What Makes It Great?

Rob Kapilow turns the What Makes it Great? spotlight on the folk and rock music that came out of Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and ‘70s. Along with a vocalist and other instrumentalists, he demonstrates what made the place and time so singular and special in the history of American popular music. Of the dozens of artists who created and collaborated in the enclave, Kapilow brings forward two brilliant, era-defining singer-songwriters: Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Through examples chosen from King’s Tapestry (1971) and Mitchell’s Clouds (1969), and Ladies of the Canyon (1970), he illustrates the genius of these two artists and the magic of the community that nurtured their iconic works. Selections will include “Natural Woman,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “Both Sides Now,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” and more.