- Jimi Hendrix (RIP 1971) - vocals, guitar, keyboards

- Mitch Mitchell - drums

- Noel Redding (RIP) - bass

- Noel Redding (solo efforts)

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Get That Feeling

Company: Captiol

Catalog: T-2856

Year: 1967

Country: Seattle, Washington

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: mono pressing

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4853

Price: $40.00

I'm certainly no Hendrix expert, but as I understand the story during 1964-66 Hendrix was a member of soulster Curtis Knight's touring band.  At the time Knight was managed by Ed Chalpin who subsequently took an interest in Hendrix, signing him to a solo contract.  That contract gave Chalpin rights to a series of demos and jam sessions featuring Knight and Hendrix.  When Hendrix hit the big time, Chalpin wasted no time digging out those tapes, eventually leasing them to Capitol and any other label that was willing to pay his asking price.

Released in the wake of Hendrix's commercial breakthrough, Capitol marketing executives clearly knew what they were doing putting Hendrix image on the cover of 1967's "Get That Feeling".  You have to wonder how many folks bought this album under the impression it was a true Hendix LP only to discover that they'd really bought a compilation of early Curtis Knight material with little or no Hendrix content.  Like the old adage says, buyer beware ...  In spite of the Hendrix cover photo this 1967 curiosity is really a Curtis Knight effort.  Knight handles all of the vocals with Hendrix's participation limited to sideman though his playing is quite good on a couple of tracks.  Produced by Chalpin, the album doesn't have much in the way of biographical information, but judging by the material, and performances the eight tracks were apparently drawn from a series of 1965-1966 Knight sessions.  The sound quality isn't great (most of the collection has a distant and hollow sound), but it is better than lots of other stuff in Hendrix's extensive catalog.  For his part Knight actually sounds pretty good working his way through a mix of R&B ('No Business'), soul ('Welcome Home') and rock ('Strange Things'). Giving credit where due, a couple of songs like 'How Would You Feel' and 'Hush Now'  actually generate a bit of artistic heat with Hendrix clearly working to perfect some of his breakthrough moves. If the sound quality had been a little better, this would actually be one of Hendrix's better peripheral releases.  Even with the limitations discussed, the set's worth hearing. 

"Get That Feeling" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) How Would You Feel   (Ed Curtis) - 3:11

2.) Simon Says   (Ed Curtis) - 3:14

3.) Get That Feeling   (Ed Curtis - Ed Gregory) - 10:02

(side 2)

1.) Hush Now    (Ed Curtis) - 3:15

2.) Welcome Home   (Ed Curtis) - 3:34

3.) Gotta Have a New Dress   (Ed Curtis) - 3:03

4.) No Business   (Ed Curtis) - 2:27

5.) Strange Things   (Ed Curtis) - 2:56

Genre: rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Electric Ladyland

Company: Reprise

Catalog: 2RS 6307

Year: 1968

Country: Seattle, Washington

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: double LP; gatefold sleeve; original inner sleeves

Available: SOLD

GEMM catalog ID: SOLD

Price: SOLD

Cost: $1.00

Usually double album sets are disappointing.  While not perfect, 1968's "Electric Ladyland" is one of the notable exceptions ...  

Sprawling over four sides and clocking in at well over an hour, these 16 self-produced tracks found Hendrix pursuing a number of different interests.  Material such as the bizarre instrumental opener "... And the Gods Made Love" and the meltdown closer "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" showcased Hendrix's ongoing interest in cutting edge studio effects - tons of multi-tracking, phasing and various sonic treatments.   While lots of folks don't think much of Hendrix's blues moves, "Voodoo Child" (with support from Jack Cassidy and Stevie Winwood) and "Come On (Part 1)" demonstrated he could play the blues as well as anyone.  Perhaps heresy to some, but while much of his reputation was built on freewheeling jams, we'll be the first to tell you that extended pieces like "Rainy Day, Dream Away" and "1983 ... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)" simply didn't do much for us.  At least to our ears, Hendrix's commercial moves provide the album highlights; in this case "Crosstown Traffic", his famous cover of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and "House Burning Down".  It may not have been Hendrix's creative zenith, but it remains an all time classic album !!!  

"Electric Ladyland" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) ... And the Gods Made Love (instrumental)   (Jimi Hendrix) - 1:21

2.) Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)   (Jimi Hendrix) - 

3.) Crosstown Traffic   (Jimi Hendrix)

4.) Voodoo Child   (Jimi Hendrix)

(side 2)

1.) Little Miss Strange   (Noel Redding)

2.) Long Hot Summer Night   (Jimi Hendrix)

3.) Come On (Part 1)   (Earl King)

4.) Gypsy Eyes   (Jimi Hendrix)

5.) Burning of the Midnight Lamp   (Jimi Hendrix)

(side 3)

1.) Rainy Day, Dream Away   (Jimi Hendrix)

2.) 1983 ... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)   (Jimi Hendrix)

3.) Moon, Turn the Tides ... Gently Gently Away   (Jimi Hendrix)

(side 2)

1.) Still Raining   (Jimi Hendrix)

2.) House Burning Down   (Jimi Hendrix)

3.) All Along the Watchtower   (Bob Dylan) - 

4.) Voodoo Child (Slight Return)    (Jimi Hendrix)

Postscript, perhaps because it's focused and sports a great fuzz guitar, Noel Redding's "Little Miss Strange" is great.

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Jimi Hendrix - La Grande Storia del Rock

Company: Armadno Curcio Editore

Catalog: GSR 80

Year: 19??

Country: Seattle, Washington

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: Italian pressing; gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4459

Price: $8.00

Apparently part of an extensive Italian series (the back cover lists 100 other albums in the series, with this being # 31), I don't read Italian so I can't tell you anything about this oddity.  Not that it matters since this is another in the seemingly endless series of poorly documented albums that seek to capitalize on the late guitarist's name and reputation.  

I'll be real honest and tell you these eight odds and ends are of marginal interest to anyone other than hardcore Hendrix fans.  I'm not a Hendrix expert, but judging by the titles, these appear to be mid-1960s tracks recorded by Lonnie Youngblood with Hendrix (then known as Jimmy James) serving as little more than a hired gun.  I believe these are the same tracks where there's even debate as to whether Hendrix played on them all.  It's widely believed that many of the solos were dubbed in by a Hendrix imitator after Hendrix had gained notoriety.   Assuming it's actually Hendrix, the man's guitar shines on the leadoff track 'Something You Got' and 'Let the God Sing' (though Youngblood's vocals are another story).  Elsewhere, much of this is needless and mindless jamming ('F.H.I.T.A.' - supposedly featuring a drunk out of his mind Jim Morrison yelling a lyric that he must have been real proud of ...). Also worth mentioning, the sound quality is surprisingly good.  Still, most of you can live without this one.

"Jimi Hendrix - La Grande Storia del Rock" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Something You Got   (Jimi Hendrix) - 4:50

2.) Let the God Sing   (Jimi Hendrix) - 11:17

3.) Goodbye Bessie Mae   (Lonnie Youngblood - Brantley) - 2:25

(side 2)

1.) F.H.I.T.A.    (Brantley) - 8:05

2.) In the Morning   (Brantley) - 2:29

3.) From This Day On   (Farmer - J. Lewis - E. Lewis) - 2:27

4.) Gonna Take Alot   (Farmer - J. Lewis - E. Lewis) -  - 2:28

5.) She's a Fox   (Jimi Hendrix) - 2:38