Blue Wild Angel

by

Jimi Hendrix

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While there is SOME sloppy playing on this CD, it is a concert after all, and conditions were pretty poor from a technical standpoint from what I hear. Is spite of this, this contains some truly inspiring improvisation from the king of improv. If you are familiar with H only from radioplay, you are in for a treat, as Hendrix's genius as a live perfomer really shines forth on these tracks. Truly sounds like two guitars. Credit should also go to the band, who are totally in synch with H's playing. You can hear how Hendrix is getting real jazzy in his phrasing. God, what could have been.... My favorite track: Hey Baby.

Any Hendrix is good Hendrix, but listening to this disc, I felt that something was wrong that night. Hendrix spends a good bit of time apologizing for the sound, which is usually an indication that there are technical as well as performance difficulties. The remastering is good, although I understand that the DVD is not properly in sync, i.e. lips move before song is sung. Spared that, and taken on its own merits, Hendrix seems to have a bit of an attitude at the beginning which resurfaces in the face of whatever frustrations he must have encountered.

Pity too, since this line up of Mitch MItchell and Billy Cox were the perfect trio partners for him. The playing is all very good, but this performance does not match WOODSTOCK or BAND OF GYPSIES, or his moments at MONTEREY, all of which are far more satisfying. It is a marked improvement over his appearance on Dick Cavett, which has to be one of the most absurd, surreal and bizarre moments in TV history.

Anyway, the songs here on the double CD do not follow the sequence of their performance as you hear Hendrix say goodnight midway through the first disc. Hmmm. Although, come to think of it, it seems like the life went out of these performances about that time. The run through of ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER, SGT PEPPER, and a few others are just that: run-throughs. Hendrix could not have been that pleased with this show, but it still has the obvious historic importance of being his last, so there is merit to it. The liner notes tell you that Hendrix knew the times ahd changed significantly, and perhaps the relevance of wht he was doing and where he was going musically was weighing heavily on him. We'll never know. For the moment, we have this as a puzzling farewell.