackson sample, and Carole King from the mid-90s hair-dye commercial featuring “A Natural Woman.” But my record collection is now filled with these three ladies, and their music permeates our house weekly. I hope Mitchell’s, King’s, and Simon’s music continues inspiring new generations of music lovers. Whether you are new to their music or have been to the convenience store at the bottom of Laurel Canyon, this PSO Pops performance is not one to miss.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
There are two remaining performances of the PSO Pops presentation of Clouds in my Coffee: Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon, Saturday, May 10th, 2025, at 7:30pm and on Sunday the 10th, at 2:30pm. Tickets available at: https://pittsburghsymphony.org/production/93246/clouds-in-my-coffee-music-of-joni-mitchell-carole-king-and-carly-simon
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