I was a 16 year old bass player in 1976. Jaco had exploded in the night sky, lighting up everything, showing us stars we never knew were there... I already loved Joni; "Court and Spark" was a favorite album. I bought "Hejira" the moment it came out and since then it's just been eternal. I'm so happy how much you get this record and how thoughtfully you present the bass-playing. A beautiful job, man. I'll look for more from you!

Jaco's work with Joni, to me, is his best work ever. He was the consummate sideman, and her work was tailor made for Jaco, and he meshed with her on a level that transcended any other artist he ever played with...even Zawinul, or Stern...

My favorite Joni album. My room-mate and I both played jazz and we'd sit in bed in our dorm room and fall in love with her and her music. The title track never ceases to amaze and delight. Back then it was an ear-opener...no drums and the bass didn't play bass but was a co-vocal, the tune held together with the guitar figures. Sweet.

This is my favorite album ever and I thought I knew everything there was to know about it. But I never realized that Jaco Pastorius was double and triple tracking his bass in order to achieve the chorus effect. I’m glad other people, especially music teachers, recognize Hejira for the absolute masterpiece that it is. Thank you so much for this video.

I'm a Joni fan, this is my favourite of her albums. When I first heard 'Hissing of Summer Lawns' I found the music difficult but knew it was important, this was the same but even more so. I needed time to learn this new language, 46 years on and I'm still listening and learning.

“Hejira” is my favorite album by anyone ever, and I clicked on your video as soon as I saw it on my feed. It’s great that this video was from a bassist’s perspective, and this was an awesome video and great tribute to the great bass masters who played on this genius of an album. You gained a follower here.

My favorite album of all time... Wait, think about that. I'm 60--a music lover my whole life--and I'm saying this is my favorite album of all time. This introduced me to the bass guitar, so much so that I moved from guitar as my primary instrument to the bass. I will never tire of listening to this album. Thanks for this insight into the techniques Jaco used.

Confession: I clicked "Like" before this video even started playing.

Glad to see this. I just watched the live Shadows and Light concert and it made me weep. I always felt Hejira was the most incredible Joni ever, and that's saying a lot. I'm 66, still fretless, still missing Jaco. Thanks for teaching me so much. Im just a guy with a bass or three, no frets and no formal training. Still i reach unashamedly for the stars.

No words for this video! Amazing. Made with the love and respect Joni Mitchell and Jaco Pastorius deserve ❤

Love your appreciation of this album. Spot on !

Being a singer-songwriter myself I was already a huge Joni fan when she recorded Heijira, but I'd never heard of Jaco Pastorius. At the time I did go to jazz venues to watch the local fusion bands (blossoming in my town), but rarely listened to jazz on record. Heijira absolutely opened up a new world for me. Not only was it the best album Joni ever made (along with her double live album with Jaco, Pat and the rest), I was blown away by what the bass players were doing to Joni's music. She'd finally got the band she so deserves. I record my own songs playing all the instruments. Bass guitar is still a mystery to me. As a guitarist I would think it couldn't be all that difficult. But my bass playing sucks big time. Since trying to play bass I have a lot more respect for the bass dude! Thanks a lot for explaining what Jaco and the others are actually playing here. It doesn't make me a better bass player (I know, I would need to practice hours a day to achieve that - maybe), but at least this wonderfull mystery is a little clearer. By the way, I named my son Jaco because of Heijira, and the song Heijira will be playing at my funeral.

1976 was the year man!!! "Fusion" jazz was new and exciting ... Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Billy Cobham and Weather Report were creating this sound. So much great music came out of the mid 1970s! Fortunately - The mid seventies were such powerfully creative years in the evolution of popular music.

I can't thank you enough. I've learn't a lot from this like; Hemiola, old school chorus and Max Bennett. Since I heard this album, as a bass player I used to dream about being a part of this kind of project because of the things hit me like story telling, poetry, extraordinary song forms and great musicianship. This was completeley different from everything I've listened so far at that time, actually it still is. I'm now printing the lyrics. Thanks a lot.

