Hear Joni Mitchell’s Previously Unreleased Recordings

Plus, Stevie Nicks talks to ‘All Things Considered.’ by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna [Joni Mitchell]( Courtesy of the Joni Mitchell Archives Last week, a treasure trove of [early Joni Mitchell recordings]( was released to the public for the first time. Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) has 119 tracks, including 29 original songs she wrote and recorded but never put out – until now. On All Songs Considered, our resident Joni Mitchell expert Ann Powers joined host Bob Boilen to discuss these early works, plus share some selections from the new box set. It includes some of her first-known recordings, like a radio studio recording made in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, when she was just 19, plus live concert recordings and demos she made on a home reel-to-reel tape machine. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a relative newcomer to Mitchell’s prodigious output, their conversation is a delightful listen, detailing how Mitchell grew from a young singer of folk songs to a playful and sophisticated lyricist with a brilliant voice over the course of her early years. [Just a little green]( Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- New Music - Our team’s [favorite songs and albums of October]( included songwriter Wendy Eisenberg’s acrobatic guitar lines, R&B singer Xavier Omär’s best work to date, French pianist Bertrand Chamayou’s lullabies and more. - As part of Stephen Colbert's election-night special, [Arcade Fire]( premiered the first big post-election protest song of 2020: "Generation A," which Colbert praised as "a hopeful message to the youths.” - Whether you’re in the mood for escapist bops, destructive pop-rap, dystopian electronica or Argentinian bandoneon, we’ve got you covered on this week’s [New Music Friday]( from All Songs Considered. --------------------------------------------------------------- Featuring - Nashville’s music machine has never given its homegrown hip-hop scene the support it deserves. In a [miniseries focused on Music City hip-hop]( NPR Music and World Cafe contributor Jewly Hight highlights how – even without industry infrastructure – artists and entrepreneurs are building their own institutions to elevate, amplify and showcase the city’s voices. - [Play It Forward]( All Things Considered's musical gratitude chain, continued this week [with a conversation with multi-instrumentalist Laraaji]( about his creative process and his new album, Sun Piano. And he shared the artist he’s grateful for: Californian singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd. - After [a skateboarding TikTok star]( gave Fleetwood Mac's “Dreams” a boost among Gen Z, Stevie Nicks is back on the charts (though she never left your newsletter editors’ hearts). “I’m not on TikTok, I'm not on Instagram, I'm not on Facebook, I don't have a computer,” [Nicks told NPR](. “But I have to call him and tell him thank you so much, because you know what you did? You brought this music back to the world, all by yourself.” - This Sunday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. ET, [our friends at Mountain Stage]( will be broadcasting a live show featuring sets from South Carolina-based jazz specialists Ranky Tanky, vocalist René Marie & Experiment In Truth, duo The Sea The Sea and singer-songwriter Susan Werner. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tiny Desk [Polo G]( NPR This week, we shared a Tiny Desk (home) concert from [Polo G]( where the platinum-certified, Chicago-born emcee takes us to a basketball court to perform three songs. And a co-sign from Adele helped [Tiana Major9]( gain the music world's attention this summer; for her Tiny Desk (home) concert, Tiana welcomes us to her South London home for a stunning four-song set. Also: Need something to calm your mind? This week, we made another [playlist of calming Tiny Desk concerts]( — featuring Buscabulla, Nick Hakim and Leon Bridges — to keep you feeling tranquil. (For added relief, check out the [first edition]( too.) 😌 --------------------------------------------------------------- Louder Than A Riot This week on Louder Than A Riot: Brooklyn's [Bobby Shmurda]( was a star in the making – not just because of his style and skill, but also for his street credibility. But in the eyes of the law, that same authenticity would prove to be Bobby's downfall. Just months after his breakout hit, Shmurda and some friends were arrested on conspiracy charges in connection with a murder and several other shootings. This episode dives into what happens when the industry capitalizes on a criminal persona — and whether the record execs have the juice to back Bobby up when things get too hot. --------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing “[It sounds like a whisper]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprmusic@npr.org](mailto:nprmusic@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on [Spotify]( and [Apple Music]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]