Joni Mitchells' Hejira

Guss · #1 01-08-2005, 11:37 AM

So I was listening to "Portrait Of Jaco" disc 2 and I heard some Joni Mitchell stuff from her cut "hejira". It sounded amazing. The problem is the main reason I want to get this is because Jaco plays on it. However he only plays on two songs. Does anybody have any thoughts/feelings on the album as a whole?

Lyle Caldwell · #2 01-08-2005, 11:39 AM

Simply one of the greatest albums ever. You must get it.

Guss · #3 01-08-2005, 12:10 PM

Can I buy it in stores? If so, under what genre?

Lyle Caldwell · #4 01-08-2005, 12:18 PM

Its usually in the Pop/Rock section.

bluemonk · #5 01-08-2005, 01:27 PM

I'm going through a major Joni phase right now ( I go through phases...it's like a hobby...), rebuying on CD all her recordings I used to have on vinyl. Hejira was rather revolutionary when it came out because it had so many influences that were not rock or folk and the mixture threw people off. It is, however, a wonderful thing, I mean, Jaco is on it!! But what is cool is that even if it's the Jaco tracks you are interested in there is a lot to appreciate about this recording and Joni Mitchell herself. She's a genius and her work was always over the top in a highly musical way(as opposed to shocking or goofy or violent for effect). For example, even when she was playing folk in her very early recordings, she was using alternate guitar tunings of her own making. And she used synth guitar before it was cool and she has a recording called 'Mingus' centered on (the jazz bass legend) Charlie Mingus.

Guss · #6 01-08-2005, 08:39 PM

Whoops, he plays on four tracks. I went out and bought it today. Good stuff. Man, am I the only 17 year old kid in the world who listens to something other than ACDC and and Led Zeppelin/pop music? I feel so musically diverse. I even bought Frank Sinatra the other week. Somebody give me a pat on the back.

Lyle Caldwell · #7 01-08-2005, 09:01 PM

(golf clap)

Listen to how sparse most of the instruments on Heijira are. Listen to what intervals they chose and what effect they have.

Now go out and get Van Morrison's Astral Weeks. On paper, those arrangements shouldn't work nearly so well as they do.

And don't slag Led Zeppelin! Page and Jones played things on the same high level as Jaco, Joni, and Carlton. And Bonham is just wonderful to listen to. There's lots to learn from Zep.

bluemonk · #8 01-08-2005, 09:22 PM

Pat pat pat
Go, baby.

neilslorance · #9 01-08-2005, 09:46 PM

i'm 17 too,

i bought the album not long ago on LP for 2 bucks, not a bad find

id be really interested in hearing the stuff she did about mingus, hes one of my main influences, i think his compositions are just amazing.

n

burk48237 · #10 01-08-2005, 10:26 PM

Joni had some other great albums during that era, Court and Spark with Max Bennet and Wilton Felder on the Low end, The Hissing of Summer Lawns with the same players, And Mingus with Stainly Clarke and Eddie Gomez. But the cream of the crop is Shadows and Light with MR PASTORIOUS and Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Michael Brecker and Paul Elias (not a bad backup band!) With Shadows and Light look for the import it has more songs

JamesM · #11 01-09-2005, 02:33 AM

'Refuge of the road' is one of my favourite bass songs. Such a beautiful song.
Wasn't Jaco the bassist on the mingus album?

dodgy_ian · #12 01-09-2005, 07:58 AM

yeah, its a sweet album.

few transcriptions here i think
http://www.lucaspickford.com/

Dodge

burk48237 · #13 01-09-2005, 09:02 AM

I stand corrected but confused, after reading this thread I listened to Mingus last night. It sure sounds like Jaco, I always thought it was Jaco,but my copy of Mingus CD, the LP went away a long time ago, says in the liner notes it was Stanly Clarke and Eddie Gomez. The Jaco web sight says it was bascically Weather Report with Joni, and it sure sounds that way! The Joni sight Dosen't clarify! Please Help!!

Guss · #14 01-09-2005, 10:08 AM

Led Zeppelin rules

JimK · #15 01-09-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burk48237

I stand corrected but confused, after reading this thread I listened to Mingus last night. It sure sounds like Jaco, I always thought it was Jaco,but my copy of Mingus CD, the LP went away a long time ago, says in the liner notes it was Stanly Clarke and Eddie Gomez. The Jaco web sight says it was bascically Weather Report with Joni, and it sure sounds that way! The Joni sight Dosen't clarify! Please Help!!

It's Jaco on the Mingus album. Read 'em again!
IIRC, there were different sessions with different backing musicinas for the Mingus album.
Early in the liner notes(Pg. 1), Joni mentions cutting each tune 3-4 times & then thanks those that helped her search-
Gomez, Stanley Clarke, Dannie Richmond, Tony Williams, McLaughlin, etc.

Pg. 5 of the liner notes lists the players used on the disc-
Jaco, Erskine, Shorter, Hancock, Alias, Emil Richards, & Joni.

I just checked the LP...the personnel on the album are listed right after the lyrics to "Goodbye Porkpie Hat"(open to the center, it's on the left-hand page).

Bruce Lindfield · #16 01-10-2005, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guss

So I was listening to "Portrait Of Jaco" disc 2 and I heard some Joni Mitchell stuff from her cut "hejira". It sounded amazing. The problem is the main reason I want to get this is because Jaco plays on it. However he only plays on two songs. Does anybody have any thoughts/feelings on the album as a whole?

This is why - when Portrait of Jaco came out, I advised people around here not to buy it - although I remember several did!

You will just want every album that Jaco played on and will buy them eventually - hence wasting the money on 'Portrait'!!