Joni Mitchell - Hejira (2013) [Hi-Res]

Joni Mitchell draws freely on her heroes and influences, and in her turn inspires and informs the work of countless others; thus are the genes of our musical heritage passed on to new generations. The love of jazz glimpsed in „Court and Spark“ and „The Hissing of Summer Lawns“ is wanton in „Hejira“. The arrangements are loose and the melodies seductively free-flowing. The lyrics, too, have broken free of rigid verse and rhyme structures and tend towards prose poetry. The cloak of introspection that weighs down on much of her work is lighter here; though far from mainstream. The chiming flanged guitar throughout, is inspired.

„Hejira is a contemplative work about travel, as well as the alienation & observation that accompanies the traveller. Mitchell matches the sense of her lyrics perfectly with songs that work at their own pace and are not shaped by the tradition of verse and chorus, and the limitations that lead to radio-play. They do not follow predictable patterns, and because it is not about what appears on the surface, it becomes necessary for the listener to adapt, to really listen. It challenges the sense of what popular music is and can be.“ (Polari Magazine)

Joni Mitchell, vocals, acoustic & electric guitars
Larry Carlton, acoustic & electric guitars
Abe Most, clarinet
Neil Young, harmonica
Chuck Findley, horns
Tom Scott, horns
Victor Feldman, vibraphone
Jaco Pastorius, bass
Max Bennett, bass
Chuck Domanico, bass
John Guerin, drums
Bobbye Hall, percussion

Live Recording Recorded at A&M Studios, Hollywood, California

Digitally remastered