Rhino's Joni Mitchell Archives series has been dependably running since 2020, offering alternating box sets featuring troves of unreleased material from the folk legend and remastered versions of the album eras they cover. With the most recent box collecting her last four albums for the Asylum label - Hejira (1976), Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977), Mingus (1979) and the live Shadows and Light (1980) - today's new announcement closes that same chapter, offering hours of unreleased live and studio material tied to those records.

Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), released October 4, will feature six CDs (or a "highlights" set on four LPs) chronicling the Canadian icon's trek through the latter half of the '70s, peeling away from her always-eclectic folk-pop sound, venturing into territory inspired by jazz and fusion. Sourced from variously assembled materials, from rare multitrack tapes to radio recordings (and even the archive of another major artist), this set continues the rich discoveries that netted Mitchell, producer Patrick Milligan and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman Grammy Awards for Best Historical Album after the release of the inaugural box. As with other Archives boxes, the accompanying 36-page booklet will offer rare photos and a continuing conversation on this particular era between Mitchell and journalist-turned-filmmaker Cameron Crowe.

The box picks up just before Hejira took shape, with Mitchell on the road on her own tour in early 1976 as well as two jaunts in 1975 and 1976 as part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue, supplied through Dylan's own archive. (You'll no doubt recall that this tour was the subject of an exhaustive box some years ago. A live version of "Coyote" from the 1975 leg of the tour is the box's first preview track.) Milligan and Sean Brennan at Battery Studios have newly mixed many of these tracks. The early 1976 solo dates stemmed from the aftermath of her previous studio album, 1975's The Hissing of Summer Lawns, and featured an expansive touring band featuring many of that album's key players (including guitarist Robben Ford, keyboardist Victor Feldman, bassist Max Bennett and drummer John Guerin). Before she rejoined the Rolling Thunder Revue in the spring of '76, she decamped to A&M Studios in Hollywood to lay down demos for the material that would make up Hejira; nine of those demos, and a further two rough mixes from the album sessions that summer, are included in the box.

After two session recordings from the expansive double album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter comes a trove of material leading into and through the creation of Mingus, In addition to a stirring charity performance at California's Bread and Roses Festival in 1978 that saw her and Herbie Hancock debut some of the material from her collaboration with jazz legend Charles Mingus, fans will also delight at the presence of five tracks from the album's mythic "experimental sessions." While the final version of Mingus was cut with Hancock and several members of Weather Report (including saxophonist Wayne Shorter, bassist Jaco Pastorius and drummer Peter Erskine), a session stemming from Electric Lady Studios featured the same material with a completely different line-up, including Mingus collaborators and disciples as well as legends of fusion: among them saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Phil Woods, guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Stanley Clarke, Jan Hammer on Minimoog and drummer Tony Williams. The box closes out with 25 live recordings from Mitchell's 1979 tour (which formed the double live album Shadows and Light a year later). Mitchell's crack live band here includes Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays on guitar and keyboards, a returning Pastorius on bass, the saxophone of Michael Brecker, drummer Don Alias and vocal group The Persuasions providing harmonies (most notably on a cover of Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love").

Astoundingly, the success of Archives has dovetailed with an almost improbable comeback by Mitchell, who had to relearn to walk and play guitar after experiencing a brain aneurysm in 2015. Her surprise set at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival was one of the year's most-discussed live events of the year, captured on a Grammy-winning live album; she's since performed at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington; at two ceremonies for the Gershwin Prize for Popular Music (one for herself and one for Elton John); her first-time performance at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, and a pair of star-studded shows at the Hollywood Bowl that will occur weeks after the release of Archives Vol. 4 (and weeks before Mitchell turns 81).

