1975–1980: Jazz explorations Joni Mitchell

mitchell in 1975

mitchell went studio in 1975 record acoustic demos of songs had written since court , spark tour. few months later recorded versions of tunes band. musical interests diverging both folk , pop scene of era, toward less structured, more jazz-inspired pieces, wider range of instruments. new song cycle released in november 1975 hissing of summer lawns. on jungle line , made effort @ sampling recording of african musicians, became more commonplace among western rock acts in 1980s. in france kiss on main street continued lush pop sounds of court , spark, , efforts such title song , edith , kingpin chronicled underbelly of suburban lives in southern california.

during 1975, mitchell participated in several concerts in rolling thunder revue tours featuring bob dylan , joan baez, , in 1976 performed part of last waltz band. in january 1976, mitchell received nomination grammy award best female pop vocal performance album hissing of summer lawns, though grammy went linda ronstadt.

in 1976, mitchell traveled friends driving cross country maine. afterwards, drove california alone , composed several songs during journey featured on next album, 1976 s hejira. stated album written while traveling in car. s why there no piano songs ... hejira arguably mitchell s experimental album far, due ongoing collaborations jazz virtuoso bass guitarist jaco pastorius on several songs, namely first single, coyote , atmospheric hejira , disorienting, guitar-heavy black crow , , album s last song refuge of roads . album climbed no. 13 on billboard charts, reaching gold status 3 weeks after release, , received airplay album oriented fm rock stations. yet coyote , backed blue motel room , failed chart on hot 100. hejira did not sell briskly mitchell s earlier, more radio friendly albums, [but] stature in catalogue has grown on years . mitchell herself believes album unique. in 2006 said, suppose lot of people have written lot of other songs, feel songs on hejira have come me.

in mid-1977, mitchell began work on new recordings became first double studio album. close completing contract asylum records, mitchell felt album looser in feel album d done in past. invited pastorius back, , brought him fellow members of jazz fusion pioneers weather report, including drummer don alias , saxophonist wayne shorter. layered, atmospheric compositions such overture/cotton avenue featured more improvisatory collaboration, while paprika plains 16-minute epic stretched boundaries of pop, owing more mitchell s memories of childhood in canada , study of classical music. dreamland , tenth world , featuring chaka khan on backing vocals, percussion-dominated tracks. other songs continued jazz-rock-folk collisions of hejira. mitchell revived jericho , written years earlier (a version found on 1974 live album) never recorded in studio setting. don juan s reckless daughter released in december 1977. album received mixed reviews still sold relatively well, peaking @ no. 25 in , going gold within 3 months. cover of album created own controversy: mitchell featured in several photographs, including 1 disguised black man, wearing curly afro wig, white suit , vest, , dark sunglasses. character, whom called art nouveau, based on pimp who, says, once complimented while walking down la street – , symbol of turn toward jazz , streetwise lyrics.

a few months after release of don juan s reckless daughter, mitchell contacted esteemed jazz composer, bandleader , bassist charles mingus, had heard orchestrated song paprika plains , , wanted work him. began collaboration mingus, died before project completed in 1979. finished tracks, , resulting album, mingus, released in june 1979, though poorly received in press. fans confused on such major change in mitchell s overall sound, , though album topped out @ no. 17 on billboard album charts—a higher placement don juan s reckless daughter—mingus still fell short of gold status, making first album since 1960s not sell @ least half-million copies.

mitchell s tour promote mingus began in august 1979 in oklahoma city , concluded 6 weeks later 5 shows @ los angeles greek theatre , 1 @ santa barbara county bowl, recorded , filmed concert. first tour in several years, , pastorius, jazz guitarist pat metheny, , other members of band, mitchell performed songs other jazz-inspired albums. when tour ended began year of work, turning tapes santa barbara county bowl show two-album set , concert film, both called shadows , light. final release on asylum records , second live double-album, released in september 1980, , made no. 38 on billboard charts. single lp, why fools fall in love? , mitchell s duet persuasions (her opening act tour), bubbled under on billboard, missing hot 100.