Guide to British Music of the 1960s

January 1999

CD Review

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - BBC Sessions

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The Jimi Hendrix Expereince was one of the definitive live acts. Indeed, great as the studio albums are, they are unable to match up to the live sound. These two CDs capture the Jimi Hendrix Experience at its best in a number of sessions and other "live" appearances at the BBC. It includes the infamous Happening for Lulu episode. This is where the group, playing live on the Lulu TV show, interrupted Hey Joe to play an instrumental version of Sunshine of Your Love dedicated to the Cream.

Amongst the 37 tracks there are a few tracks that are repeated in different sessions. This is certainly not a negative aspect of the package though. The breadth of tracks includes the essential guide to Jimi Hendrix with songs such as Hey Joe, Foxey Lady, Purple Haze, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Fire, Killing Floor and Stone Free. There are also a number of rarities such as the Cream tribute already mentioned, the Beatles' Day Tripper and Stevie Wonder's I Was Made to Love Her.

The tracks on the CD were recorded over a two-year period for the BBC television and radio. Interestingly we have the establishment in the form of the BBC meeting the free-form expression and inventiveness that was the Jimi Hendrix Experience. While this may seem an unusual combination, it has resulted in an excellent body of work put together in a short time.

A lot of the tracks appear to be informal with the band chatting to host Brian Matthews or inviting Alexis Corner or Stevie Wonder to "sit in" with the band. The Experience also attempts a new jingle for Radio 1. There are also some instrumental jams. At the other end of the scale are blistering versions of Hendrix classics such as Killing Floor, Fire or Purple Haze. However, despite the duplication of some tracks, there is certainly no filler with every track worth its inclusion.

The 2-CD set is essential for the Jimi Hendrix fan and highly recommended for any music fan. Even if you have the tracks, these are superior, unbelievably, to the studio versions given that the raw nature of their recording perfectly encapsulates the spirit and energy of the Experience. Makes your hair stand on end!

mp, December 1998

Essential Tracks:

• Foxey Lady
• Stone Free
• Voodoo Child

Track Listing:

Disc One

1. Foxey Lady
2. Alexis Corner Introduction
3. Can You Please Crawl Out of Your Window?
4. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
5. Traveling With The Experience
6. Driving South
7. Fire
8. Little Miss Lover
9. Introducing the Experience
10. The Burning of the Midnight Lamp
11. Catfish Blues
12. Stone Free
13. Love or Confusion
14. Hey Joe
15. Hound Dog
16. Driving South
17. Hear My Train a Comin'

Disc Two

1. Purple Haze
2. Killing Floor
3. Radio One
4. Wait Until Tomorrow
5. Day Tripper
6. Spanish Castle Magic
7. Jammin'
8. I Was Made To Love Her
9. Foxey Lady
10. A Brand New Sound
11. Hey Joe
12. Manic Depression
13. Driving South
14. Hear My Train A Comin'
15. A Happening for Lulu
16. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
17. Lulu introduction
18. Hey Joe
19. Sunshine of Your Love