Joni Mitchell’s Jazzy Late ’70s Career to Be Explored Via Outtakes and Live Tracks in ‘Archives, Vol. 4’

Joni Mitchell’s vault will get an even deeper dig this fall with the release of a 6-CD boxed set that will bring together about a hundred previously unreleased recordings from the fruitful late ’70s period in which jazz exerted its greatest influence on her output.

Joni Mitchell Rewrites 'I'm Still Standing' and Metallica Slays 'Love Lies Bleeding,' Among Standouts in PBS' Touching Elton John/Bernie Taupin Tribute: TV Review

Titled “Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980),” the set will be out Oct. 4, via Rhino. This collection of demos, studio outtakes and live tracks comes on the heels of a June set that boxed up all the original studio albums from this same period. The albums that came out during the time frame are 1976s “Hejira,” 1977’s double-LP “Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter,” 1979’s “Mingus” and the 1980 live album “Shadows and Light.”

Vinyl enthusiasts will be able to purchase a condensed and distilled version of the collection as a four-LP set, described as containing Mitchell’s own personal favorites from the larger digital package.

A preview track, “Intro to Coyote/Coyote,” recorded live in Canada in December 1975 when she was out on tour with Bob Dylan, was released Thursday.

Music fans who wished that Dylan’s “Rolling Thunder Revue” boxed set of a few years back had included material from other artists on that tour will see part of their wishes fulfilled with the Mitchell box: the first 11 tracks in this new set come from her Rolling Thunder sets of 1975-76 (actually predating the first year listed in the collection’s title, by just a bit), courtesy of the Bob Dylan Archives. Other live material covered includes Mitchell’s own headlining 1976 tour, a 1979 tour, and recordings culled from her appearances at the Bread & Roses Festival and Anti-Nuclear Rally.

The studio sessions represented will allow fans to hear more of what she was doing with such masterful jazz talents as Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorious, Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny.

As with previous installments in the “Archives” series, Cameron Crowe contributed to the package’s liner notes, engaging in conversation with Mitchell to bring out memories and anecdotes from the period covered.

Mitchell’s long road of recovery from health setbacks in recent years will reach another culmination this fall when she headlines two appearances at the Hollywood Bowl Oct. 19-20 under the banner of a “Joni Jam.” Brandi Carlile has produced a few previous public Joni Jams at the Bowl and elsewhere, including a Newport Folk Festival appearance that was released as a live album.

The full CD and vinyl track lists:

6CD Tracklisting

Disc One:

Rolling Thunder Revue

Live In Niagara Falls

Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY, November 15, 1975

Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

1. Jericho

Live at Harvard Square Theater

Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

2. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
3. Edith and the Kingpin
4. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, November 21, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

5. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
6. Harry’s House

Live in Bangor

Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975

Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

7. A Case of You

Gordon Lightfoot’s House

Toronto, ON, Canada, November 30, 1975

Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

8. Woman of Heart and Mind

Live at Montreal Forum

Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

9. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
10. Intro to Coyote
11. Coyote

1976 Tour of the United States

Recorded by Stanley Johnston from PA mixes by Brian Jonathan

(Courtesy of the estate of Stanley Tajima Johnston)

Live in Madison

Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976

12. Help Me

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

13. Love or Money
14. Free Man in Paris
15. For The Roses
16. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire
17. Big Yellow Taxi
18. Shades of Scarlett Conquering

Live at Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976

19. For Free

Disc Two:

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

1. Intro to Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
2. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

Live in Madison

Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976

3. Just Like This Train

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

4. Shadows and Light
5. In France They Kiss on Main Street

Live at Duke University

Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976

6. Traveling (Hejira)

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

7. Edith and the Kingpin
8. Talk To Me
9. Harry’s House/Centerpiece
10. Intro to Furry Sings the Blues
11. Furry Sings The Blues
12. Trouble Child
13. Rainy Night House

Live at Duke University

Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976

14. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

15. Raised on Robbery
16. The Jungle Line
17. Twisted

Disc Three:

Hejira Demos

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976

Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

1. Furry Sings The Blues
2. Traveling (Hejira)
3. Dreamland
4. Talk To Me
5. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
6. Black Crow
7. Amelia
8. Blue Motel Room
9. A Strange Boy

Rolling Thunder Revue

Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, May 16, 1976

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Engineered by

Don Meehan; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

10. Black Cow
11. Intro to Song For Sharon
12. Song For Sharon

Hejira Sessions

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

13. Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)
14. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)

Disc Four:

Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Sessions

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

1. “Save Magic” (Paprika Plains Embryonic Version)
2. Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)

Mingus Sessions

Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

3. Sweet Sucker Dance (Vocals & Drums Version – Take 5)
4. A Chair in the Sky (Early Alternate Version – Take 6)
5. Sweet Sucker Dance (Early Alternate Version)

Live at Bread & Roses Festival

Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, September 2 & 3, 1978

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

6. Introduction
7. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
8. Intro to A Chair In The Sky
9. A Chair In The Sky
10. Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
11. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
12. Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey
13. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Mingus Early Alternate Version

Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY and A&M Studios,

Hollywood, CA, 1978 & 1979

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

14. A Good Suit and A Good Haircut
15. God Must Be A Boogie Man
16. Solo for Old Fat Girl’s Soul
17. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

Disc Five:

1. Sue and the Holy River

Mingus Sessions

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, 1979

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

Joni Mitchell Music Is Back on Spotify, After She Joined Neil Young in Pulling Songs Over Joe Rogan's COVID 'Lies'

2. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Live at May 6 Coalition Rally Against Nuclear Power

National Mall, Washington, D.C., May 6, 1979

3. Introduction – Graham Nash
4. Big Yellow Taxi

1979 Tour Rehearsals

SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA

Recorded by Joel Bernstein

5. Jericho
6. Help Me

1979 Tour of the United States

Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium

Queens, NY, August 25, 1979

Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

7. Big Yellow Taxi
8. Just Like This Train
9. In France They Kiss On Main Street
10. Coyote
11. Edith and The Kingpin
12. Free Man In Paris
13. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
14. Jaco’s Solo/ Third Stone From The Sun
15. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

Disc Six:

1. Amelia
2. Pat’s Solo
3. Hejira
4. Don’s Solo
5. Dreamland
6. Black Crow
7. Furry Sings The Blues
8. Intro to God Must Be A Boogie Man
9. God Must Be A Boogie Man
10. Raised On Robbery
11. Shadows and Light
12. The Last Time I Saw Richard
13. Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Live in Philadelphia

Robin Hood Dell West, Philadelphia, PA, August 28, 1979

Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

14. Woodstock

Live at Greek Theatre

Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 1979

Recorded by Andy Johns & Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

15. Intro to A Chair In The Sky
16. A Chair In The Sky

4LP Highlights Tracklisting

Side One:

Rolling Thunder Revue

Live at Harvard Square Theater

Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
2. Edith and the Kingpin
3. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, November 21, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

4. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
5. Harry’s House

Live in Bangor

Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975

Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

6. A Case of You

Side Two:

Live at Montreal Forum

Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

1. Intro to Coyote
2. Coyote

1976 Tour of the United States

Recorded by Stanley Johnston from PA mixes by Brian Jonathan

(Courtesy of the estate of Stanley Tajima Johnston)

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

3. Free Man In Paris
4. Shades of Scarlett Conquering

Live at Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976

5. For Free

Side Three:

Live at Music Hall

Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

1. Shadows and Light
2. In France They Kiss On Main Street
3. Intro to Furry Sings The Blues
4. Furry Sings The Blues

Hejira Demos

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976

Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

5. Traveling (Hejira)

Side Four:

1. Black Crow
2. Amelia

Rolling Thunder Revue

Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, May 16, 1976

Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Engineered by

Don Meehan; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

3. Intro to Song For Sharon
4. Song For Sharon

Side Five:

Hejira Sessions

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

1. Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)
2. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)

Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Sessions

A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

3. Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)

Mingus Sessions

Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

4. Sweet Sucker Dance (Vocals & Drums Version – Take 5)

Side Six:

Live at Bread & Roses Festival

Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, September 2 & 3, 1978

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

1. Introduction
2. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
3. Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
5. Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey
6. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Mingus Early Alternate Version

Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY and A&M Studios,

Hollywood, CA, 1978 & 1979

Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

15.    God Must Be A Boogie Man

Side Seven:

1. Sue and The Holy River

1979 Tour Rehearsals

SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA

Recorded by Joel Bernstein

2. Jericho
3. Help Me

1979 Tour of the United States

Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium

Queens, NY, August 25, 1979

Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

4. Big Yellow Taxi
5. Just Like This Train
6. Raised On Robbery

Side Eight:

1. The Last Time I Saw Richard

Live at Greek Theatre

Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 1979

Recorded by Andy Johns & Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman Made for an Outstanding Grammys, but the Show Has Forgotten How to Spotlight New Artists: TV Review

2. Intro to A Chair In The Sky
3. A Chair In The Sky