Joni Mitchell is to release a two-set live performance recorded by Jimi Hendrix at a Coffee House in Ottawa, Canada, in 1968.
The recording was captured on March 19, 1968 at Le Hibou Coffee House in Ottawa, Ontario during a two week residency by Mitchell ahead of the release of her debut album, Song To A Seagull, which came out just four days later.
Earlier the same evening, Jimi Hendrix had performed at the Capitol Theater, just over a kilometre away. The guitarist had spoken to Mitchell and noted his plans to record her performance in his diary, writing "Talked with Joni Mitchell on the phone. I think I’ll record her tonight with my excellent tape recorder (knock on wood)... hmmm... can’t find any wood... everything’s plastic." (See diary entry, below).
The recording, which comes from Mitchell's upcoming collection Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971) was captured with Hendrix sitting on the floor at the front of the stage.
In the sleeve notes to Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971), Michell says, "They came and told me, ‘Jimi Hendrix is here, and he’s at the front door.’ I went to meet him. He had a large box. He said to me, ‘My name is Jimi Hendrix. I'm on the same label as you. Reprise Records.’ We were both signed about the same time. He said, ‘I'd like to record your show. Do you mind?’ I said, ‘no, not at all.’ There was a large reel-to-reel tape recorder in the box.
“The stage was only about a foot off the ground. He knelt at edge of the stage, with a microphone, at my feet. All during the show, he kept twisting knobs. He was engineering it, I don't know what he was controlling, volume? He was watching the needles or something, messing with knobs. He beautifully recorded this tape. Of course I played part of the show to him. He was right below me."
Hendrix’s tape was stolen a few days later and assumed to be lost forever, but it resurfaced recently in a private collection that was donated to the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), and returned to Mitchell. You can hear The Dawntreader below.
Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971) will be released as a 5-CD set and as a 10-LP, limited-edition set available exclusively from the Joni Mitchell webstore. The latter comes with an exclusive 7”x7” art print featuring a never-before-seen illustration by Mitchell from the era.
Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971) is released on October 29. Full tracklist below.
Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971) tracklist
Disc One
Joni’s home (late 1967/early 1968)
Midnight Cowboy – Version one
The Dawntreader – Demo with vocal overdub
Song To A Seagull
Midnight Cowboy – Version two
Jane Lurie’s Apartment, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, NY (late 1967/early 1968)
The Way It Is
Turn Around – Incomplete
Home Demo, Joni’s home (late 1967/early 1968)
I Had A King – Demo with piano overdub
Roses Blue – Demo with peacock harp overdub
The Fiddle And The Drum – Piano demo
Song To A Seagull
Session, Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA (January 24, 1968)
Jeremy
Conversation
Both Sides Now
The Gift Of The Magi
Jane Lurie’s Apartment, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, NY (early 1968)
It’s Easy
Another Melody
Live at Canterbury House, Ann Arbor, MI (March 10, 1968)
Introduction
Jeremy
Songs To Aging Children Come
Disc Two
Le Hibou Coffee House, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Recorded by Jimi Hendrix (March 19, 1968: First Set
Night In The City
Come To The Sunshine
Intro to The Pirate Of Penance
The Pirate Of Penance
Conversation
The Way It Is
Intro to The Dawntreader
The Dawntreader
Second Set
Marcie
Intro to Nathan La Franeer
Nathan La Franeer
Intro to Dr. Junk
Dr. Junk
Intro to Michael From Mountains
Michael From Mountains
Go Tell The Drummer Man
Intro to I Don’t Know Where I Stand
I Don’t Know Where I Stand
Intro to Sisotowbell Lane
Sisotowbell Lane
Intro to Ladies Of The Canyon
Ladies Of The Canyon
Studio Session, Western Recorders, Hollywood, CA (May 31, 1968)
Come To The Sunshine
Jane Lurie’s Apartment, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, NY (summer 1968)
My Second Album
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
The Pirate Of Penance
Top Gear BBC Radio Broadcast, London, England (recorded September 23, 1968)
Intro to Chelsea Morning
Chelsea Morning – with the John Cameron Group
Intro to The Gallery
The Gallery
Intro to Night In The City
Night In The City – with the John Cameron Group
Disc Three
Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY (February 1, 1969) First Set
Chelsea Morning
A Valentine for Joni
Cactus Tree
Night In The City
I Had A King
Blue Boy
My American Skirt
The Fiddle And The Drum
Spoony’s Wonderful Adventure
That Song About The Midway
Both Sides Now
Second Set
Marcie
Nathan La Franeer
Intro to The Gallery
The Gallery
Hunter
Morning Morgantown
Intro to Get Together
Get Together
Intro to The Circle Game/Little Green
The Circle Game/Little Green
Encore
Michael From Mountains
Disc Four
Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY (February 1, 1969)
Intro to Urge For Going
Urge For Going
Clouds Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA (spring 1969)
Conversation
Blue Boy
The Priest
Jane Lurie’s Apartment, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, NY (mid 1969)
Jesus
Playing piano and vocalizing
The Dick Cavett Show ABC TV Broadcast, New York City, NY (Recorded August 18, 1969) Chelsea Morning
Willy
For Free
Interview
The Fiddle And The Drum
Ladies Of The Canyon Demo Session, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA (late 1969)
Woodstock
Live at Centennial Auditorium, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (November 1, 1969)
As I Lie Thinking In My Backyard On August 2nd
Roses Blue
Rainy Night House
Ladies Of The Canyon Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA (late 1969)
Ladies Of The Canyon – with cellos
Blue Boy – with recorder coda
In Concert BBC TV Broadcast, (recorded September 3, 1970)
All I Want
Blue Demo Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA (September 1970)
A Case Of You
California
Disc Five
In Concert BBC Radio Broadcast, Paris Theatre, London England (recorded October 29, 1970)
Introduction
That Song About The Midway
Intro to The Gallery
The Gallery
Hunter
Intro to River
River
My Old Man
The Priest
This is a mountain dulcimer
Carey
A Case Of You – with James Taylor
Intro to California – with James Taylor
California – with James Taylor
Intro to For Free – with James Taylor
For Free – with James Taylor
Intro to The Circle Game – with James Taylor
The Circle Game – with James Taylor
Intro to You Can Close Your Eyes – with James Taylor
You Can Close Your Eyes – with James Taylor
Both Sides Now
Intro to Big Yellow Taxi
Big Yellow Taxi
Blue Sessions, A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA (late 1970/early 1971)
Hunter
River – with French horns
Urge For Going – with strings
