A Rabbi, a Jazz Singer, and the music that binds them: Joni & Leonard take the stage here

By Ellen Futterman, St. Louis Jewish Light

For Danielle Wertz and Robbie Schaefer, the paths that led them to each other—and to their intimate cabaret show, “Both Sides Now: The Music and Lives of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen”—are as layered and lyrical as the music they perform.

Wertz, 31, a Brooklyn-based jazz singer who is Jewish and Schaefer, a 59-year-old musician and newly ordained rabbi, both grew up in Virginia – in fact, they attended the same middle and high school there, though at different times – but did not know each other before this project. And yet their collaboration feels as natural as the songs they interpret.

On June 28th New Mexico will get a chance to step inside their world and the music of Mitchell and Cohen when they perform their touring show at the Kiva Auditorium in downtown Albuquerque.

How the collaboration began

The idea for the show began with a cabaret opportunity at Signature Theater in the Washington, D.C. area. Initially approached to perform a solo Joni Mitchell cabaret, Schaefer declined, instead proposing a narrative intertwining Mitchell’s and Cohen’s lives.

Wertz recalled that it was actually Schaefer who came up with the idea. He had been exploring Cohen’s work and learned about the brief romance and lasting creative bond between him and Mitchell. Schaefer suggested that instead of focusing solely on Mitchell’s music, the project could highlight the artistic dialogue between the two. If someone took on the Joni Mitchell side, Schaefer said, he’d represent Leonard Cohen.

Auditions for the female singer ensued but no one seemed quite right for the Mitchell part — until a meeting between Wertz and the theater’s cabaret director, Mark G. Meadows, took place in New York.

“We were just grabbing dinner and updating each other,” explained Wertz, who knew Meadows through the D.C. jazz scene. “And he kind of stopped short and said, ‘Wait, do you like Joni Mitchell?’ I was like, obviously I like Joni, what kind of question is that for a jazz musician songwriter?

“He immediately left the restaurant, apparently called the director and emailed Robbie. A few months later, Robbie and I met and started creating the show.”

Added Schaefer: “It felt pretty serendipitous that Danielle popped up exactly at the right place at the right time.”

A meeting of music, memory and meaning

Their first encounter set the tone for a collaboration rooted in mutual understanding and curiosity. Meeting on a cliff in Pacifica, California, they played a few Mitchell and Cohen songs and talked for hours — not just about music but also about Judaism, philosophy and spirituality. Wertz remembered, “Even in that conversation, I was like, oh, it’s going to be so much fun building a show like this with this brand-new person.”

The show, which debuted in December 2022, has evolved over nearly four years, with intermittent performances before the duo began touring consistently about two years ago. They perform in a variety of settings, from 100-seat cabaret-style spaces to mid-sized theaters seating several hundred. Wertz describes the performances as “really special,” where the closeness allows the audience to experience the music and narrative in a profoundly personal way. Schaefer adds, “It is spiritual without being religious… there is a world created in the venue that’s a little bit outside of time.” Jewish identity plays an unexpected yet powerful role in their collaboration.

Jewish roots and spiritual resonance

Schaefer, ordained in 2024, says his artistry is shaped as much by his Jewishness as by being a rabbi. He recalls Cohen’s words about his own music: “‘My music’s always been Jewish. It can’t be anything other than Jewish. It’s how I move through the world.’ I feel the same way. It’s who I am,” Schaefer said.

While Joni Mitchell isn’t Jewish, Schaefer notes that many of her songs echo Jewish themes and values. For Wertz, Mitchell has long been a musical heroine. She rediscovered her love for Joni during the pandemic, when Wertz played every one of Mitchell’s record on repeat for two and a half years.

“I had been a Joni fan for a long time and I could feel myself pivoting – with one foot in the jazz world but jazz not really offering me the solace that I wanted,” Wertz said. “I think in its simplest form, I was craving song. I really wanted to sing songs, but I wanted them to have the depth harmonically that jazz has. And so Joni was kind of perfect. She was the perfect artist to hold space for me while I was in transition.”

Finding meaning through music

Their show weaves storytelling, music, and conversation into something deeply personal. Though it nods to the fleeting romance between Mitchell and Cohen, that thread mainly serves as a launchpad for exploring creative and spiritual connection. Performing from chairs or at the piano, they create a living-room vibe—inviting audiences into a cozy, reflective space. Schaefer says the show helps people reconnect with themselves and one another through the music’s universal themes.

Looking ahead, both artists see the project as a living, evolving thing—even as their own paths expand. Schaefer, a father of three and former guitarist-songwriter for the indie band Eddie from Ohio, is recording new music inspired by Jewish texts. Wertz, newly married, just returned from a European composition residency. Yet both keep circling back to the cabaret, discovering fresh emotion in songs they’ve performed countless times.

“It’s a great privilege to keep finding new things in a show we’ve played so much,” Wertz said.

For Schaefer, the songs themselves are companions through every stage of life, growing deeper with each performance. “The show is intimate and spiritual without being religious,” he said. “At its best, there’s a world created in the room that feels just a little outside of time. For a few moments, we get to suspend time.”

Kiva Auditorium concert details

What: Both Sides Now: The Music and Lives of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, starring Danielle Wertz & Robbie Schaefer
When: 7:30 p.m. JUNE 28th Sunday. Doors open at 6:30. All ages. Where: KiMo Theatre 423 Central Ave. NW, Albuquerque NM 87102
How Much: Tickets cost $38, $49 and $60 (including service charges). Kids under 18 just $17. Tickets are also available from the KiMo Box Office
at 505-228-9857.
Tickets: Buy Tickets https://artsandculture.cabq.gov/14174/14175
More Information AMP Events: Both Sides Now

Ellen Futterman is Editor-in-Chief of the St. Louis Jewish Light and has generously shared this story with New Mexico Jewish Journal.

Neal Copperman is Executive Director at AMP Concerts Albuquerque.