Jimi Hendrix - Both Sides of the Sky

Anyone who knows me or has read this blog knows that I am a huge Hendrix fan and have been since I first heard and saw him play (in films, unfortunately - I never got to experience him live). Although my sound is very different from his, he has been a major influence on me ever since I picked up the guitar and continues to be to this day, with his innovative use of feedback, wah and whammy. He literally changed the way that guitars are played in a way that no one has equaled since. Luckily for us fans, he was a studio geek who loved to jam with the tapes rolling and so there has been an enormous amount of posthumous releases - far, far more than the three "official" studio albums and one live LP from his lifetime. This record is being billed as the third of a trilogy including Valley of Neptune (have I really not reviewed this one? I find that hard to believe) and People, Hell and Angels. There's a terrific booklet included that has plenty of photos and details of all of the sessions compiled here.

Opening with the Band of Gypsies doing "Mannish Boy", this is a different take than the one on the Blues CD, although it is similar and is another example of Hendrix doing what he did best - updating the blues for the (then) modern age with astounding guitar work. "Lover Man" has seen many incarnations over the years and this is another rockin' take with the Gypsies followed by "Hear My Train A-Comin'", another original blues that has seen multiple versions and this is a fantastic, groovin' one with the original Experience and phenomenal playing by Jimi. "Stepping Stone", a fast-paced rocker, has popped up more than once and is given a strong treatment here with Cox and Miles. Then we get a real treat: Stephen Stills was a pal of Jimi's and they jammed together on occasion and here it culminated in an original from Stills named "$20 Fine". Stephen is singing (I loved his white-boy-soul voice) and playing organ while Mitch Mitchell drives the drums and Buddy Miles Express pianist Duane Hitchings adds flavoring to this hot, soulful tune. It's a shame that this hasn't seen the light of day (officially) before - it's pretty damn great!

"Power of Love" appeared in an edited version on the Crash Landing LP and the master tapes of various takes have been damaged, but this is another variation mixed by Jimi and engineer Eddie Kramer. Buddy Miles joins in again for a modification of the instrumental that was used on the Woodstock soundtrack (as "Jam Back At the House"), here simply called "Jungle". Another legendary guitarist, Johnny Winter, was also a jammin' partner of Jimi's and he pulls out all of the stops on his slide playing for a take on Guitar Slim's "Things I Used to Do". Jimi holds back on his guitar and lets Johnny roll while CSN&Y's drummer Dallas Taylor keeps a solid beat with Billy Cox. Jimi is back with his distinctive leads along with more old friends on "Georgia Blues", this time Lonnie Youngblood, a saxophonist that played alongside Jimi in Curtis Knight and the Squires, as well as drummer Jimmy Mayes, bassist Hank Anderson and organist John Winfield.

There's an early instrumental run through of "Angel", here titled "Sweet Angel", followed by a pre-CSN&Y jam with Stills on "Woodstock" with Stills on organ, Jimi on bass and Buddy's characteristic drums propelling it all. Strange hearing Stephen without the harmonies (and other instrumentation, of course), but this is a groovy track and sounds pretty terrific! Although little more than a song sketch, "Give My Love to Linda" is quite interesting with its hints of flamenco guitar and other unusual chords changes. Cox and Miles are tentative behind this quiet number, but it sure would have been cool to see how this would have developed, as the ending jam is quite something. The CD finishes with "Cherokee Mist", another experiment with Jimi interacting with himself on a Coral Sitar guitar mixed with his wah-wah and feedback work on a "regular" 6-string.

It will forever be frustrating that we will never know what Hendrix would have created had the fates allowed him to live, as he obviously had much more to give us. But these releases, however cobbled together, are amazing reminders of his genius!