First of all, it was my bass instructor who turned me on to Joni Mitchell, he referred me to Miles of Aisles for the bass player in there. But after I snatched up the rest of her albums soon after, Hejira became my fast favorite. I feel heartened that the reasons I loved it were articulated in your lecture here. But now I want to know more about Phoebe Snow, holy crap. I listened to one song and now I must learn more. Thanks for that!

One of the things I love most about Jaco is the sustain he got with that fretless, and nowhere is that more demonstrated than on the title track, Hejira. When I heard it for the first time living in London I immediately went out and got my first fretless bass. To this day I don't think there has been a more unique, gifted genius of such immeasurable influence even beyond his instrument than Jaco. But sadly that genius had a sidecar of demons.

All of the tunes are brilliant but Song For Sharon just takes me away. I feel like I'm in that car with Joni flying down the highway. And her background harmonies are beautiful.

I was 17 when this masterpiece came out. My musical landscape has never been the same. Thanks for a marvelous exploration of a truly seminal work.

I had also heard of Jaco before I'd ever heard Joni Mitchell's music. The only reason I actually checked out Hejira was because I learned Jaco played on it. I really loved the album when I heard it. It's among my couple dozen favorite albums. But even still, it took over 10 years to dive into the rest of her catalog and realize she is an unbelievably brilliant musician.

Spent the morning listening to Hejira and Jaco's first album "Jaco Pastorius". Thanks for reminding us just how great these albums and their composers are.

Thanks for what you do. I Love Joni and Jaco. I met him in '79. Played Frisbee with Jaco and watched him play that night in Salzburg. Changed my life. Thanks for what you do

Thanks for shedding so much light on these essential records Paul! It’s a master class every, single, time!

Oh man, I looked away for a second, then you started playing Hejira and my jaw dropped. Hard to nail Jaco but you were bang on there! The entire video was amazing as always.

Thank you for featuring this gem 💎! Mitchell is a musical giant. Thanks, Canada 🇨🇦

When I thought you topped it with your Nightfly video, you’ve done it again. Keep it up man!!!

This has been one of my top 10 albums ever since it was released. Apart from your great insights into the musicianship (which open up another dimension into my appreciation of the album), it’s great to encounter someone from another generation who enjoys its sublimity and the stunning lyrics. Thank you.

I am addicted to this album at the moment. I love refuge of the roads, such beautiful bass playing!

The amount of work that you put into producing these is evident and your understanding of the material is enormous. I was looking for a copy of “Shadows and Light” for a long time, then found a promo copy on my birthday a couple years ago. Tonight I’m going to crank it up, loudly. Your recreation of Jaco’s style is amazing, what a tribute. This channel is criminally underrated.

Congratulations! and Thank you for putting this work together. It's one of my favorite LP's, with 3 of my favorite bass players. Too much! Yes...

excellent video! i know nothing of bass playing--but been a fan of Ms. Mitchell for many years. when this album came out i was 15 and it changed my life forever. truly. got to see her Shadows and Light tour in 1979 with Jaco and Metheny and Michael Brecker and Don Alias and it was the greatest concert i've ever seen. check out the DVD if you can and hopefully a remastered version of the LP will be out in the next year or so, as Joni is putting out all these amazing box sets. again, thank you!

There is no way to overstate how this record filled my jazz/punk rock mind with wonder. I never heard anything like this even though I was familiar with Jaco, but it was my intro to Joni. What a moment in time!

BRAVO PRESENTATION. 1976 Was a spectacular year during this RENIESANCE period. I was 19yrs. & learning so much as a non-musician. HEAVY WEATHER; WIRED, J BECK; JACO'S SOLO; HEJIRA; ROYAL SCAM; STATION TO STATION; ROMANTIC WARRIOR. Electricity was in the air!

Fabulous album, I agree this is a masterpiece.

Watched a few of your clips in a row - Paul Denman, Nick Beggs, Tiran Porter, YYZ and this one on my fave Joni album and a real desert island disc for me. You are doing something special with a clear love of eclectic music expressed with a nod to emotion in the playing and the overall work - nicely done, happily subscribed!

