Customer Reviews

Live at Woodstock [Vinyl]

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

With control over the release of Hendrix material finally, I thought that the Hendrix family and the record label finally put out a definitive, complete release of the Woodstock performance. But no. What is this? Larry Lee has been edited out of the set--his guitar and vocals are gone, altering and even shortening songs. When will this insanity stop? When will record companies release complete performances and stop editing and fudging with live material like this? How much longer before ANOTHER Woodstock release comes along that includes something omitted here but excludes something included here? Granted, this is much better than earlier incarnations of the release, and what with 2 discs, great pictures and nice liner notes it looks the best, but why oh why are games like this continously played? The sound mix, which many die-hard fans had problems with, seemed fine to me. It's just the practices of the record labels, the producers, and the families and artists themselves (re: the Doors) when it comes to re-releasing material and deifying themselves with sonic trickery that annoys me to no end.

When Jimi took the stage at Woodstock to play this set, most of the crowd had left (down from 400,000 to 25,000). The farm on which the concert was staged was now a barren wasteland that consisted of any soggy piece of anything the hippies in attendance didn't want to haul back to their current home.

Jimi took this mess and turned it into a living legend. When he took the stage he didn't even get a proper introduction, but undaunted, launched into a powerful reading of "Message to Love" which, for the most part was a preview of the rest of the show.

There were some problems though, neither Jimi nor his closest bandmates, Mitch Mitchell or Billy Cox really liked the expanded format (which not only included Cox on bass and Mitchell on drums, but two percussionists and a rythym guitarist).

This, is only minor problem though, as neither precussionist is audible due to inadequate miking and the sound of Jimi's guitar.
The worst part, though, is definatly the editing of the rythym guitarist Lary Lee's two solo peices, "Gypsy Woman" and another that the name of which escapes me. I mean, neither disc was even 70 minutes, that means that even if the two songs were ten minutes both could have (and should have) been included. I mean they dismised it as filler and admitted to it in the linear notes but what is so hard about putting on two more tracks? I'm not saying that Lee is some guitar god, but he was part of the band, and part of the Woodstock legend too. All hope of the complete preformance isn't lost, however, as you can obtain the full set with no editing (and all of the songs) on the internet.

Over all, great playing, great step up from the previous Woodstock disc, little or no fake cheering, and almost complete. Great buy, no matter what I said.

This 2 CD set adds previously unreleased versions of 'Message To Love', 'Spanish Castle Magic', 'Lover Man' and 'Foxy Lady' to the preceding single CD release (simply titled 'Woodstock'), but it's still not complete: Larry Lee's vocal performances ('Mastermind' and 'Gypsy Woman') were not included (a quote from the liner notes: 'Some things are meant to be preserved only on bootlegs...'). More annoying is that Larry Lee`s GUITAR is still edited out in some places; this not only shortens 'Red House' by several minutes, it also considerably decreases its impact.

Well, what the heck - you'll probably never find a MORE complete official version of this concert, and the music itself is incredible. The undisputed highlight of the set is the medley Voodoo Child (13 minutes + !) / Star Spangled Banner / Purple Haze / Woodstock Improvisation / Villanova Junction, which took 25 years to be released in its entirety for the first time (...on the aforementioned single CD). That manic final solo of Purple Haze, followed by a stunning 5 minute guitar improvisation (which can almost be seen as a seperate composition - at the 1969 concerts he played it quite often in almost the same manner, for example in the lengthy version of 'Spanish Castle Magic' on the long-deleted 3 CD set 'Anthology'), then suddenly slowing down to a heartbreaking blues performance... It's something that's got to be heard to be believed - an emotionally exhausting tour-de-force. - The four previously unreleased tracks are good enough to make the set interesting to newcomers and long time afficionados alike - and, yes, 'Lover Man' is almost in its original state, at least without the usual cut-outs of non-Hendrix soloing.

'Live at Woodstock' would be an excellent first-pick for future fans; in the continuing absence of the Berkeley and Winterland concerts, this is as close as you can get to a definitive live performance of Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi playing Woodstock was probably the most legendary thing he'd done since he blew the roof off the Monterey Pop Festival two years before. Like Bob Dylan's "Royal Albert Hall" concert, the performance here has legend written all over it, but it's not the hands-down greatest performance he'd ever done. But it's definitely AMONG his best.

At the risk of sounding corny, there is something just a little magical about this particular set; mainly due to the fact that it took place at the biggest music festival in rock history and that Jimi was playing in broad daylight in front of THOUSANDS of fans. Jimi's spoken word indicates he was a little nervous and probably a little wasted, but he lets his strat do most of the talking. It's a long set filled with loose jams, which is always a plus for a Hendrix concert. The most notable being his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner which is probably, aside from Machine Gun from his Fillmore East concerts, the greatest thing he'd ever done live. Novice fans may wonder just what the hell he's doing when he suddenly breaks the song and starts coming up with a bunch of weird licks and feedback, but if you listen closely, it will make perfect sense. I think it's the most "visual" song he's ever done live.

Experience Hendrix did a pretty good job on the mastering. It doesn't sound as muddy as it used to; Mitchell's drum work is MUCH clearer than on the older release. Admittedly, there is kind of a drawback. Two Larry Lee performances were left off, so it's not really the ENTIRE set. Ah, well. It's for the best, I guess. There is no greater crime in music than slowing down a great Hendrix concert.

Great CD (or CD's). As with most things that brand the name "Jimi Hendrix," play it loud for maximum effect.

