3 Ways Jaco Pastorius’s Fretless Bass Defines the Sound of Hejira

It gives the album a gliding quality Pastorius’s fretless bass creates a smooth, sliding sound that no fretted bass can replicate, making the album feel fluid and unhurried.

It dominates the mix alongside Mitchell’s guitar The bass is not a background instrument here. It shares equal space with Mitchell’s resonant acoustic guitar, driving the songs forward.

It sets Hejira apart from other 1970s albums No other album from that era uses fretless bass as a lead voice in this way. Pastorius’s playing is the album’s most distinctive sonic signature.