‘Hejira’: a must-see introduction to the 7-piece band | Celebrating Joni Mitchell’s 80th birthday.
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- Опубліковано 16 лип 2024
- With the approach of Joni Mitchell’s 80th birthday, Hejira celebrate’s the genius singer-songwriter with this video and a 16-date tour of the UK!
‘Hejira’ is a 7-piece band, set up to celebrate the masterpiece works of Joni Mitchell, particularly from her great albums of the late 70’s (The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, Mingus) culminating in her stellar live album, ‘Shadows And Light’. The personnel for this latter album were all top-flight jazz musicians: Pat Metheny (guitar), Lyle Mays (keyboards), Michael Brecker (saxophones), Jaco Pastorius (bass) and Don Alias (drums & percussion), all led, of course, by Joni Mitchell. Despite all being virtuosos in their own rights, their intent was clearly to serve the music, the intent of the song.
The personnel of Hejira is similarly peopled by top-drawer jazz musicians - but of equal importance to their virtuosic abilities is their shared love of the music of Joni Mitchell.
Hejira draws the body of its work - and spirit - from Shadows And Light. On this film, interspersed with short ‘talking heads’ lines from the band members, you will hear excepts from Hejira’s performances of:
In France They Kiss On Main Street
Amelia
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Hejira
Black Crow
Woodstock
For details of where the band is performing live, please visit: www.hejira.co.uk
The band is fronted by the extraordinarily talented Hattie Whitehead, who not only sings masterfully with Joni’s pitch-accuracy, poise and dignity, but she also plays guitar much with the mannerisms of Mitchell (incorporating various open tunings - which lend an instant authenticity to the colour of the songs). Hattie grew up surrounded by music and musicians - her father is the outstanding saxophonist, Tim Whitehead - and has a career as a singer/songwriter outside of this band. In 2016, she won the ‘Emerging Talent’ competition at Glastonbury Festival. Her original songs have been listened to hundreds of thousands of times on various streaming platforms.
The full personnel is:
Hattie Whitehead ~ vocals & guitar
Ollie Weston ~ tenor & soprano saxophones
Chris Eldred ~ keyboards
Pete Oxley ~ guitar
Dave Jones ~ bass
Rick Finlay ~ drums
Marc Cecil ~ percussion
Chapters:
0:00 Intro, with Hejira performing 'In France They Kiss On Main Street' at The Spin
0:39 Introduction to Hejira Guitarist Pete Oxley
01:07 Hejira performing Joni Mitchell's 'Amelia' live at Peggy's Skylight
01:54 Introduction to Hejira Singer and Guitarist Hattie Whitehead
02:24 Joni Mitchell's use of melody and harmony
02:39 Hejira performing Joni Mitchell's 'Good Bye Pork Pie Hat' at The Spin
03:05 Introduction to Hejira Saxophonist Ollie Weston
04:14 Introduction to Hejira bass player Dave Jones
05:02 Hejira performing Joni Mitchell's 'Edith And The Kingpin' at Peggy's Skylight
05:20 Introduction to Hejira drummer Rick Finlay
06:55 Introduction to Hejira keyboard player Chris Eldred
08:01 Hejira performing Joni Mitchell's 'Hejira' at The Spin
09:15 Introduction to Hejira percussionist Marc Cecil
10:03 Hejira performing 'Black Crow' at The Spin
10:15 Closing statement from Hattie Whitehead
11: 20 Hejira performing Woodstock
This band is phenomenal. Standing ovations abound at their recent Colchester concert. Definitely must a must see performance and excelent musicianship!
Hi Tom, Thanks for writing in with such a positive comment! I hope you'll be coming to our Oxford gig - on Joni's actual birthday (7th November)? Cheers, Pete
@@peteoxleyguitar My Dad and I are talking about going to another of your gigs in about about a month. I can't remember if it's that one but either way another one of your upcoming gigs : )
Looking forward to July in Witham Essex. Very impressed.
