Hejira (band)

Last updated

Hejira is a British jazz-band that celebrates Joni Mitchell's jazz period. The group was created by Pete Oxley of The Spin jazz club in Oxford for a one-off Joni Mitchell Christmas special concert in 2022, and has since carried on touring and performing. [1] They base the majority of their repertoire on Mitchell's 1979 live album Shadows and Light, but also perform work by Mitchell's collaborators and the band members. [2] Hejira is touring Britain from February to December 2024. [3]

Band Members

Current Members: [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joni Mitchell</span> Canadian-American singer-songwriter (born 1943)

Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her personal lyrics and unconventional compositions which grew to incorporate pop and jazz elements. She has received many accolades, including eleven Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Rolling Stone called her "one of the greatest songwriters ever", and AllMusic has stated, "Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaco Pastorius</span> American jazz bassist (1951–1987)

John Francis "Jaco" Pastorius III was an American jazz bassist, composer, and producer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential bassists of all time, Pastorius recorded albums as a solo artist, band leader, and as a member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. He also collaborated with numerous artists, including Pat Metheny and Joni Mitchell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Stills</span> American musician (born 1945)

Stephen Arthur Stills is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Manassas. As both a solo act and member of three successful bands, Stills has combined record sales of over 35 million albums. He was ranked number 28 in Rolling Stone's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and number 47 in the 2011 list. Stills became the first person to be inducted twice on the same night into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to Neil Young, "Stephen is a genius".

<i>Court and Spark</i> 1974 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Court and Spark is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in January 1974, it infuses the folk rock style of her previous albums with jazz elements.

<i>Both Sides Now</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 2000 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Both Sides Now is a concept album and studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell that was released in 2000. It is her 17th studio album. The album won two Grammy Awards in 2001 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the song "Both Sides Now" and a Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coyote (song)</span> 1977 single by Joni Mitchell

"Coyote" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell from her eighth album Hejira (1976). It was released as the album's lead single.

<i>Hejira</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Hejira is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1976 on Asylum Records. Its material was written during a period of frequent travel in late 1975 and early 1976, and reflects Mitchell's experiences on the road during that time. It is characterized by lyrically dense, sprawling songs and musical backing by several jazz-oriented instrumentalists, most prominently fretless bass player Jaco Pastorius, guitarist Larry Carlton, and drummer John Guerin.

<i>Miles of Aisles</i> 1974 live album by Joni Mitchell

Miles of Aisles is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1974 on Asylum Records. It is a double album documenting her concerts in support of the Court and Spark album with her backing band for the tour, the L.A. Express. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became one of her biggest-selling records, certified a gold record by the RIAA.

<i>Mingus</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 1979 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Mingus is the tenth studio album by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. It was released on June 13, 1979, and was her last studio album for Asylum Records. The album is a collaboration between Mitchell and Charles Mingus. It was recorded in the months before and after Mingus' death in January 1979 and is wholly dedicated to him. The album is one of Mitchell's most experimental and jazz-centric works. Mingus originally wrote six compositions for Mitchell to write lyrics for; three of these were included on the album. Two other tracks written exclusively by Mitchell are included, alongside a new version of Mingus' standard "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", featuring lyrics written by Mitchell. In addition to these, five spoken word tracks are dispersed throughout the album.

<i>Shadows and Light</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 1980 live album by Joni Mitchell

Shadows and Light is the second live album by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. It was released in September 1980 through Asylum Records, her last release for the label. It was recorded in September 1979 at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, California.

<i>Wild Things Run Fast</i> 1982 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Wild Things Run Fast is the 11th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Her first of four releases for Geffen Records, it was released in 1982 and represents her move to a more 1980s pop sound. This was her first album to work with bassist Larry Klein, whom she married in 1982. Klein would play bass on and co-produce her next four albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me (Joni Mitchell song)</span> 1974 single by Joni Mitchell

"Help Me" is a love song written, produced, and performed by Joni Mitchell and released on her 1974 album Court and Spark. The song was recorded with jazz band Tom Scott's L.A. Express as the backing band.

<i>Turbulent Indigo</i> 1994 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Turbulent Indigo is the 15th album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in 1994, it won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album. John Milward, writing for Rolling Stone, wrote that it was Mitchell's "best album since the mid-'70s".

<i>Travelogue</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 2002 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Travelogue is a 2002 double album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell featuring orchestral re-recordings of songs from throughout her career. It is her 18th studio album and is the follow-up to 2000's Both Sides Now which had a similar format. Upon release Mitchell announced that it would be her last album, but later recorded one further studio album, Shine.

<i>Shine</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 2007 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Shine is the 19th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on September 25, 2007, by Hear Music. It is Mitchell's first album of new material since Taming the Tiger (1998).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Klein</span> American bassist and record producer (born 1956)

Larry Klein is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is based in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Guerin</span> American drummer

John Payne Guerin was an American percussionist. He was a proponent of the jazz-rock style.

"This Flight Tonight" is a song originally by Joni Mitchell, from her 1971 album Blue. Scottish hard rock band Nazareth released the song as a single in 1973 that charted internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Who Hits 50!</span> 2014–2016 concert tour by the Who

Billed as The Who Hits 50!, The Who's 2014–16 tour was a tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band. Roger Daltrey has referred to this tour as the band's "long goodbye" hinting that it will be the final tour for The Who. The tour consisted of 70 dates with the band performing in Asia, Europe and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrow's Warriors</span> British music education organisation (founded 1991)

Tomorrow's Warriors (TW) is a jazz music education and artist development organisation that was co-founded in 1991 by Janine Irons and Gary Crosby, committed to championing diversity, inclusion and equality across the arts through jazz, with a special focus on "Black musicians, female musicians and those whose financial or other circumstances might lock them out of opportunities to pursue a career in the music industry". Crosby drew inspiration from having been a member of the Jazz Warriors, a London-based group of musicians that in the 1980s showcased many young Black British musicians who went on to achieve international success.

References

  1. 1 2 "Taking Off: Hejira". Jazzwise. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  2. "Hejira: celebrating Joni Mitchell - The Cornish Bank". thecornishbank.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  3. "Gigs". Pete Oxley | Guitar. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  4. "Jazz band to bring Joni Mitchell's music to life in Falmouth". Falmouth Packet. 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-03-23.