The Songs of Joni Mitchell shine on with Lail Arad, Jesca Hoop and Naima Bock at The Wedgewood Rooms

When Lail Arad says she’s had a life-long relationship with the music of Joni Mitchell – she’s not exaggerating.

The first song the singer-songwriter ever performed on stage was the Canadian legend’s Big Yellow Taxi.

Lail Arad (left) and Jesca Hoop co-produce The Songs of Joni Mitchell, which is at The Wedgewood Rooms on Sunday, September 27

placeholder image — Lail Arad (left) and Jesca Hoop co-produce The Songs of Joni Mitchell, which is at The Wedgewood Rooms on Sunday, September 27

"Big Yellow Taxi was the first song I ever performed at a school concert – and I'm still singing it now in the shows, albeit in a very, very different way! I guess I have a lot to thank that song for,” she laughs.

Now along, with similarly accomplished artist Jesca Hoop, she is bringing their Songs of Joni Mitchell show to The Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea.

Joni Mitchell performs during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Arad was the main instigator of the show, which was originally conceived to mark Mitchell’s 80th birthday. But what was meant to be a single gig at London’s Roundhouse has developed a life of its own.

"We've been doing it on and off for a couple of years now, which is kind of remarkable as it started as something that was meant to be a one-off show.”

That Roundhouse show also featured Emeli Sande, Vashti Bunyan and Kate Stables (who performs as This Is The Kit) among others, and was compered by Cerys Matthews.

“It just keeps rolling,” says Lail. “There was such a good response to that first show, and we got invitations to do more.

"It is nice when you least expect it – the thing that was just meant to be for fun, becomes a part-time job!” she laughs, “but it's great, and testament to Joni's songs.”

Explaining its origins, she says: “I had noticed her birthday was coming up and thought it should be celebrated. Something that I thought would be like a little celebration grew into a really big multi-artist show.

“There was just a lot of enthusiasm from people. I approached artists and there was a real appetite, I think, to both sing and watch the songs be sung.”

Lail, Jesca and Kate Stables recorded an EP of Mitchell’s songs as a result of this project.

“Jesca and I are now working on this project together and we’re planning another EP. It's just been a really, really unexpected and enjoyable experience, working with wonderful guests and these songs.

"There's a lot of love in the room, and I think that's because the people on and off stage, in equal measure, are just so happy to be spending time with these songs.”

And they aim to reinterpret the songs rather than create carbon-copies of the originals.

"It's definitely a challenge,” says Lail, “and we all try to bring ourselves to it, and also curate artists that are going to do something interesting with it.

"You don't want to try and replicate the originals, apart from the fact that you can't sing like her anyway! Otherwise you could just go listen to the originals."

Lail and Jesca now co-produce the project, and have had numerous guests appear with them, including poet laureate Simon Armitage, Lisa Hannigan, Gail Ann Dorsey, Rachel Sermanni and Sam Amidon.

"I hope that it's artists who have been inspired by her, and then have had their own careers and are now bringing something new back to the same songs, so there's something cyclical there as well.

"Simon read some of her lyrics out, but he also wrote a poem in response to his relationship to her music, and it was very special.”

For this show they’re joined by former Goat Girl member and now solo artist, Naima Bock.

"We did a few shows with Naima in summer, so I already know that she's excellent. We did Cambridge Folk Festival with her, and she's got such a beautifully distinct voice. It's really nice hearing those songs through her.”

The other regular component to the shows is pianist Richard Sears.

"It's really nice to have him, and important, I think, for Joni's music to have piano involved as well as guitar.

“But it's a very stripped-back show, very casual, and maybe people don't come to a Joni Mitchell show expecting it to be 'fun', but I think it is quite fun, as well as contemplative and... a little sad.”

How do they pick the songs from Mitchell’s extensive back catalogue?

"We have our pool of songs that we choose from, Kevin and I. We tend to let the guests choose whatever they want around that, but we do like to represent some different eras of her music. We don't want the whole show to just be (her 1971 masterpiece) Blue, you know?

"We work to have a big span, right from the very early beginnings, and one of our favourite songs that has been in the show is called Shine, from 2007 – her last studio album of the same name.

"She's had various eras, and we try to do our best to represent them, but it's mainly about the songs that each artist connects with.

"I think we do have most of the hits, if you can call it that, but there are just so many to choose from, and it's nice because it means you can have different deep cuts each time."