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Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys
- The music from the “Band of Gypsys” album is like no other. Aside from using Hendrix’s normal arrangement of effects pedals like on his previous studio albums, he sticks to a wah-wah pedal and a distortion box. Three friends make up the band. Buddy Miles on drums has a singing quality that Robert Plant would have had a tough time matching and Billy Cox, Jimi’s old army friend, plays bass.
The leader of the group is, of course, Jimi Hendrix who uses his improvisational prowess to lead the band in the direction he so chooses.
The album is recorded live in 1969/1970 at the renowned Fillmore East in New York City. It is unbelievable how accurate and tight-knit the sound is that comes from these three guys.
From “Machine Gun” to “Who Knows” the music is soulful and jam savvy. You can hardly tell it is improvisation. The notes and distortion and wah-wah pedal timing are so on point that you think you are listening to a studio album.
When I was younger, I was given the album as a gift and quickly dismissed its boring album cover of Hendrix with his guitar. This was before I knew about Hendrix and before I listened to the simplicity and complexity of the album, that exists at the same time. This is a great record for any guitar player looking for Hendrix to elongate his guitar playing ability.
This record rose to No. 5 on the charts quickly after its release in 1970. The album fulfilled a legal obligation to Capitol Records. Out of four concerts recorded on December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970, Hendrix chose six songs from these performances to create this album.
Critics in the past have hailed the album as a touchstone of blues, funk, and fusion music.
The songs seem to stick in your mind if you play them enough. The guitar and vocal riffs are catchy and move like an ocean.
Maybe that is the genius of Jimi Hendrix, his ability to be fluid. The earthy vibe that he gave off as a person was clear through his speaking and mannerisms. Through his music, it was even more prominent. Hendrix had a natural atmospheric sound. He mimicked the water you see when you look out over the beach, the sun setting over the horizon on a summer day. His imagery through sound is astounding and one good reason why he is called an artist.
CORRECTION: This article previously stated "Band of Gypsys" was recorded at the. Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. It was recorded at the Fillmore East in New York City.
Reviewer: Stefan Julian
new
Reviewer's Rating: 9.5
Reader's Rating: 7.00
Reader's Votes: 3
Added: 16-Jun-2009
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