Joni Mitchell 27: At Newport

Following an aneurysm in 2015, Joni Mitchell hadn’t made any public appearances. But by the turn of the decade, she had been hosting various “Joni Jams” at her house, mostly spearheaded by singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile and featuring an assortment of musicians. In July 2022, Carlile brought one of these to a larger stage, literally and figuratively, at the Newport Folk Festival, with the lady herself at the center of the throng, placed on an actual throne. The participants started by playing some of her songs, and eventually she was compelled to join in.

A year later, At Newport presented most of this appearance, albeit shuffled from the original setlist sequence so Joni is heard earlier instead of partway through. The album is clearly subtitled “featuring the Joni Jam”, but it should be the other way around. It’s still very much a tribute show performed some very starry-eyed accompanists; she doesn’t sing on every song, and when she does, she’s often supported by other vocalists. Carlile often answers many of the lines in the same cloying way Brian Kennedy used to on too many Van Morrison albums. (Interestingly, two members of The New Basement Tapes are onstage.) An anecdote about the song precedes “Amelia”, and we’d love to hear more like that.

The album is at is best when they stop fawning and let her sing without a net. “Both Sides Now”, in a lower key than she’s ever sung before, is particularly moving, even with Carlile’s coaching. The Gershwins’ “Summertime”, which preceded in the set but comes next here, is just plain terrific. When she plays “Just Like This Train” on electric guitar with no vocals, and only the slightest accompaniment, it’s transfixing. The album ends as the set did, and as it should, with the entire throng singing along to “The Circle Game”. “Joni Mitchell has returned!” yells Carlile, Joni laughs and says it was “so fun”, and the crowd chants her name to the fade.

The hootenanny has been a fixture of folk music since well before the coffeehouse days, but when it concerns someone of Joni’s stature, perhaps everyone else should just stand aside. That said, it was indeed a historic afternoon, and rightfully preserved.

Joni Mitchell At Newport (2023)—3