Customer Reviews

Pickin' on Hendrix

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a fan of the music of Jimi Hendrix since seeing him live in-concert in 1967, I have heard a lot of Hendrix "covers" and "tributes" over the years, but none as well done as "Pickin on Hendrix." The level of musicianship and obvious emotional involvement displayed by Mr. West and friends on this recording makes it obvious that the music of Jimi Hendrix has a deepness and richness that extends far beyond the "rock" catagory. After hearing "Purple Haze," "The Wind Cries Mary," and "The Star Spangled Banner" done with with blazing, twang-tinged country flair you will begin to realize just how universal and unique Jimi Hendrix's compositions really are. I've always wondered what a country take on Hendrix's music would sound like, and here it is. If you like country music but find Jimi's music to be too "edgey" or "far-out,"listen to this cd and you'll become "experienced." If you love Hendrix's music but are not too keen on country music stylings, this cd will make you smile. It's a winner no matter what kind of music you like.

While a big Hendrix fan, as well as a fan of bluegrass - I was NOT impressed with this album. While the "bluegrass" was acceptable, it was a big stretch to extract the "hendrix" from what I was hearing. If you want a good Hendrix tribute album, try "Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" (1993). You want a good bluegrass album? Try Seldom Scene.

Overall, a nice concept gone terribly awry.

Wow, I did not know I like bluegrass, but I figured if I'd ever like it it would be in this cd. I was right. It was strange and creepy how well J.H. rythms fell right into place in bluegrass music. This album has no lyrics but alot of character and it's simply on the mark.The best thing about this album for me was the all along the watchtower dylan cover. It was beautiful at about 4 minutes long and played by one person on several different instruments with incredible skill and awesome flare and style. This album is alot of fun and at times profoundly and innocently pretty and remarkable. I recognized everything at once except from maybe one song which I can't remember at the moment but it was probably because I never heard hendrix himself do it. This whole album is full of energy and skill and perfect for students of banjo or acoustic guitar. David west who is the main player and in some songs the only player is an absolute genius and J.H. would have gotten a huge kick out of hearing this twisted but accurate overature. Very few times was it repetative in an undesirable way like most cover or remixing tribute albums are. This was charming and renewed my faith in great musical cross-overs and fusions. I was shocked to find that out of several cds I bought within the month this was my favorite one. I had to laugh at the fact that I'm a complete stranger to this brand of music but I became so quickly fond of it. This is one rich album. A definite five.

I have been very impressed by other "pickin on" music: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zep, Santana, to name a few I have. However, Hendrix music did not translate well at all into the bluegrass style, it was a great disappointment, and this is one CD I will get rid of quickly.

The pickin'on , bluegrass tribute cd's are great,there are also great bluegrass tribute on Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton.

On this Hendrix tribute cd all the great songs, Hey Joe , Fire , Little Wing.

The songs sound very different (Banjo instead of electric guitar), but the songs are easy to recognize.

Also the cover of the cd is very funny, a banjo on fire, like Hendrix put his guitar on fire at the Monterey festival.

This cd is a must have for every Hendrix fan.

I will say this.... The "Little Wing" cut sent shivers up my spine and put goose bumps on my arms and legs. No Foolin'

Wow.

Okay so its like this,

I have been listening to rock and roll for 25 years

I work in an office, do the "cube life", sitting at a PC for most of the day, working on my own, popping out to get liquids or drain liquids, chat some, that's the life. Now this ipod deal comes along a few years ago. Only, if your going to listen to music all day, you just cant listen to real pure rock and roll all day, you just cant. I don't care if your homeless sitting in a park all day with an ipod on, you just cant listen to real hard rock and roll for hours and hours at time all day everyday.

Classical puts me to sleep. I can handle some of it in the morning, ease into the day, but not allot of it. Pop I don't care for. Country singing about my dog had an affair on my wife doesn't cut either, what did I just say? Anyway, and Rap is out. Opera, No. So what to do?

Well thanks to my Dad, who used to watch Hee Haw all the time when I was growing up, and man did I hate it that show! Even today I seen some of it not long ago, its corny country stuff, but when Roy Clark comes on and solos for a song, then man always caught my attention. He was flat out good. But still I would "never" and have never owned a bluegrass cd. Get real!

But then, a friend, listening to me talk of my search to get some kind of music going for the day, loaned me a String Cheese Incident CD, an On The Road 3 cd set, and said just try it for awhile. Let it grow on you. What do you have to lose? Well yep I ended up submitting to it, and then really liking it. Before long I was walking around the office humming along, co workers going what you got playing man?? So having remembered seeing these Pickin' on cd's before, I said well why not try it, so I started off with one, right away started laughing and laughing good not at it. Now mind you no way would this happen up till a few years ago. Getting older? I don't know, many people are born and raised on this stuff. Its all in how you approach it. And I will tell ya what, that was a couple years ago and 6 pickin' on cd's later, I am so much more relaxed at work now. What I didn't notice before was music and singing along with it ALL day works on you more than you realize. Just having some "cruising tunes" playing with no singing really is relaxing. I don't have this playing all day, but its taking up a couple hours a day. Some more String Cheese cd's. And I will sooner or later just end up getting everyone of these pickin' on cd's. You see its not all about "oh this one doesn't jam enough" or the other one is better than this one. Nah. If you like Rock, and don't want to listen to it all day, then get used to these trust me, I did and its worth it. I still laugh at dif times playing them. And now some coworkers and friends have them loaded up also. I still have all the "real" bands loaded into my ipod, never giving up on Classic Rock and Roll, ever!

Lastly, I am not someone who sells these CD's. I actually am very picky if you read my reviews, and look at my Amazon name! and flunk so much stuff that's out there. Believe me this has caught me off guard. Just thought I would let anyone know that is searching for a new way listen to the day to try it out a bit. Give it time. Don't just listen partly or once then blow it all off, scoff and go Sacrilege! For I did before, but now a convert, and after a couple years of it, I get it, and will be enjoying these for years to come, just like the real rock and roll at times. I have posted this review of the cd's I have so far.

Good luck. Have a great day ya all.

Oh no, I am talking hillbilly already!