Just. Wow! I first got this album in ‘76 a couple of days after its release. I played it incessantly and bought copies for my friends and family. I was captivated by Jaco’s bass and Joni’s music. They took me to familiar places I’d never consciously been before. “Black Crow” and “Song for Sharon” are my favorite songs from the album, but after watching this video, I’ll definitely revisit the title track. Thank you, Paul, for this enlightening video! New subscriber here. 👍🏼

Love Joni Mitchell - I also love this album. I'm split between Amelia and Refuge of the Roads for my favorite tracks on this one. I never thought of Jaco multi tracking his basslines, but of course he would have had to; impossible to do any other way. Thanks for the video and the musical insights, - looking forward to seeing more from You going forward! 😎🎼

Wow! Not a bassist, or even a musician, yet learned so much from this vid... I grew up "with" Joni as her evolution matched my own life; Hejira and her earlier Blue are my 2 fav discs, and you have deepened my already boundless love of Joni generally, and Hejira specifically! Thanx

Hejira's one of my favourite albums, Paul, and your essay here's just added layers of knowledge to my enjoyment. Thank you very much, dudemeister... ☝️😎

Jaco and Joni are like hand in glove. Love this album and your take on the bass playing is enlightening. I wish there were more content like this on KZfaq, thanks.

What a beautiful video, informative, informed and passionate. I am a guitar player who loves the bass, and a decades-long devotee of Joni Mitchell. This is all such amazing music. Thanks for doing this work. These kinds of things make life a little more bearable these days.

I am a Joni Mitchell fan after she delved into her jazz influenced work. Love “Hissing of Summer Lawns” and most of the Court and Spark album. Funny thing is that I met the Furry that her “Furry Plays the Blues” song is based on. It was Memphis around 1966 when I was just a kid. Furry Lewis ( Beale Street) came to the house and played bottle neck blues behind his head for a captivated little girl. Hence my collection of guitars over the following decades is much greater than my amateurish ability. Will have to listen to Hejira, now. .Have a Fender P bass set up close as I can to James Jamerson’s. Grew up on Motown in the 60’s. You mentioned another that I appreciated. Phoebe Snow. I agree. Thank you for your knowledge and analysis of bass players. Really appreciated.

I am back again. Watching my favorite bass guy on social media...you have a incredible gift with speaking. ..your commentary is fluid and articulate and without stammer or pause.

This video was a great way to appreciate this album. Thank you.. and so cool to hear Phoebe Snow mentioned.

This is absolutely great! Thank you so much for clearing up the details! (I never knew there were two other great bassists on this album, it was all Jaco to me.) You really did a great job with this.

great analisis man, thank you from Argentina. im listening Hejira right now

This is great! i just discovered this channel. Second video i saw and: wow, so good! Thx a lot for giving all that information. I love the song hejira. Have a nice time!

Exemplary again, love your enthusiasm, clarity and getting to the heart of things with one of my favourite albums too! Thanks for the Phoebe Snow heads-up. Love this series - thank you :)

WOW, I just discover this channel. It's AMAZING. It's the only video in the whole fuckin world who talks about Hejira's bass playing. Pure Gold!

I can’t explain exactly how much I appreciate what you do and how you do it. A big thank you! Hejira is one of my fav!

Paul. As a guitar player who plays bass just well enough to get over (whenever there are too many guitarists!) I'm fascinated by your series. What a fabulous idea, beautifully executed. Dissected without overanalyzing everything, so as to capture the nuance and musicality, while still opening the door to how it was played and recorded. Not to mention your own chops, coupled with wading into some of tallest musical weeds to chop down. Bravo!

Astonishingly good! Sincerely grateful to you, Mr PD Bass.

Almost like his ghost is walking off into the distance - beautifuly put 😊 👍

I'm not sure if I'd say Hejira is my favorite Joni album (so tough to choose!!). . . But I will say every song on that album strike me as something that ONLY Joni could ever dream of writing. The complexity, artistry, lyricism are absolutely stunning. Coyote is probably all of that encapsulated in one magical piece. It's probably my favorite song she ever wrote. Oh, and yes, I think Jaco's bass in particular is what really pushes this album into the sublime.

