Duchess of Coolsville
July 2005
by David Baker

Even out here on the edge of The Middle Of Nowhere we have a most wonderful record store and it was whilst I was in that store yesterday I had both The Great Surprise and The Great Pleasure to discover and spend some time with your RICKIE LEE JONES "Duchess Of Coolsville: An Anthology".

And as a result, I can not help but find my fingers gliding across this
keyboard to send you this quick note of Big Thanks and Hearty Congratulations -as, first, a longtime fan of her work and, second, as a former colleague who understands the often arduous mechanics behind originating projects- to you for shepherding such a perfectly conceived, perfectly executed and perfectly presented package.

And, of course, these Thanks and Congratulations extend to all at Rhino/WSM who were involved in contributing their skills and talents into creating such an outstanding release. You, everyone there involved, should be very proud.

Other than the fact two of the discs had room to skootch on a few more
minutes of her marvelous music had you wanted, there is Absolutely Nothing, Absolutely Nothing Whatsoever, about this package that could be improved. It looks tremendous. It reads tremendous. It feels -both actually and vibewise-tremendous. And, of course, it sounds tremendous.

It is an obviously lovingly and carefully and thoughtfully created
presentation of essential music from an essential Artist and I hope it is received with the same enthusiasm with which it was evidently created. And, though I am not sure how others will react, I also happen to believe the decision to present her work on the first two discs in alphabetical order is so very, very, well... cool. In fact, the coolest. If there has ever before been a commercial release which presented its music sequenced from A To Z, I cannot think of what it is. So for that creative decision alone, you deserve a separate Innovative Hug.

I do not know very much about how Rhino/WSM actually works these days, but I hope that the arrival of RICKIE LEE JONES "Duchess Of Coolsville: An Anthology" was celebrated with exuberant applause and joyful cheers. If not generous portions of cake and confetti. And I hope you feel the well-earned warm glow and the well-deserved giddy satisfaction of An Outstanding Project So Incredibly And So Superbly Done.

Best Musically Thankful Regards,
David Baker