Hendrix Recommendations

strider

Does anyone have some insight on what Hendrix releases are the best sounding? I've got a fair bit, and I'm pretty familiar with them, I was just wondering if there was a concensus as to which ones were done the best in terms of recording/remastering quality. It doesn't matter if it's live or studio, or on vinyl or cd. Thanks in advance.

bobman1235

I know the three "Experience" CDs were pretty revolutionary as far as sound production goes, but I couldn't tell you which ones are the best.

sda2mike

band of gypsys..live at the fillmore...:cool:

i saw that 'hendrix' movie on vh1 classic....what a piece of shiite! worst acting ever! everything was just wrong! from guitar tones of 'clapton' and jimi, to bad lip-synching, bad guitar-synching, really, really bad acting and just not caring enough to properly research the subject! i could only stand a few minutes...:mad:

Toka78

Original British/German pressings rock the house...

Lsi9

I remember the 1st Hendrix cd editions were the best for some time and I eventually bought the 2nd editions and a lot of hendrix fans noticed the drop in sound quality seemingly lifted from copies of the original masters. Then the Hendrix family released their editions and with those I am not familiar with at all. Also I'd like to add that there are 2 versions of "Pali Gap" one with effects and one without (closer to the original) and I prefer the one with effects!

jrlouie

I personally like "Blues" by Jimi Hendrix.

sda2mike

pali gap..kills! wifey's going out for awhile, i think i'll be cranking some jimi :cool:

strider

sda2mike wrote:

pali gap..kills! wifey's going out for awhile, i think i'll be cranking some jimi :cool:

That's what I'm doin' right now:D . Quick trivia: anybody know who said "Turn that damn guitar DOWN" in Voodoo Chile?

Keep it comin', folks!

Lsi9

Pali Gap is an amazing instrumental ahead of its time IMO...Also Dolly Dagger is a good obscure one...lemme take a crack at that trivia...Was it Steve Winwood? I know he played the keys on that track

strider

Yup. Pretty sure it was Steve Winwood. Which album is Pali Gap off of again?

strider

bobman1235 wrote:

I know the three "Experience" CDs were pretty revolutionary as far as sound production goes, but I couldn't tell you which ones are the best.

Are you referring to the Experience Hendrix versions of the 3 studio albums? I just had that version of Electric Ladyland on, I think ...And The Gods Made Love should definitely be on the SDA playlist.

Roy Munson

Jimi Hendrix The Experience Collection on MCA 1993 is a very good sounding set of CD's! It's better than the original CD's. I've read of a better sounding set but I can't remember what it is. I believe someone here started a thread about which releases sound better/best.

The three classic original Jimi Hendrix Experience albums and "The Ultimate Experience", the definitive single disc overview. "Are You Experienced?" has six bonus tracks of early singles and songs originally on the U.K. version. All four discs are digitally remastered with extensive new liner notes, rare photos, and new artwork. Original cover art is include in the booklets.

The set includes these four CD's:

Are You Experienced?
Axis: Bold As Love
Electric Ladyland
The Ultimate Experience

This is one of my favorite Hendrix CD's! I think it's out of print so it would have to be found on the used market.

Highly Recommended

Edit: found the thread..

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20271&highlight=hendrix+best

heiney9

Strider, sorry I never got back to you in a timely fashion. I've been so busy lately. I've been most impressed with all the Experience Hendrix releases. These are on the label that Jimi's half/sister runs and they have done a really great job in selection of material and mastering.

There was a time when Alan Douglas was involved with selecting and mixing much of the Hnedrix product and he basically butchered a lot of stuff. He even brought in session musicians to finish and overdub parts of songs and then passed them off as being the band when in fact no one from The Experience was involved.

Most of what I have are studio sessions/live/jams/outtakes on bootleg and they are all done pretty well and are always exciting to listen to. The thing I refered to in the other thread is not so much the high quality of the recording but the manner and the way it was recorded. It's like looking at Masterpiece paintings from hundreds of years ago. They have a quality about them that can't be recaptured in modern day. Same with the overall process of Hnedrix recordings. It's a combo of a great mastering/the way it was recorded/the gear used and the attitude of the time. Hendrix always souded like he was just jamming. It was effortless w/o boundaries and never seem contrived.

The Blues disc is great as well as the Hendrix Box set. I spend very little time with the actual studio releases but the latest Experience Hendrix releases are the best so far.

strider

So therockman is on the up and up? I hadn't seen him around since I've been here, so I wasn't real certain. Thanks for the link.

cmy330go

I personally have this Hendrix album. I purchased it on vinyl from Music Direct per their recommendation. I've been very happy with it and it seems to get great reviews.



The CD can be had reasonably at Amazon.

It's also available on vinyl from Acoustic Sounds.

Here is the AllMusic Review for good measure.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy!

strider

heiney9 wrote:

Strider, sorry....

No need for apologies, I hijacked another thread and figured a new thread was in order. It gives me an opportunity to hear what a number of Hendrix fans have to say, anyway.

I always had mixed feelings about Alan Douglas' motives after Jimi died. Actually, I guess I've had questions about a lot of people involved with Hendrix's estate. From what I've read he was plagued with "hangers on" while he was alive, now it seems that people are still riding his coattails 35 years after he's passed.

I definitely agree with your take on Jimi, just watching him play, it's as if the guitar is there to cover up the portal where his soul is pouring out into a stack of electronics cranked up to eleven. I think his direct connection with the music also carried over into the recording of it. Pouring all that money into a state of the art studio, dragging his musician friends into it after partying to record into the wee hours of the morning, it shows in what we hear today.

It's cool now that I've heard others opinions. I think my self assigned music homework is to find out for myself what the best is:D

sda2mike

strider wrote:

Yup. Pretty sure it was Steve Winwood. Which album is Pali Gap off of again?

Hmmm...my ears paint a picture of a 'darker' dude, than stevie..sounded like a small army in there! that cut is 1 of my favorites for when i run...if i get thru the song running, that's 17 minutes:D

strider

sda2mike wrote:

Hmmm...my ears paint a picture of a 'darker' dude, than stevie..sounded like a small army in there! that cut is 1 of my favorites for when i run...if i get thru the song running, that's 17 minutes:D

That's what I've heard over the years from a couple of different sources, not saying it's the gospel, but the only thing I've heard. Last night was the first time I'd really listened to the song. I mean I've heard it before, but I made a concious effort to try and listen to everything the song had to offer. I love those songs that had musicians Jimi pulled into the studio to jam with. Jack Cassidy's bass lines are so different then Redding. I think Redding's rock guitar player roots really show in his bass work, Cassidy's stuff is much more bluesy. My question regarding that song is what the hell is with all that moaning towards the end?

edwardm10

+1 on "Blues".