Well, it only took half of a century, but the Hendrix catalogue is finally starting to look respectable in both content and sound quality. Experience Hendrix LLC is releasing the dvd/blue ray American Masters documentary Jimi Hendrix-Here My Train A Coming, and in light of that, the first ever release of one of Hendrix’s most famous shows, the May 18, 1968 Miami Pop Festival which captures the team of Hendrix, Noel Redding/b and Mitch Mitchell/dr at their most explosive, energetic, creative and, well, RADICALLY ROCKING. This music STILL sounds light years ahead of most of today’s blues rockers, as Mitchell’s jazzy drum work is a perfect partner to Hendrix’s raucously radical guitar work. The set has Hendrix delivering lethal takes of “Foxy Lady”and “Fire,” while Mitchell’s idiosyncratic patterns on “I Don’t Live Today” give the tune an otherworldly feel.
But, at heart, Hendrix was a blueswailer, and while his sound is light years ahead of the watching world, he seems to feel most at home with the blues. “Hey Joe” is down home Hendrix, and the two blues jams, “Hear My Train A Comin’” and “Tax Free” sound like what Hendrix would have been happy to do all day long for the rest of his adult life. A couple tracks from the afternoon concert pop up, showing a bit of variety of the delivery. Every guitar freak will want this one, or the wind doesn’t cry Mary.
Experience Hendrix Records