I'm 60 years old and I started playing bass 5 years ago. I just discovered your channel today and I love your passion and all the knowledge you share. I've been a big Joni Mitchell fan for a long time, but it seems like years since I last listened to her albums. I'm now going to go back and give them all another spin. Thank you for this 😊

So good. While I was first a fan of Jaco when I was studying music in college in 81-84, I had juuuust missed his tenure in Weather Report, when I saw them with Victor Bailey in his place. I dropped out of the local scene after this, and was less active as a player and spectator, therfore never got to see Jaco play live during his long decline after that. However, as much of a music buff as I was, and I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I just knew the superficial basics of Joni Mitchell's career until last year when I finally took a deep dive. One of the main things that just kicked me in the hind was.. I was in prime position in the San Francisco area to catch a lot of legendary Joni performances.. and I just didn't soak it up then. What a loss, but for anyone else who hasn't jumped in to her catalog, just do it. It is easier now than ever.

There is a lot of passion put into the videos on this channel. Love it. And I don't even play the bass. Just a music lover.

Great video! Thank you. Jaco was the man. Greatest bass player ever. I'm a little biased because I fell in love with him when I was 16. There was no other bass player like him. Such a tragic ending. I love Joni, and it is only natural that Joni and Jaco would come together to producer some beautiful music.

my dad would rewind and play those last few seconds of "Refuge of the Roads" over and over each time. those five slid notes.

Paul, thanks for turning me on to a really special album that I never caught before and you really help to open my mind to many different things with jazz and the way Joni fuses her styles with Jaco and everybody else here it is just unbelievable and I definitely will listen to the whole album all the way through with headphones with the lights dimmed taking it all in. This music was from an era that people really made a point of listening to everything and taking it all in that's what is lost today. At this point in time this kind of music seems like a lost art and I hope great musicians like you keep the flame burning. Thank you so much, Bob M.

Superb , my favourites are Hejira and Refuge Of The Road ...Jaco is on fire !!!

Wow. I’ve loved this album since it came out, and Joni is my hands down favorite musician, but after watching/listening this, I realize that I have a lot more to appreciate. And this is just ONE of her albums…

Great Post, as usual extremely informative. I remember when this album came out. We all knew Jaco from his landmark debut. Joni is amazing and the album is Amazing and important

Thank you for writing this love letter to one of the greatest albums ever.

Great video! I don't play bass or much jazz, but I'm a BIG Joni fan and love, love, love that album. So my favorite track (so far) is "Song for Sharon."

Thanks for your insight into this amazing album. Hejira is my all time favorite album. This album, and the track Refuge of the Roads in particular, was the perfect music that I played throughout my solo road trip around the country in 1978; living in the back of a station wagon and coming of age. It was the best time of my life and Joni Mitchell will always be an intregral part of that.

Thanks for this wonderful video. I will now hear and enjoy this album mote than before.

This LP is on my quick-grab rack!!! It's that important to me! 📀💜 Thanks for diving into this! Glad 🙏 that I found your channel!

Thank you for the class, professor!

Thank you for showing the excellent bass and musicianship on this Iconic Joni album. great video,very inspiring.

Joni put chord progressions in order most would scoff at as unsuitable, but she made the transitions work, and with it upset the tradition of song arrangement and writing. She heard things others couldn't easily imagine. It's why so many greats stood in line to play on her albums, and when asked didn't turn her down!

Great video, thanks. I'm primarily a Prog rock fan of Yes, Rush, Genesis, Floyd etc but a big Joni fan too and yes Hejira is one of the best albums of all time for me.

The lyrics on this album will never leave you once you’ve really listened. “A strange boy is weaving a course of grace and havoc on a yellow skateboard through midday sidewalk traffic.” Yikes! Put those lyrics with surpassing musicianship all around and you have the gift that is Hejira. 💜🙏

Awesome! Thank you so much!

I love your passion and knowledge!! Thanks

Great job. I’ve always know Joni’s early work from the 60’s but only had her greatest hits from the 70’s. Great rundown of this and will buy this tonight! I’ve seen the Live set from the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Inspiring and informative analysis. Love this album!

Well done! A fitting tribute to a timeless work. So agreeable to share the deserved admiration of these pioneers. Joni is a true explorer. Deep.

I am so grateful and appreciative that you have presented this work. You have done a masterful job of explaining the work of these great artist. I listen to this album so much over these many years that I find myself audiating the lyrics as i go about by business. And your right the more you listen the more you hear and learn. Thank you--- and thanks to Joni and these great musicians.

