Record of the day: Yoko Ono, “Yes, I’m a witch”

Yoko Ono, “Yes, I’m a Witch” (Cd Astralwerks ASW 79287)

One of the most hated figures in the entire history of Rock, Yoko Ono had to wait over three decades to see her influence recognized on various artists on today’s scene (just think of names like Cibo Matto and Björk).

Her experimental records of the Seventies, such as “Approximately Infinite Universe” and “Fly”, are very interesting and courageous, but Beatles fans (used to considering Yoko as the evil witch who ironically admits to being in the title of this latest album ) have always treated them with contempt; yet Yoko’s work was well known on the New York scene well before meeting John Lennon, especially thanks to collaborations with important figures such as the group Fluxus, Nam June Paik and John Cage.

Not attractive according to the standards of the time, fiercely independent, Yoko did not allow herself to be relegated to the kitchen like the previous wives of the four baronets and intervened with confidence and without any awe in the group’s work; her being perpetually immersed in the extreme avant-garde certainly contributed to opening Lennon’s artistic horizons (“Revolution 9” and “Two Virgins” are unthinkable if we don’t consider Yoko’s influence on John) but also his personal ones, making him aware of the struggles necessary for the advancement of women’s rights (let’s not forget that Lennon before meeting Yoko was a notorious woman beater, his first wife knows something about it).

His voice is certainly sharp, unpleasant and deliberately oblivious to pop conventions, but it achieves white-hot results in anguished compositions like “Don’t Worry Kyoko” and “Cambridge 1969”, which predate Ikue Mori’s vocal performances with John by decades Zorn (an artist who must have observed Yoko’s work carefully).

“Yes, I’m a Witch” sees many songs from Yoko’s repertoire rearranged by exponents of the latest generation of producers, from Hank Schocklee to DJ Spooky, passing through trendy names such as Anthony and the Johnsons, Craig Armstrong and Apples in Stereo. All these sonic alchemists get along very well with Yoko’s compositions and cover them with electronic beats, spectacular mixes, alienated samples and metropolitan sounds, underlining the modernity of conception that these pieces possessed since their first appearance.

Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical topics.

This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: A record for every day of the year” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.