The new box is available October 4 at the links below. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) (Rhino, 2024)

6CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

+ available on vinyl version

CD 1

The Rolling Thunder Revue

1. Jericho (Live at Niagara Falls Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY - 11/15/1975)
2. Introduction - Bob Neuwirth (Live at Harvard Square Theater, Cambridge, MA - 11/20/1975) +
3. Edith and the Kingpin (Live at Harvard Square Theater, Cambridge, MA - 11/20/1975) +
4. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow (Live at Harvard Square Theater, Cambridge, MA - 11/20/1975) +
5. Introduction - Bob Neuwirth (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 11/21/1975) +
6. Harry's House (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 11/21/1975) +
7. A Case of You (Live at Bangor Auditorium, Bangor, ME - 11/27/1975) +
8. Woman of Heart and Mind (recorded at Gordon Lightfoot's house, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 11/30/1975)
9. Introduction - Bob Neuwirth (Live at the Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - 12/4/1975)
10. Intro to Coyote (Live at the Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - 12/4/1975) +
11. Coyote (Live at the Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - 12/4/1975) +

1976 Tour of the United States

12. Help Me (Live at Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI - 2/29/1976)
13. Love or Money (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
14. Free Man in Paris (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
15. For the Roses (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
16. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
17. Big Yellow Taxi (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
18. Shades of Scarlett Conquering (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
19. For Free (Live at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY - 2/20/1976) +

CD 2

1976 Tour of the United States

1. Intro to Coyote/Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
2. Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
3. Just Like This Train (Live at Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI - 2/29/1976)
4. Shadows and Light (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
5. In France They Kiss on Main Street (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
6. Traveling (Hejira) (Live at Cameron Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC - 2/7/1976)
7. Edith and the Kingpin (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
8. Talk to Me (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
9. Harry's House/Centerpiece (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
10. Intro to Furry Sings the Blues (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
11. Furry Sings the Blues (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976) +
12. Trouble Child (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
13. Rainy Night House (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
14. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow (Live at Cameron Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC - 2/7/1976)
15. Raised on Robbery (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
16. The Jungle Line (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)
17. Twisted (Live at Music Hall, Boston, MA - 2/19/1976)

CD 3

Hejira Demos, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA - March 1976

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

The Rolling Thunder Revue

10. Black Crow (Live at Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX - 5/16/1976)
11. Intro to Song for Sharon (Live at Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX - 5/16/1976) +
12. Song for Sharon (Live at Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX - 5/16/1976) +

Hejira Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA - Summer 1976

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

CD 4

Don Juan's Reckless Daughter Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA

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

Mingus Sessions, Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY

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)

Bread & Roses Festival, The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA - 9/2-9/3/1978

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

14. A Good Suit and a Good Haircut
15. God Must Be a Boogie Man +
16. Solo for Old Fat Girls' Soul
17. The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines

CD 5

Mingus Early Alternate Version, Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY and A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA - 1978-1979

1. Sue and the Holy River +

Mingus Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA - 1979

2. The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey

May 6 Coalition Rally Against Nuclear Power, National Mall, Washington, D.C. - 5/6/1979

3. Introduction - Graham Nash
4. Big Yellow Taxi

1979 Tour Rehearsals, SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA

5. Jericho +
6. Help Me +

1979 Tour of the United States

7. Big Yellow Taxi (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979) +
8. Just Like This Train (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979) +
9. In France They Kiss on Main Street (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
10. Coyote (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
11. Edith and the Kingpin (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
12. Free Man in Paris (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
13. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
14. Jaco's Solo/Third Stone from the Sun (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
15. The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)

CD 6

1979 Tour of the United States

1. Amelia (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
2. Pat's Solo (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
3. Hejira (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
4. Don's Solo (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
5. Dreamland (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
6. Black Crow (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
7. Furry Sings the Blues (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
8. Intro to God Must Be a Boogie Man (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
9. God Must Be a Boogie Man (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
10. Raised on Robbery (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979) +
11. Shadows and Light (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
12. The Last Time I Saw Richard (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979) +
13. Why Do Falls in Love (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Forest Hills, NY - 8/25/1979)
14. Woodstock (Live at Robin Hood Dell West, Philadelphia, PA - 8/28/1979)
15. Intro to A Chair in the Sky (Live at The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA - 9/13/1979) +
16. A Chair in the Sky (Live at The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA - 9/13/1979) +