album · September 1, 1980

Shadows and Light

Joni Mitchell

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Atlantic RecordsSee this day

singer-songwriterfolkfolk rock

On Shadows and Light, Mitchell plays a set of her own songs, backed by an all-star jazz ensemble. The album captures her at a moment of high-wire improvisation and profound lyrical introspection.

• The album was recorded live over a week in the fall of 1979 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. It was mixed at Sound Labs in Los Angeles and the Power Station in New York.
• The touring band featured Jaco Pastorius on bass, Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, and Don Alias on percussion. Michael Brecker was also featured on saxophone.
• The album reached number 64 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was her first live album since 1974's Miles of Aisles.

Joni Mitchell is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose work in the 1970s defined the confessional singer-songwriter genre. By 1980, she had transitioned through jazz and funk explorations, finding herself at a new creative juncture.