Few performances have become quite as legendary as Hendrix and the Gypsy Sun and Rainbows on that muddy Monday morning at Woodstock, and rightfully so. Sure there were other great performances at Woodstock (Santana, the Who, Janis Joplin...), but none was more electrifying then the Band of Gypsys, not even the shock that the tens of thousands in attendance would have felt, had the rain hit those wires just right.

Unfortunately the Woodstock concert was never well compiled, appearing in poorly mixed, out of order, sloppy compilations. Even the latest Woodstock disc suffers from editing problems, the well documented almost complete absense of guitarist Larry Lee (though in the times when we hear him, he is a clear talent)percussionist Jerry Velez and Juma Sultan, not to mention it is still out of order.

However, this will only disturb the most ardent of Hendrix fans. The rest of us (most notably those that didn't get to see Woodstock live) are only concerned with getting our Hendrix in extreme doses. And Hendrix delivers, playing with unprecedented soul and fury. From the first note of Message to Love, pop these dics (the first two disc collection of Hendrix's Woodstock performance) in and watch your CD player smoke. The concert hits its peak when Hendrix blazes through a stirring, feedback, guitar pyrotechnic filled, instrumental version of The Star Spangled Banner, (Sure beats the version with lyrics by several football stadiums) which then segues into a stunning Purple Haze. And I haven't mentioned the funk injected into a nearly 14 minute Voodoo Child (Slight Return) or the passion and nervous energy of Fire! Nor have I said anything about all the other wonderful guitar jams.

I would take all day if I were to bring up all the great aspects of the Woodstock show. All I can say is that this is guitar playing at its peak, bar none. No fan of rock deserves to be called a rock fan until they own a Hendrix album. This isn't a bad place to start. Sure many aspects of this show are edited out. But Hendrix is not. And it is Hendrix that makes Live at Woodstock essential to everyone's rock and roll collection!

This is a fantastic record, and a definite must for any Jimi-aholic or aspiring fan. It's known by most that although the Hendrix studio albums were fantastic, to get the real Jimi, you have to listen live. And live this is, although I was a little dissapointed by two things: 1) They've edited out two songs that were written by Larry Lee, and 2) Just about all of Larry Lee was edited clean off the disc. Now I understand that the guitar was out of tune and fuzzy, but apparantly Experience Hendrix doesn't realize that we want the whole experience. It adds realism.

Keeping that in mind, the album is still extraordinary, with great, gritty vocals soaring, distorted guitar work, and even interplay with the crowd who had stayed behind to watch Jimi perform ("Jimi, are you High?" a crowd member asks at the beginning of the set). Jimi constantly cracks wise about their "shoddy performance," despite it's true greatness.

Highs on the album include Jimi classics like "Purple Haze", an extraordinary extended "Voodoo Child," "Fire," and "Foxey Lady," (complete with classic Jimi grunting and groaning). But, it also includes some not as well known Jimi tracks, my personal faves being the brand new at the time "Izabella," and "Hear my Train 'a Comin'." And for those who just want to sit and listenin awe to some of Jimi's amazing guitar technique there are a few instrumentals in which he rips it up. The now classic "Star Spangled Banner," an extended jam called "Woodstock Improvisation," and last but certainly not least "Villanova Junction."

All things considered, this is a fantastic album, and arguably the most potent documentation of the late Jimi Hendrix before his death. This was the first Hendrix album I bought, but it wasn't the last. I know cherish this album and own all the studio albums, plus Jimi's other great live album, Live at The Fillmore East. Whatever you do, make sure you buy this record, it is possible the best one in my collection.

This release is missing two of the songs from the original performance at Woodstock, "Gypsy Woman" and "Mastermind." Hendrix only performed these songs at the Woodstock show; therefore, their historic value is impossible to deny. Yet these songs are not on this release!

Additionally, this album does not include some of the other musicians' performances. The guitar of Larry Lee, for example, has been mixed out, along with other percussion and singing.

This release could have been the definitive edition of Jimi Hendrix's legendary performance at Woodstock. Instead, it represents almost nothing beyond the 1994 Alan Douglas :Woodstock release.

It's a mystery to me why the Hendrix family (ExperienceHendrix) couldn't release the complete and uncut recording of this performance. Instead of releasing the complete recording of this historic concert, the Hendrix family has edited (or deleted) instrumental sections (from songs), guitar solos, some of Hendrix' comments between songs, Larry Lee's solos, most of the percussion section, and two songs (Gypsy Woman and Mastermind).

The Hendrix family has announced in the past they have hours of live recordings. It's probably safe to say that we can expect more of the same with regard to these future recordings, that is edited songs, deletion of songs, etc.

Unfortunately, we'll never be able to experience these shows complete and uncut. Despite Jimi's musical prowess and talent, which is in abundance on this recording, I can't recommend it.

Jimi Hendrix live at woodstock remains as one of the most influential live albums in history. This entire 2 CD set includes the entire woodstock performence remastered. The band Gypsy Suns And Rainbows was alittle off but on this CD they cut off most of the musicians who did not fit the picture except for Billy Cox, Mitch Mitchell, and Jimi Hendrix. All of the songs are truely amazing from the start to the finish my favorite songs included most of the jams. If you want to really hear a great live Jimi Hendrix album then I Highly Recomend this one for you. Enjoy!

This 2-CD title is the release of Jimi's entire set he played at the historic music festival. It was previously put out as a single disc, so there are several tracks that either I never heard of or I simply don't remember. Like "Izabella" and "Villanova Junction".The tunes that grab your full attention would be "Message Of Love","Spanish Castle Magic"(one of my personal Hendrix favorites),"Foxey Lady","Hey Joe","Fire","Red House","Purple Haze" and the famed "Star Spangled Banner".This would make a GREAT gift.