I love this video. Thank you for all the work you put into it.

Dude ! You did it again. You featured two of my all time favorite albums this being one and giving me a wider view of the genius that is in this album. Bravo man You are amazing

Hello Paul, just found your channel recently. Excellent content. Thank you from a lifelong musician/teacher in his late 60’s. Joni & Jaco... I was there to hear it brand new. It expanded the ears of many serious players and listeners. I still recommend it as necessary listening to my young bass students. - rp

Great channel man. I love the bass. I have hejira and jacos debut. I will definitey pull this one out and listen again with new ears after watching this....ace!

Man! Thank you for opening the Doors ti the music that you love! I've discovered so many gratis albums I have missed along the years... I can't say it enough Thank you so much!

Thanks for the inspirational video,love the insight

Brilliant analysis of one of the greatest albums of all time - thanks so much!

This is one of my favorite bass vids of all time. I want to thank you for all your hard work, your honesty and fundamental openness. Also I bought this album when I was 11 after seeing Jaco on West German television. As you can probably imagine Joni's lyrics and music was lost on me but the sound of the fretless connected with me on a spiritual level. Now in my 58th year I cannot listen to Refuge of the Roads with welling up. Few songs make me do this. Right, where's my Jaco copy bass?

Beautiful breakdown, Thanks for reminding me to put this album into rotation now! Keep it up absolutely great channel

Fantastic video about one of the greatest albums ever created! Thank you for doing this.

This is a beautiful analysis and tribute and sharing. Thank you.

Excellent video about this bass player's fave album. Thanks so much for this!

I’ve only ever heard the title track of this album, but your breakdown has encouraged me to go back and check out the whole thing. Thank you man, what an amazing walkthrough of this epic album. 🙏

Paul! I’m so glad YT put this video in front of me! I really like your approach to showcasing this interplanetary music and legendary bassists. You play very well yourself. As a drummer, our relationships with bassists work as one of symbiosis, as you well know. So when I first heard Heavy Weather in high school in 1985, I latched on to Jaco’s playing within microseconds of the sound waves hitting my ears. That said, I have two favorite tracks on this record: Coyote and Hejira. The story is, in 1990 my wife and I had relocated Portland, OR. We had popped into this quirky little music shop, of which Portland has many, and I heard two things: a bass sound that was very familiar, and an amazing voice. I had never heard this music before, so I asked one of the guys working there who the artist was and who the bassist was. He tells me “it’s Joni Mitchell”, and with a sneaky grin he tells me, “It’s Jaco”. The song was Coyote, hence the favoriting, and I was hooked. I was even more impressed with Jaco’s playing on this album than I was with his playing on Heavy Weather. Later into my deeper listening, Hejira has become my absolute favorite of this album. All amazing tracks though, purely iconic. Well done! I look forward to seeing more of your work. Subscribed! - Mark Meeker

I love you for making this video.

Thank you for this. I learned so much about the bass.

Love the enthusiasm and the deep commentary and analysis. I've loved Jaco for many years, and have been deeply appreciating and enjoying the recent discovery of this album. I do anticipate continuing to further explore Joni Mitchell's music, too, which I haven't previously done. The nexus of those kinds of musical connections is a gift that keeps on giving. Great video.

Your videos are great! Well produced, thoughtfully composed, and well played on all those basses. When you mentioned Jaco’s 16th notes, it reminded me of the Berklee Bass Dept webinar tribute to the late, great Tower Of Power bassist, Rocco Prestia. TOP bandleader Emilio Castillo was on it and said that Jaco worshipped Rocco (who was famous for his 16th notes and ghost notes) and would come to the TOP NYC gigs and sit in with the band - especially on the 16th note bass frenzy that is ‘What Is Hip?’. Jaco would take his mother to the show and she’d say to Jaco, “Why don’t you play more like him?!”. Might be a Rocco/Jaco/16th note/Joni link there! And well done to you!

Incredible album. I loved Jaco's playing on this way before I knew who he was

One of the best Albums ever... thank you✨

Excellent excellent analysis! And I love the decision to eschew transcriptions for lyrics- inspired choice!

This is an INCREDIBLE album, Joni Mitchell's best!!!