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"It's not just the artifact – music and lyrics – that
Joni gives us. Her artistry leaves us, ourselves, changed. She has
shifted things around inside us. And that's how artists change the
world." - Meryl Streep |
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After THE HISSING OF SUMMER LAWNS tour, Joni retreated to
Neil Young's beach house to recover. Eager to travel but undecided about
a destination, Mitchell was unexpectedly invited on a cross-country
road trip with friends. It was one of three road trips she took between
1975 and 1976 and the beginning of a period defined by wanderlust, both
in her physical travels and musical exploration. This transformative
phase is the focal point of THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1976-1980), the next release in the Joni Mitchell Archives series. |
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The new collection, available as 6LP and 5CD (limited to
5,000) sets, as well as digitally, showcases Mitchell at her most daring
across HEJIRA (1976), DON JUAN'S RECKLESS DAUGHTER (1977), MINGUS
(1979), and the live album SHADOWS AND LIGHT (1980). Renowned audio
engineer Bernie Grundman remastered all four releases included in this
boxed set from the original flat analog master tapes. |
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During this period, Mitchell boldly declared her move from
the "hit department" to the "art department." Critics were slow to catch
up, but her creativity was in overdrive. Instead of session aces, she
began recording with jazz virtuosos like Larry Carlton and Pat Metheny
(guitar), Michael Brecker (saxophone), Herbie Hancock (keyboard), and
Don Alias (percussion), as well as several members of Weather Report,
including Jaco Pastorius (bass) and Wayne Shorter (saxophone). |
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The cover art for THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1976-1980)
includes a portion of one of Mitchell's original paintings. Fans will
enjoy a full version of the whimsically abstract landscape as an
accompanying insert included in the album packaging for both the CD and
LP configurations. Accompanying the set is a heartfelt essay penned by
Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, a lifelong fan of Mitchell's work. | | | |