I’ve seen them twice …. You get goosebumps just listening! The musical talent is something else.
Hello April! Thank you so much for your very kind comment! - and for already coming along to two gigs! If you see www.hejira.co.uk you'll be able to see where else we are performing on our autumn tour! With all best wishes, Pete
Hejira are a hugely talented group of musicians who put on a wonderful show. I have been lucky enough to see them play twice in Oxford, and would highly recommend any lovers of Joni's music, or just great live music in general, to seek out one of their shows. Fabulous video!😊
Hi Glenn, Thanks so much for your super-positive response to our latest video; really glad you liked it! See you in Oxford again at some point? (I guess you know we're playing The Spin in Oxford on Joni's 80th birthday - November 7th?).
Thanks for putting this together Pete. The music is wonderful, - I'm looking forward to seeing the band again in Bournemouth and will be bringing along a bunch of devotees this time!
Hi Mik! good to hear from you; please keep spreading the word if you can! Looking forward to seeing you on the 2nd November!
Hi Pete, I'm overjoyed to be attending your show in Gosforth on Nov 9th. I'm bringing a good friend to educate him in 'the way'. This music means so very much to me and has done since it was released and I got hip to it. Everything I've seen of the band (Hattie, you're amazing) tells me that it's going to be a very special night. I hope to get to say hi to you and the band at some point in the evening.
Hi Pete, Great to hear from you again! Thanks very much for spreading the word for the Gosforth gig! Looking forward to meeting you there! Cheers, Pete
Great video, Pete. See you on Sunday in York at the sell out NCEM gig.
Yo Ruth, Looking forward to seeing you shortly in York!!
Fantastic gig at the Cranleigh Arts Centre... please please come back soon.
Fantastic gig at Peggy's Skylight! Can't wait for their return to Nottingham at Metronome on November 16th.
Hi Helen, thanks very much for writing in! Really glad you can make it to Metronome on the 16th November!! - Please share this with your friends...and see if they'd like to come to Metronome (I mean, what's not to like?!?)
A seriously good band. Saw them this summer. Would highly recommend you see one of these shows.
Thanks John! - thanks for being the first to comment on this film too! Really glad you enjoyed our show…
Just over two weeks to go until the gig in Taunton, and I am getting unbelievably excited!
Hi there Bebop! Thanks for writing in! Great that you are coming to the Taunton gig....please spread the word, if you can!!
Phenomenal! So looking forward to seeing you at The Cockpit in November!
Hi! Thanks very much for your response!! Please do spread the word about the Cockpit gig! Cheers, Pete
@@peteoxleyguitar I'm trying!
The most incredible show at the Metronome in Nottingham. Thank you guys, you were flying.
Thanks for an outstanding performance at The Cockpit - blown away by the band's musicianship and attention to detail. Really enjoyed the non-Shadows & Light tracks too!
Excellent please come to Leicester ?
What a fabulous group of musicians - the singer is extraordinary!!! She is definitely doing tremendous justice to Joni. I wish all of you luck!!!
Hattie is so tuned in to JM, its extraordinary. I cannot wait until November in Taunton. Cheers Pete!!
Jazzy phase of Joni's music is my favourite one. Probably due to my unstoppable love to Pastorius bass lines, it is a musical magic for me. As a not native English speaker, I'm still missing poetry nuances, so I'm focusing more on music, tone, structure, and voices. The Hejira band has it all plus a lot of love and musicianship. I hope one day I'll hear them playing live .....
Just seen Hejira in Gosforth. Great gig- sold out ( based on quality of music it should be) and will be seeing them again. Hejira is an all time favourite album of mine and they do Joni’s songs real justice without drifting into tribute band territory.
Gosforth Civic Theatre, November 9th 2023.
