Hendrix In The West [CD]

The posthumous release of Jimi Hendrix's extant recorded material (both live and from his studio sessions) began soon after his death in September 1970. Exploitation, controversy and legal battles over ownership rights have continued for 40 years and there is no sign this is going to stop any time soon.

This is the Hendrix family/Sony September 2011 re-hash of the classic 1972 all-audience-live `Hendrix in the West' album, with its tell-tale square purple and orange sticker on the front cover of the cardboard-only CD case.

The January 1972 vinyl release from Polydor included 8 tracks selected from five concerts, most in California (Berkeley Community Center and San Diego Sports Arena), with two short tracks from the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival and two from a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London. A CD version of the original HITW has been available for years, with identical running order to the 1972 vinyl from the same master-tapes.

Here on this new September 2011 Sony edition, you get:

* 8 songs mostly identical to the original vinyl album but in a different running order

* `Voodoo Chile - slight return' is here taken from the 26 May 1969 concert at The San Diego Sports Arena (the whole of that concert is available elsewhere), whereas on the classic Polydor release of HITW the song was taken from a concert at The Albert Hall; and `Little Wing' is here taken from a 1968 Winterland, San Francisco concert and (IMHO) not quite as good as the seminal performance of the song featured on the classic Polydor HITW

* 3 extra tracks: `Fire', `I Don't Live Today' and `Spanish Castle Magic' from the same May 1969 San Diego gig

* A glossy, 24-page booklet featuring plenty of archive photos of Jimi and the band, and the story of these recordings written in fine style by John McDermott

Both Noel Redding and Billy Cox feature on the album playing bass, Redding on the earlier and Cox on the later material. Drums on all tracks were played by Mitch.

So, is this new Sony `re-master' worth buying? It depends on whether or not you already have the earlier `classic' Polydor release of HITW:

1. If you DON'T have the original Polydor release, then I would say this is probably worth buying. It's an essential showcasing of some of Jimi's best live material including `Red House' (by universal agreement the best track on HITW, here unchanged from the classic Polydor release) and this is the only version of HITW you can now buy new

2. If you DO have the classic Polydor CD, then probably not: the additional material included here is not great and is available elsewhere. The performances of `VCSR' and `Little Wing' on this new Sony CD are not quite as good as those on the original Polydor classic HITW - IMHO. As usual with these re-releases, it's difficult to hear any noticeable improvement in the sound with the so-called `re-mastered' tracks

In keeping with recent `square-sticker' releases of Jimi's extant material, this new 2011 offering is in a cardboard sleeve more fashionable and `environmental' than the traditional hinged plastic CD box, and this might not be to everyone's liking.

The 1972 classic Polydor original of HITW was a 5-star album, but this slightly diluted offering drops a star, due in part to the inclusion of inferior performances of `VCSR' and `Little Wing' and partly just to cynicism. Shame that for reasons of legal wrangling it's now the only version of HITW you can buy new, but there it is. If you can hunt down a CD or vinyl copy of the Polydor original HITW, then my advice would be buy that instead: it's better.

While there's no doubt that much of Jimi's pothumous output is filler, the same cannot be said about this steller release. Having previously owned this on vinyl a lifetime ago, i didn't hesitate on adding it to my Amazon basket ...and within seconds of it dropping through the door, it was in the disc tray.
Terrific sound quality, very nice 24 page booklet as with most 'experience hendrix' releases, and the addition of 5 extra songs not available on the original vinyl release ... now clocking in at over 65 minutes.
My only complaint is i would have preffered it to be housed in a sturdy case, rather than the digipack format, which you know will end up all tatty in years to come, but that doesn't warrant losing a star from it's rating!
It's worth the price for the front and back cover photo's of Jimi...iconic.
Still unsurpassed as the greatest rock guitarist of all time in my opinion, and he's on form here for sure.
Buy it, you won't regret it.

Presumably released to coincide with Jimi's tragic death on September 18th 1970, this posthumous album is quite simply brilliant. Originally an 8 track Polydor release in 1971 (2302018) this has been enhanced to a larger musical set. The order of numbers has also changed.
1: The Queen- Isle of Wight 30/8/70.
2:Sergeant Pepper- I.O.W. 30/8/70.
3:Little Wing- Winterland 10/12/68 (original vinyl accredited to San Diego)
4:Fire- San Diego 25/5/69.
5:I Don't Live Today-San Diego 25/5/69.
6:Spanish Castle Magic-San Diego 25/5/69.
7:Red House- San Diego 25/5/69.
8:Johnny B.Goode- Berkeley 30/5/70.
9:Lover Man- Berkeley 30/5/70.
10: Blue Suede Shoes- Berkeley 30/5/70.
11: Voodoo Chile- San Diego 25/5/69.
Hendrix's discography is complex with bootlegs, multiple compilations and the inevitable confusion given his repertoire. The original vinyl versions of 'Little Wing' and 'Voodoo Chile' accredited to San Diego sound the same as my battered Albert Hall unauthorised performances. What is certain is that in his short musical career his influence was dramatic and everlasting. From Chas Chandler bringing him to England and his dramatic 'Top Of The Pops' appearance in 1966 performing 'Hey Joe' he revolutionised the music industry and guitar playing.
This album shows why. The beautifully crafted blues 'Red House', The emotionally stunning 'Little Wing', the laid back announcement of 'Johnny B.Goode' followed by the crashing crescendo intro. and the evergreen 'Voodoo Chile' (the stereo on this when I hear it is still as dramatic as when I first heard it). Hendrix is the guitarist of guitarists. His peers are well-documented as clambering to see him. This is a fitting example of his genius. Compulsory listening with or without head phones.