Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) – A Very Transformative Period
On October 4, 2024, Rhino Records will release Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), a comprehensive box set that traces a pivotal period in Joni’s career. This release is available in two configurations: a 6CD version and a 4LP Highlights set, perfect for vinyl enthusiasts and CD collectors alike.
Joni Mitchell has never been one to tread the same path twice, and this set beautifully captures her fearless exploration of new musical territories during the late 1970s. Spanning the years from 1976 to 1980, Vol. 4 showcases Joni’s journey into jazz fusion, a genre she masterfully intertwined with her folk roots to create something entirely her own.
This period saw the release of the gold-certified Hejira (1976), the ambitious double album Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (1977), her bold collaboration with Charles Mingus on Mingus (1979), and the powerful live album Shadows and Light (1980). This new collection not only revisits those groundbreaking albums but also unearths previously unreleased studio sessions, alternate takes, and live recordings that offer fresh insights into Joni’s creative process.
What’s Inside the Box?
The 6CD edition of The Asylum Years (1976-1980) is a must for any Joni Mitchell fan, offering an expansive look at one of the most prolific phases of her career. For those who prefer vinyl, the 4LP Highlights version features Joni’s personal favorites from the CD collection. Each format is accompanied by a 36-page book filled with rare photos and an extensive conversation between Joni and her long-time friend, Cameron Crowe. In their candid discussion, Joni shares personal stories and memories from this transformative time in her life.
This box set is a window into Joni Mitchell’s world during a period of intense creativity and change. You’ll find early recordings and alternate takes from the Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus sessions, as well as powerful live performances from Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour, the Bread & Roses Festival, and the Anti-Nuclear Rally.
Joni’s collaborations during this era were nothing short of legendary, featuring contributions from musical giants like Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, and Pat Metheny. The collection even includes two tracks from her 1979 tour rehearsals, offering a rare glimpse into the preparations for her live performances.
IThe material in Vol. 4 has been meticulously sourced from original stereo reels, multi-track tapes, cassette tapes, and even radio airchecks. Some tracks have been newly mixed from multi-track tapes, while others have been carefully restored from the Bob Dylan Archives. The result is a sonic experience that is as immersive as it is revelatory.
This release follows last year’s critically acclaimed Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975), which was hailed by Pitchfork as “excellent” and by No Depression as “the most vital and interesting of the three collections so far.” Fans and critics alike are eagerly anticipating this latest installment, which promises to be just as essential.
Joni Mitchell continues to be a force in music, recently performing with Brandi Carlile at the Hollywood Bowl and making her GRAMMY Awards stage debut with a stunning rendition of “Both Sides Now.” She also took home a GRAMMY for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live] in the “Best Folk Album” category earlier this year.
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
Jericho
Live at Harvard Square Theater
Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan
Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
Edith and the Kingpin
Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, November 21, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
Harry’s House
Live in Bangor
Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
A Case of You
Gordon Lightfoot’s House
Toronto, ON, Canada, November 30, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
Woman of Heart and Mind
Live at Montreal Forum
Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan
Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
Intro to Coyote
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
Help Me
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Love or Money
Free Man in Paris
For The Roses
Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire
Big Yellow Taxi
Shades of Scarlett Conquering
Live at Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976
For Free
Disc Two:
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Intro to Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
Live in Madison
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976
Just Like This Train
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Shadows and Light
In France They Kiss on Main Street
Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976
Traveling (Hejira)
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Edith and the Kingpin
Talk To Me
Harry’s House/Centerpiece
Intro to Furry Sings the Blues
Furry Sings The Blues
Trouble Child
Rainy Night House
Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976
Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Raised on Robbery
The Jungle Line
Twisted
Disc Three:
Hejira Demos
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976
Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
Furry Sings The Blues
Traveling (Hejira)
Dreamland
Talk To Me
Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
Black Crow
Amelia
Blue Motel Room
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
Black Cow
Intro to Song For Sharon
Song For Sharon
Hejira Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)
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
“Save Magic” (Paprika Plains Embryonic Version)
Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)
Mingus Sessions
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon
Sweet Sucker Dance (Vocals & Drums Version – Take 5)
A Chair in the Sky (Early Alternate Version – Take 6)
Sweet Sucker Dance (Early Alternate Version)
Live at Bread & Roses Festival
Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, September 2 & 3, 1978
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
Introduction
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
Intro to A Chair In The Sky
A Chair In The Sky
Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey
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
A Good Suit and A Good Haircut
God Must Be A Boogie Man
Solo for Old Fat Girl’s Soul
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
Disc Five:
Sue and the Holy River
Mingus Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, 1979
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey
Live at May 6 Coalition Rally Against Nuclear Power
National Mall, Washington, D.C., May 6, 1979
Introduction – Graham Nash
Big Yellow Taxi
1979 Tour Rehearsals
SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Recorded by Joel Bernstein
Jericho
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
Big Yellow Taxi
Just Like This Train
In France They Kiss On Main Street
Coyote
Edith and The Kingpin
Free Man In Paris
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Jaco’s Solo/ Third Stone From The Sun
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
Disc Six:
Amelia
Pat’s Solo
Hejira
Don’s Solo
Dreamland
Black Crow
Furry Sings The Blues
Intro to God Must Be A Boogie Man
God Must Be A Boogie Man
Raised On Robbery
Shadows and Light
The Last Time I Saw Richard
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
Woodstock
Live at Greek Theatre
Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 1979
Recorded by Andy Johns & Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
Intro to A Chair In The Sky
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
Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
Edith and the Kingpin
Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, November 21, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
Introduction – Bob Neuwirth
Harry’s House
Live in Bangor
Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal
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
Intro to Coyote
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
Free Man In Paris
Shades of Scarlett Conquering
Live at Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976
For Free
Side Three:
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976
Shadows and Light
In France They Kiss On Main Street
Intro to Furry Sings The Blues
Furry Sings The Blues
Hejira Demos
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976
Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan
Traveling (Hejira)
Side Four:
Black Crow
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
Intro to Song For Sharon
Song For Sharon
Side Five:
Hejira Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)
Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)
Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy
Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)
Mingus Sessions
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon
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
Introduction
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey
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
God Must Be A Boogie Man
Side Seven:
Sue and The Holy River
1979 Tour Rehearsals
SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Recorded by Joel Bernstein
Jericho
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
Big Yellow Taxi
Just Like This Train
Raised On Robber
Side Eight:
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
Intro to A Chair In The Sky
A Chair In The Sky
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
