Appearing like a flash, Jimi Hendrix burst onto the international music scene of the mid 1960's like nothing ever seen before or since. Born in Seattle in 1942, early life experiences both in the United States Army and as a backing musician for the likes of the Isley Brothers and Little Richard on the Chitlin' Circuit helped serve as formative groundwork for what was to come.
With the release of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single in December 1966, a
never-ceasing whirlwind would envelop Jimi and his music until his untimely death in September of 1970. What's still fascinating, more than five decades on, is how prolific a creator he managed to be through his not even four years in the spotlight.
Of particular interest is Jimi Hendrix's use of the studio, of improvisational creation, of jamming, as a foundational aspect to his creative process. Third Man Records, in partnership with Experience Hendrix and in connection with Legacy Recordings (a division of Sony Music Entertainment) is beyond humbled and honored to announce Jimi Hendrix Valley of Jams 1969-1970 is the 67th entry in Third Man Records' long-running archival audio series The Vault.
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The focus here is the transitional period where the Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding line-up of the Experience begins to give way, with Redding's exit making way for Billy Cox to take over on bass, and Mitchell's eventual departure leading to Buddy Miles picking up behind the drums, the sessions highlighted here truly capture inspirational form of extemporaneous artistic expression.
Listen no further than the kick off track "Slow Version" for an absolutely riveting, groove-driven explosion of raw rock and roll. Similarly, "Trash Man" delights in fanciful, vocal-like lead playing, as great a testament as any for why Hendrix continues to be cited as not only the greatest guitar player of his time...but the greatest guitar player of all time.
The medley of "Cherokee Mist/Astro Man" is a scintillating pairing of skilled leads and guitar pedal affected rhythm that interestingly features a pre-punk Tom Erdelyi on engineer duty, just a couple of years before he'd jump behind the drums and take the name Tommy with his chosen brothers in the Ramones.
The recordings here span multiple sessions in New York and London. The documented
progression, via Jimi’s interplay with musicians as they seemingly come and go, only serves to cement not only how prodigious the output was, but how impressive the work continues to be. Of most excitement is the 28 minute tour-de-force explorations of "Keep On Groovin'" which manages to deftly combine jazz, flamenco, blues, rock, soul and some other styles still yet-to-be-defined.
All songs were precisely mixed by the legendary Eddie Kramer, Jimi's engineer of choice, who spent as much time as anyone with Jimi in the studio during these jam excursions.
All three LPs are expertly pressed on vibrant 180-gram colored vinyl at Third Man Record
Pressing in Detroit, Michigan and exquisitely packaged in a captivating tri-fold jacket, cleverly utilizing multiple rapid shot photos of Hendrix to simulate movement via still imagery.
As an extension of these jams, the 7-inch format felt ripe to explore one of Jimi's truest,
soul-baring statements via his spare, solo demo for the monster blues of "Midnight Lightning." The through line from what began just a handful of decades prior by solo acoustic players in the Mississippi Delta to Jimi's plaintive, soul-baring expression shows that while the accent or the coloring may change, the core of the blues shines through whatever the presentation. Backed with the rollicking odd-time signature "Beginnings (Take 5)" and this single showcases the duality of Hendrix...the dark and the light, the mournful and the joyous, the lone and the group.
These recordings have appeared scattered across various releases over the years, but this newly compiled track list (curated by pre-eminent Hendrix expert John McDermott) provides previously overlooked context and perspective behind the narrative and interconnectedness of all these songs.
Additionally, a newly-designed, custom-made patch and slap-it-on-the-car bumper sticker, both proudly declaring “Move over rover, let Jimi take over” round out this package as a must-have for the deepest appreciator of the genius of Jimi Hendrix or the greenest neophyte ready and willing to understand why it all still matters.
Go to www.thirdmanrecords.com/vault to order by January 31st midnight central time to guarantee your copy of this collection
Jimi Hendrix
Valley of Jams 1969-1970
3 x LP / 1 x 7-inch single
LP 1:
Slow Version (4:56)
Jam 292 (5:22)
Trash Man (7:23)
Izabella (4:23)
Record Plant 2X (11:03)
Villanova Junction Blues (4:56)
LP 2:
Ezy Ryder/MLK (19:59)
Room Full Of Mirrors (5:53)
Jungle (9:05)
Strato Strut (4:40)
Slow Time Blues (3:49)
LP 3:
Burning Desire (9:48)
Cherokee Mist/Astro Man (4:53)
Stepping Stone/Villanova Junction Blues (6:38)
Keep On Groovin' (28:05)
7-inch:
Midnight Lightning (3:07)
Beginnings - Take 5 (5:26)
