Jimi Hendrix ‎– Hear My Music CD

From http://hendrix.guide.pagesperso-orange.fr/contents.htm

A welcome release from Dagger, with this new collection of studio jams and outtakes recorded in early 1969 in London and New York. Always a pleasure to receive these, complete with a Seattle postmark. It's in the same vein as "Morning Symphony Ideas" in that it features only instrumentals, but this release is a far more satisfying affair, crammed full of intense guitar workouts from Jimi with many different musicians.

There are a few familiar numbers in there of couse, the fantastic "Jam 292" (previously on "Loose Ends), plus "Drone Blues" and "Jimi/Jimmy Jam" (previously on "Nine To The Universe") but this time in all their unedited glory. That last one for example lasts 17 minutes and is perhaps the best jam ever captured of Jimi and other musicians in sheer interaction. At the beginning Jimi puts in a few phrases of "Villanova Junction" before the track goes on into uncharted territory. It features Mitch with Jim McCarty (of Buddy Miles Express and later Cactus) and Dave Holland (or perhaps the Express bassist, Roland Robinson). "Jam 292" features the intro this time (like the "Jelly 292" that appeared on ":Blues") rather than the tedious fade-in of "Loose Ends". Some stunning guitar on that track.
"Drone Blues" has Cox on bass with some superb drumming by Rocky Isaac (and not Mitch as "Nine To The Universe" stated). It is of course a terrific jam with Jimi throwing in riffs he also used in "Drivin' South" and "Midnight Lightning". The recording underlines the sheer brilliance of Jimi's improvisational abilities.
Unfortunately, now we know that we will not be seeing an expanded re-release of the "Nine To The Universe" album which is a shame in a way.

The nice surprise is four tracks by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, three of which were recorded on the same day at Olympic Studios on February 14, 1969, so just before the Albert Hall gigs. "Slow Version" sets the tone of the album straight away, a heavy blues with some great soloing, similar in feel to "Hear My Train" at the outset. The "Ezy Ryder/Star Spangled Banner" is great fun (not the same as the other and often bootlegged proto "Ezy Ryder" also known as "Mushy Name"). It is Take 25 of 35 takes ! That is a lot of takes to get this far. No wonder Noel couldn't take recording sessions anymore. This take blasts in with that killer riff and eventually goes into improvisation before Jimi takes it through a superb "Star Spangled Banner". The "Blues Jam At Olympic" just kills you off, with Jimi laying into his wah-wah as Mitch and Noel drive on a basic rhythm similar to "Message To Love" or "Spanish Castle Magic". Finally "Trash Man" (which Alan Dougles had overdubbed on his "Midnight Lightning" album, thirty years ago, my God) features The Experience in New York's Olmstead Studios. It begins as "Midnight" then veers off into improvisation before Jimi puts in that lovely passage which sounds a little like a blend of "1983" and "Third Stone From The Sun".

The four other tracks provide some calmer moments and were all recorded on February 22 at Olympic. They are more like what we got on "Morning Symphony Ideas", featuring Jimi alone in the studio, going through an early (and monotonous) sketch of "Message To Love", "Gypsy Blood" (which is a very brief "Little Wing"-like improvisation) and two relatively uninteresting stabs at "Valleys Of Neptune" rhythms, one on guitar, the other with Jimi on piano ! Those tracks are "interesting" but do get in way somewhat and the disc would have been neater without them.

The piano player on "Jam 292" was Sharon Layne who was friend of Billy's from the Memphis region.

Label: Dagger Records – 88697635202
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country:
Released: 2020
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Psychedelic Rock

Tracklist

1 Slow Version 4:59
2 Drone Blues 8:31
3 Ezy Ryder/Star Spangled Banner 10:18
4 Jimi/Jimmy Jam 17:00
5 Jam 292 5:25
6 Trash Man 7:25
7 Message To Love 2:36
8 Gypsy Blood 1:24
9 Valleys Of Neptune (Guitar) 4:00
10 Blues Jam At Olympic 5:11
11 Valleys Of Neptune (Piano) 3:05