Joni Mitchell - Miles Of Aisles (1974)

For all the creative strides that she made in succesive studio albums throughout the 70s, it's perhaps odd that my most enduring favourite Joni Mitchell albums have ended up being her two live releases (see also Shadows And Light, link below).  In both cases though, some of her very best songs really sparkle in a new light in their jazz-inflected arrangements; much more so on Shadows And Light, but on the 1974 Court And Spark tour Joni was on the cusp of her jazz era, backed by The LA Express.

The bulk of Miles Of Aisles comes from the LA Universal Ampitheatre in August 1974 - none of the recordings are from the Michigan Pine Knob Theater, although that venue did make for a striking album cover.  All of Joni's albums up to this point are touched on here in superb versions, personal highlights being the languid For The Roses tracks.  There's new material too - the second last song wouldn't appear on a studio album for another three years, and the final one is exclusive to this release.

link
pw: sgtg

Previously posted at SGTG: Shadows And Light