Joni Mitchell

Hejira

First released1976

Hejira was recorded in 1975 at The Record Plant in Los Angeles and other studios, with Joni Mitchell collaborating primarily with engineer Henry Lewy, who had worked with her on previous albums. Mitchell employed a Bösendorfer Imperial piano as a central instrument and utilized open tunings on her Fender Stratocaster guitar, techniques she had been developing throughout the 1970s. The album featured a more introspective and jazz-influenced sound compared to her earlier work, reflecting her artistic evolution during the mid-1970s. Mitchell maintained significant creative control over the production process, which was characteristic of her approach to recording. The album was released in November 1976 and marked a continuation of her experimental direction following Blue and For the Roses.