Joni Mitchell – Hejira

Hejira may be Joni Mitchell's most overtly jazz album – at least up to 1976 when it was released, thanks in no small part to the contributions of bassist Jaco Pastorius from Weather Report.

The album was not as successful commercially or critically as its predecessors. "Coyote," the only single from the album, only reached #79 in Canada and did not chart in the US or UK, although her live rendition of it with the Band is one of my personal highlights from The Last Waltz film. Still Hejira did reach #11 on the UK charts, #13 in the US and #22 in Canada, and the reviews weren't terrible:

• AllMusic gives it 3.5 stars out of 5
• Robert Christgau graded it a B+
• Rolling Stone Album Guide gave it 3.5 stars out of 5

This is one of the few Joni Mitchell studio albums that I don't own on vinyl (I do have it on CD), so, what with the less than stellar reviews, I was quite surprised to find it on this list, although Bob Mersereau does rank it 52nd in his The Top 100 Canadian Albums and Gene Wilburn rates it an outstanding album – the best of her "middle period" – and a recommended purchase for a "starter" record collection in Northern Journey: a guide to Canadian folk music on CD.

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Track Listing

1. "Coyote" (Joni Mitchell) – 5:00
2. "Amelia" (Joni Mitchell) – 6:00
3. "Furry Sings the Blues" (Joni Mitchell) – 5:03
4. "A Strange Boy" (Joni Mitchell) – 4:15
5. "Hejira" (Joni Mitchell) – 6:35
6. "Song for Sharon" (Joni Mitchell) – 8:30
7. "Black Crow" (Joni Mitchell) – 4:20
8. "Blue Motel Room" (Joni Mitchell) – 5:03
9. "Refuge of the Roads" (Joni Mitchell) – 6:37

Personnel

• Joni Mitchell – vocals, acoustic guitars (on 3, 5, 6, 9), electric guitars (on 1, 2, 4, 7, 8)
• Larry Carlton – lead guitar (on 1, 2, 4, 7), acoustic guitar (on 8)
• Jaco Pastorius – bass (on 1, 5, 7, 9)
• Neil Young – harmonica (on 3)
• Bobbye Hall – percussion (on 1, 4, 5)
• Tom Scott – horns (on 4)
• Victor Feldman – vibraphone (on 2)
• John Guerin – drums (on 3, 6, 8, 9)
• Max Bennett – bass (on 3, 6)
• Chuck Findley – horns (on 4)
• Abe Most – clarinet (on 5)
• Chuck Domanico – bass (on 8

• Joni Mitchell – Blue (album)
• Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark (album)
• Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now (song)
• Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi (song)
• Joni Mitchell – River (song)
• Joni Mitchell – A Case of You (song)