Hejira took to the stage in front of a capacity crowd and held them spellbound through two incredible sets. Faithful to the original music but with their own musicality woven throughout. Every member of the band shone. In particular Pete Oxley deserves a special mention as he is clearly leading the band and plays beautifully on his vintage Gibson (L5?) often sounding uncannily like Pat Methaney from the original Live Joni band being celebrated. A special mention should also go to Dave Jones who rips up the fretless bass and nails some of Jaco Pastorious’s epic lines so perfectly.
Then we come to Hattie Whitehead, undoubtedly the centre of all the music, with just the most perfect interpretation of Joni’s lyrics and melodies. It’s uncanny how she does it and to those of us who hold this music so dear it’s impossible to imagine anyone else who could be so perfect for this gig. Honestly there were so many occasions during the evening where I forgot to breathe, so spellbinding was her voice.
Standing ovations were the order of the day and well deserved they were too.
So, here’s to a perfect night, at a great venue. I hope they return before too long. I’ll be at the front of the queue for a ticket.
Great promo video Pete, I saw the band a few weeks ago in Colchester, and despite all your problems that night you`re a class act. Hope it`s not terminal with the 175 (i can recommend a great luthier if it`s not on it`s way to being fixed yet) and I hope Hatti is recovering from her broken arm (her rhythm playing was missed). You have some fine musicians in the band and in Hatti a world class voice, it`s a long time since i`ve heard a singer so pitch perfect live. Looking forward to getting a chance to see you again asap, Ronnie`s ? Take care.
Hi Nigel! Thanks so much for your response. Please see www.hejira.co.uk for where we are playing. The 175 is repaired (by myself!) and, extraordinarily, I have to say, it's never felt better!! Not that I'd want to go through that nightmare again - especially less than an hour before a gig! Hattie is already back to playing guitar - which is great....I missed her excellent rhythm playing too! Well, please spread the word about our gigs (we're next in London as part of the EFG London Jazz festival on the 17th November at The Cockpit). All the best, Pete
You all are AMAZING!!!! Please, come to America (Utah)! Please!
A friend saw you in Cardiff and said how good it was. Sadly, I no longer live there, otherwise I’d have gone - Hejira is my favourite album of all time. Hope to catch you at some point :).
As a big fan of Pete and Nicholas as a guitar duo, can't wait for this Hejira performance at the Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay on the 6th November. Congrats to Fougou Jazz Dave for swinging this one in the jazz-deprived area of Torbay!
Hey Rik! Thanks for writing in! - Looking forward to seeing you in November!
Hi Rik, Thanks very much for your kind words! Really looking forward to coming to Fougou on the 6th November; please spread the word wherever you can to help make it a sell-out gig! Cheers, Pete
If you come to Stockholm I and some Joni people would surely come and listen
Most excellent!
Amazing!
Well done! 👏🏽
Please come to Scotland. 👍👍👍
Will you be coming to the states?
HI Kathleen, We'd absolutely love to! - We're trying to find a way to make a start in finding concerts in the states! Any tips??
Do ya’ll ever play in North America? I’d travel to see you!
Hi Katie, We'd love to play America! We just need to find the right agent to get us there!! Thanks for your support!
@@peteoxleyguitar
You deserve the BEST agent !!!! You guys are fabulous!!!!
Thanks, Katie! Have you seen our newest video? - here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/dTjfE9F2KIE/v-deo.htmlsi=TrGupr3hJyHWODhT
This Lady could be a Karen Carpenter .She has her look . Certainly has the Joni Mitchell sound , So lets Not let the talent of another Eve Cassidy get away from us . Gone un noticed . That would be a sin .
A little disappointed after seeing them in Eastbourne. For me, Joni is two things, a singer with an extraordinary presence and voice and an expressive, powerful guitar player. The singer in Hejira just can't play the guitar at all as played by Joni, so half of Joni is missing. The band doesn't follow the singer and tends to wash her out. Not sure if the soundboard is responsible for the percussionist being so annoyingly loud, l think it would be better as a 6 piece band. Some parts were very enjoyable, but Hattie, get that guitar sorted.
Please post the full version of Amelia! 😱