Desert Island Live is back! On Saturday, Jan. 30, the series once again sets up shop at The Dance Hall in Kittery to present Taylor O'Donnell and Joni Mitchell Part 2. Revisiting material from their first sold-out Dance Hall appearance, Taylor (vocals), Jonny Peiffer (keys, percussion), Chris Klaxton (trumpet, guitar), Matt Langley (saxes), Jim Dozet (guitar), Nate Therrien (bass) and Eric von Oeyen (drums) will perform selections from Mitchell's "Blue" and "Court and Spark," as well as the entirety of "Hejira."

"Hejira," released in 1976, represents a major stylistic shift in Joni Mitchell's songwriting from earlier works.

The Portsmouth Herald bounced a few questions off O'Donnell to learn what excites her about the evening, how Joni Mitchell inspired and influenced her own work, and what folks can expect upon taking in this latest installment of Desert Island Live.

Herald: I love this Desert Island Live series. What do you enjoy about it?

O'Donnell: Jonny Peiffer first had the idea to cover albums that you couldn't imagine life without, and for me, it was starting with "Blue." Taking a work in its whole form, and trying to play it to the best of our abilities. This series is a great chance for the musicians and listeners alike to dig into their favorite artists and to appreciate the entirety of the work. There's kind of nostalgia about it, too - remembering driving around in Colorado as a teenager listening to "Blue" on repeat. Each album the group has chosen to perform has become even more precious to me as a listener after the process.

Herald: What do you think the importance is of listening to and exploring a record in its entirety?

O'Donnell: For me, it's about the pacing and complete experience; how the music plays out as an unabridged whole. Getting to hear each tune in sequence, maybe hear how the artists intended the album to outshine the individual parts. Sitting down with the cover, artwork and lyrics to absorb the whole thing in its totality is a pretty special thing, too.

Herald: For this installment you'll be reconnoitering the music of Joni Mitchell for a second time. The focus will be on performing her record "Hejira" in its entirety while tossing in a few other choice cuts from other records as well (such as "Blue" and "Court and Spark"). So, tell us about your relationship with "Hejira."

O'Donnell: Choosing this album was a really a chance to pore into the entirety of "Hejira's" lyric content for me. I seem to get the hankering to break it out on the record player in the wintertime. It's not exactly one of her works that did well commercially, but it's the one album she said that of all her songs, the songs on "Hejira" could only have come from her, that there is a restlessness about it. She wrote it over the course of three trips, one being a road trip from Maine back to her home in Los Angeles at the time. There are quite a few tunes with imagery that only sound like New England to me - so since I've lived in Maine and put roots down, that tie has become stronger. Then she talks about a desert out west, and even relates Amelia Earhart's journey to her own. Then New Orleans. All stories of interactions when she was out on the road with themes centered on questioning humanity, or finding yourself in sometimes broken circumstances. For me, this is the album I hear more stability in her as a person, and more fearless exploration as a musician.

Herald: What's your relationship like with Mitchell's music in general? How'd it come calling to you?

O'Donnell: Her music has always pinned me to a certain place, person, experience - the stories always seem to hit home. The storytelling and knack for imagery in her lyrics is astounding, and are usually paired with almost impossible rhythms in the words, which makes for some incredible singing. When I was in high school, I had a great teacher who turned me on to her music. At the time I was really only listening to what was on the radio, so hearing "Blue" for the first time was a complete game changer. I couldn't get my hands on enough music after that. I don't know if I realized music could be a game for your head and your heart before then.

Herald: "Hejira" means "journey." In your estimation, what is the importance of the notion of "journey" from the vantage point of music and/or life?

O'Donnell: The notion of journey can simply be a commitment to keeping your eyes open, and continuing to grow and listen. You learn a lot from venturing away from what is comfortable, and get more perspective about how people think, how big the world is, what kinds of music are being played and at what levels - for me. Not staying stagnant as a musician involves being open to challenges in music, remaining open to new concepts, and working with people who challenge each other to be better.

Herald: From the Mitchell perspective, it's been noted that "Hejira" was a departure of sorts from Mitchell - a sort of stylistic shift. In regards to the sentiment of "the journey," what's the significance of this stylistic shift? Is there an inherent importance in the life of an artist to "mix it up?"

O'Donnell: Her ear was certainly evolving at this point in her career, as were her tastes in various kinds of music. She was still playing with some of the usual suspects you find on her earlier albums, like Neil Young, but now she has a player like Jaco Pastorius overdubbing after the album was almost finished. She thought, "why does the bass player always need to play roots?" He added such a melodic, unique sound to the whole thing. The kinds of harmony and rhythm you hear on this album are definitely a departure from her traditional folk sounds, and Jaco's sound is hard to miss. "Black Crow," for example, has a certain angst to it you don't hear on a lot of her earlier works. Also, there aren't any piano tunes, since she generally wrote in the car, so the tunes are mostly guitar-based. All of these things combined show a huge shift in Joni's artistic style.

Herald: What excites you about this performance?

O'Donnell: The band is fantastic! Really looking forward to interpreting this stuff with them. Jonny Peiffer, Nate Therrien, Jim Dozet, Matt Langley, Chris Klaxton, and Eric von Oeyen. Also, the atmosphere at the Dance Hall is always warm and inviting, and one of the real treasures on the Seacoast. Really looking forward to sharing this music there.

Herald: What can folks expect? What do you hope they take with them when they experience this edition of Desert Island Live?

O'Donnell: I hope they hear a new side to Joni's work. Last time we did Joni night, it was pretty amazing to hear stories from audience members after the show, about times in their life certain songs meant the most to them. For a lot of people it was nostalgic, yet also interesting for them to hear new arrangements of familiar tunes. We're adding horns on some of the tunes where electric guitar was more prevalent - I'm excited for them to hear how the texture change makes it more unique to our band's sound, yet still tries to deliver the original album with as much justice as possible.

Herald: And finally, Top five desert island records. Go!

O'Donnell: Joni's "Blue," Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man, Fleet Foxes' "Helplessness Blues," Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley, Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life."

What: Desert Island Live presents Joni Mitchell, Part 2
Where: The Dance Hall, Kittery
When: Saturday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 day of show
More information: thedancehallkittery.org