Customer Reviews

CONCERTS

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Is this the Alan Douglas-produced "Jimi Hendrix Concerts?" I can't believe this is out-of-print! Granted, Douglas takes God-knows-what kinds of liberties in remixing these tracks for public consumption, but it is still the best. In another review, I offered that the BBC Sessions are the best "live" Hendrix recordings, but they're only "semi-live" and certainly not concerts. But the performances on this CD are definitive Hendrix, at his best. I've come to accept these as the standard. There are monumentally powerful versions of "Red House," "Blues in C Sharp," "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," and other gems. My favorite Hendrix composition, "Little Wing," is great (dig the underwater-sounding solo!), but I think the Royal Albert Hall version is just as good. Anyway, you'll love this CD. Also, you can hear how Alan Douglas employs his controversial editing of Hendrix' stuff: the "Bleeding Heart/Blues in C Sharp" version on this CD is the exact same performance as the Royal Albert Hall, except that a chunk of the latter part of the intro solo has been removed-- obviously, Douglas felt that the section meandered too much and went nowhere. I strongly dislike that sort of tampering, esp. with Hendrix' actual playing. But since I can't really tell where other edits may have occured, I usually forget about it and just enjoy the offerings. You will, too-- immensely!

Every track is a marvel. The applause and Jimi's between-song commentary are seamlessly spliced to give this best-of the feel of a single concert. Even after literally thousands of listenings, every track still amazes and overwhelms me. Proof that Jimi was/is TRULY in a class all by himself. Too bad it's out of print; it should be reissued and made required listening for all 5 billion of us.

This recordings are the very very very best of the very very best captured live. Best versions of voodoo child(perfect), little wing(wonderful), hear my train(unbelievable),are you...,red house(incredible 11 min solo),hey joe(completely different) and others. A must.