Hendrix in the West

by Jimi Hendrix

Overview

There were a lot of terrible album debacles in the wake of Jimi Hendrix's death in 1970, but there were a handful of keepers. The Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge were both excellent, but now the material from both albums has been officially released as part of First Rays of the New Rising Sun or on another compilation. Even the best material from the really bad albums like Midnight Lightning and War Heroes, has now been officially released without the egregious posthumous overdubs. But somehow, In the West, one of those keepers, remained basically out of print until 2011. Yes, it's a hodge-podge, made of live tracks largely from 1969 and 1970. But it's a bunch of great live tracks, including some real rarities. The opening sequence of "God Save the Queen" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is rare and excellent in itself, and Hendrix's intro is hilarious (he was a truly funny guy). "Little Wing" and "I Don't Live Today" (not on the original LP) were also live rarities for Hendrix, but not as rare as him covering "Blue Suede Shoes" or "Johnny B. Goode" (an absolutely blistering version that might top Chuck Berry's). "Lover Man" was a live staple, but in this version, Hendrix slips in a quote from "Flight of the Bumble Bee," and listen for a quote from "Tomorrow Never Knows" in "I Don't Live Today." Fans familiar with the original vinyl should note some differences. The versions of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and "Little Wing" (recorded at Royal Albert Hall) have recently been released elsewhere, so they've been replaced with versions from San Diego 1969 and Winterland 1968 (oddly enough, this very same version of "Little Wing" was also released on the Winterland box set the same day). In addition, to "I Don't Live Today," "Fire," and "Spanish Castle Magic" are added as bonus tracks, also from the San Diego show. Old vinyl fetishists may quibble that the tracks have been resequenced, but most listeners will have no idea. In the West is a great sampling of Hendrix's late-period live material (and his sense of humor) making its long awaited appearance in the digital world. ~ Sean Westergaard

Product Details

Release Date:	07/31/2015
Label:	Sony Music
UPC:	0886979342729

Tracks

1. The Queen [Live Isle Of Wight, August 30, 1970]
2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Live Isle Of Wight, August 30, 1970]
3. Little Wing [Live 10/12/68 Winterland, San Francisco, October 12, 1968]
4. Fire [Live San Diego Sports Arena, May 25, 1969]
5. I Don't Live Today [Live San Diego Sports Arena, May 25, 1969]
6. Spanish Castle Magic [Live San Diego Sports Arena, May 25, 1969]
7. Red House [Live San Diego Sports Arena, May 25, 1969]
8. Johnny B. Goode [Live Berkeley Community Center, Berkeley, CA May 30, 1970]
9. Lover Man [Live Berkeley Community Center, Berkeley, CA May 30, 1970]
10. Blue Suede Shoes [Live Berkeley Community Center, Berkeley, CA May 30, 1970]
11. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) [Live San Diego Sports Arena, May 25, 1969]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jimi Hendrix   Primary Artist
The Jimi Hendrix Experience   Primary Artist
Noel Redding   Bass
Billy Cox   Bass
Mitch Mitchell   Drums

Technical Credits

Eddie Kramer   Producer,Engineer
John Lennon   Composer
John Jansen   Producer
Jimi Hendrix   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Janie Hendrix   Producer
George Marino   Mastering
Carl Perkins   Composer
Chandler Harrod   Mixing Assistant
Phil Yarnall   Design
Tom Wilkes   Design
Abe Jacob   Remote Engineering
John McDermott   Producer,Liner Notes
Chuck Berry   Composer