JONI MITCHELL, set to tour Britain in May, has her first album in over a year released here on February 22. Titled Court and Spark, the set features 10 new Joni songs and Annie Ross's Twisted - her first recording of another's work.

The set also features for the first time a regular back-up band including such stars as Robbie Robertson, Jose Feliciano, Dave Crosby, Graham Nash, and Cheech and Chong. The last named do a stoned rap on Twisted.

Joni has embarked on a 20-city tour of the States, again, for the first time with a back-up band. If this tour is successful, she is expected to come to Britain with her band in May.