The Joni Mitchell Archives is an ongoing project to release previously unreleased recorded material by Canadian singer-songwriter

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...

. So far, each new release schedule consists of a box set collection, a compilation with material on the box set release, and a live album. The project is being overseen by Mitchell and Patrick Milligan, director of A&R for

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

, the label through which the project's offerings are being released. The first release also received input from

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

, who had experience with the release of his own extensive archival series, and Mitchell and Young's late manager Elliot Roberts, who died during the process of planning the first box set, and to whom the release is dedicated. The project's logo prominently features a polar bear, a visual allusion to the traditional

Saulteaux The Saulteaux (pronounced , or in imitation of the French pronunciation , also written Salteaux, Saulteau and other variants), otherwise known as the Plains Ojibwe, are a First Nations band government in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Al ...

name bestowed upon Mitchell by a childhood friend at her seventy-fifth birthday party. Kāwāsapizit-Wābiski-Makawko-Ikwē – the name granted and recognized by the Yellow Quill First Nation – translates to 'Sparkling White Bear Woman' in English.

Box sets

Unreleased material

''Volume 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)''

The first volume of unreleased archived material, '' Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)'', was released on October 30, 2020. The five-disc box set includes the archived material that was recorded in the years preceding the release of Mitchell's debut studio album, ''

Song to a Seagull ''Song to a Seagull'' (also known as ''Joni Mitchell'') is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Produced by David Crosby, the album was recorded in 1967 at Sunset Sound and released on March 23, 1968 by Reprise R ...

'' (1968). The box set also includes a booklet with liner notes featuring conversations about the time period between writer/filmmaker

Cameron Crowe Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, and playwright. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, for wh ...

and Mitchell.

''Volume 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971)''

The second volume of unreleased archived material, '' Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971)'', was released November 12, 2021. The box set includes the archived material that was recorded in the years between the release of Mitchell's debut studio album, ''

'' (1968) and her fourth studio album, ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

'' (1971). The set is available in multiple formats, including as a five-disc CD set and, exclusive to the official Joni Mitchell web store, a limited edition 10-LP vinyl set. Like the first set, the second volume also includes a booklet with liner notes featuring conversations about the time period between Cameron Crowe and Mitchell.

Album remasters

''The Reprise Albums (1968–1971)''

The first volume of album remasters, '' The Reprise Albums (1968–1971)'', was released on July 2, 2021, by

. The box set includes Mitchell's first four albums, all of which were released on

Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...

: ''

'' (1968), ''

Clouds In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may com ...

'' (1969), '' Ladies of the Canyon'' (1970), and ''

'' (1971). In the case of ''Song To A Seagull'', the original mix has been recently updated by mixer Matt Lee, overseen by Mitchell. The box includes an essay by

Brandi Carlile Brandi Marie Carlile ( ; born June 1, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose music spans many genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. , Carlile has released seven studio albums. She has ...

''The Asylum Albums (1972–1975)''

The second volume of album remasters, '' The Asylum Albums (1972–1975)'', was released on September 23, 2022, by

. The box set includes Mitchell's first four albums released on

Asylum Records Asylum Records is an American record label, founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and later merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/As ...

: ''

For the Roses ''For the Roses'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It was released in November 1972, between her two biggest commercial and critical successes—''Blue'' and ''Court and Spark''. In 2007 it was one of 25 rec ...

'' (1972), ''

Court and Spark ''Court and Spark'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in January 1974, it infuses the folk rock style of her previous albums with jazz elements. It was an immediate commercial and critical success— ...

'' (1974), ''

Miles of Aisles ''Miles of Aisles'' is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1974 on Asylum Records. It is a double album documenting her concerts in support of the ''Court and Spark'' album with her backing band for the ...

'' (1974), and ''

The Hissing of Summer Lawns ''The Hissing of Summer Lawns'' is the seventh studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1975. The sessions featured backing from members of the jazz groups the L.A. Express and the Jazz Crusaders. The lead singl ...

'' (1975).

Auxiliary releases

''Early Joni – 1963''

The first auxiliary release in the series, ''

Early Joni – 1963 ''Early Joni – 1963'' is a compilation album by singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on October 30, 2020, by Rhino Records. The album, which is the second overall and the first auxiliary release of the Joni Mitchell Archives, features one o ...

'', was released on October 30, 2020, by

. The album features one of Mitchell's first live performances, a broadcast set on

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

radio station CFQC AM. The cover art for the release features a self portrait drawn by Mitchell that is based on an early photo in her personal archive, and marks the first visual artwork that she had completed in several years.

''Volume 1: The Early Years (1963–1967): Highlights''

The second auxiliary release in the series, a condensed version of ''Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)'', subtitled ''Highlights'', was released on June 12, 2021, by Rhino Records. The truncated version of the ''Archives – Volume 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)'' compilation was released exclusively as a

vinyl LP The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...

for Record Store Day 2021 Drop 1. ''Highlights'' features a track listing that is in chronological order. The 180 gram vinyl was limited to 5,500 copies in the United States and 15,000 copies worldwide.

''Blue 50 (Demos & Outtakes)''

The third auxiliary release in the series, ''Blue 50 (Demos & Outtakes)'', was released by

on June 21, 2021, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ''Blue''s release. The digital-only EP release consists of five unreleased demos recorded during the making of ''Blue''. Three of the included songs later made it on the album in finished form: a demo of "California", a demo of an early version "A Case of You" with alternate lyrics, and an outtake of "River" that features additional instrumentation from french horns. A demo of "Urge for Going" features added strings; originally written by Mitchell in the mid-1960s, she revisited the song while recording ''Blue'' and later released a different version of the song as the B-side to " You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" from ''

'' in 1972. The EP also includes the first official release of "Hunter", an unreleased song that had previously been performed live by Mitchell and was "cut from ''Blue'' at the last minute". The EP's album cover "features the original ''Blue'' color treatment with a previously unseen alternate photo of Mitchell by

Tim Considine Timothy Daniel Considine (December 31, 1940 – March 3, 2022) was an American actor, writer, photographer, and automotive historian. He was best known for his acting roles in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Early life Considine was born in Lo ...

from the same session as the original."

Track listing

All tracks are written by

''Blue Highlights''

The fourth auxiliary release in the series, a condensed version of ''Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971)'', titled ''Blue Highlights'', was released on April 23, 2022, by Rhino Records. The sampler album was released exclusively as a

for Record Store Day 2022, and was made with "Joni’s insight, cooperation and creative input". ''Blue Highlights'' is the ninth overall release and fourth auxiliary release of the Joni Mitchell Archives, and like the album its material is derived from, features a track listing that is in chronological order. The vinyl release is limited to 9,000 copies in the United States and 16,000 copies worldwide. It debuted at number 150 on the ''Billboard'' 200, making it the first release from the archive series to appear on the chart.

Live albums

''Live at Canterbury House – 1967''

The first live album of the series, '' Live at Canterbury House – 1967'', was released on October 30, 2020. The expansive, three-set recording was captured at the Canterbury House student missionary in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967. The live album was pressed exclusively on vinyl.

''Live at Carnegie Hall – 1969''

The second live album of the series, '' Live at Carnegie Hall – 1969'', was released on November 12, 2021. The two-set recording was captured at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

in New York City, New York on February 1, 1969. The live album was pressed exclusively on vinyl.

References

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Joni Mitchell Archives, noerror Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell compilation albums Live album series Compilation album series 2020s live albums 2020s compilation albums