The Gypsy Suns and Rainbows - Jimi Hendrix : Live at Woodstock

You want guitar precision, listen to Jim Hall. You want perfect pitch, listen to Ella Fitzgerald. You want raw, electrifying, frightful, unruly, mesmerizing, aggressive, urgent, and occasionally brilliant gutbuckets of sound, listen to Jimi Hendrix's Monday morning Woodstock finale. Most of the masses had gone home, Jimi was nervous, his band unrehearsed, and the sound was as muddy as the grounds, but so what? In August of 1969, Hendrix's band, which he dubbed Gypsy Sun and Rainbows for this performance, was in a period of transition between the heavy psychedelic bluesy Experience and the more soulful, rhythmically dynamic Band of Gypsys. The two percussionists and a rhythm guitarist who augment Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and Gypsy bassist Billy Cox are either mixed out by the engineer or drowned out by Hendrix's ferocious attack. Throughout the intense performance, finally restored here in sequential order and (almost, save for two Larry Lee vocals) in its entirety, Hendrix seems to touch on every musical style--from jazz to blues to funk to soul to metal, and even a few (fusion, punk) that weren't christened yet. There are crisper Hendrix shows out there, but none more explosive or more historic. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com

A Historical Time For Rock

By 1969 the whole hippie thing was starting to fade but this was the last gathering of all of them at WOODSTOCK This is hendrix at woodstock. This to me is a histroical concert ecspecially during Jimis electrifying star spangled banner which really defined what america was going thru at that time this album rocks it has voodo chilid with jimi playing it with his teeth(AMAZING) this album litterlay proves that jimi hendrix is the greatest guitarist of all time. This is hendrix at his best in concert rock on
R.I.P. JIMI HENDRIX October 5, 2007

Hendrix at Woodstock

A nice collection of Hendrix highlights from Woodstock.....not too many of these sort of Woodstock Highlights for individual artists exist to my knowledge...this one is a real keeper. April 10, 2007

Get the DVD instead?

Now that a double dvd of Jimi's Woodstock gig has been released, remixed by Eddie Kramer (including a 5.1 surround mix), there's not much need for this CD, especially since the dvd set is cheaper. Just beware that the older single dvd release bears the same title as the new one; "Live At Woodstock". December 21, 2005

one word - WOW

As I am listening to Jimi Hendrix from any of his cd's I am always amazed in some way. His guitar skills are awesome and really nobody will ever be like him again. Over 50 percent of this cd is a guitar solo which really is all chopped up and spread throughout all the songs. "Star Spangled Banner" track is a perfect example of his guitar skills. "Jam Back at the House" is also very cool because of how he changes every minute and goes into a complete different solo. Also, the songs are much longer. The regular album songs that are only 3-5 minutes on his other cd range from 5-13 minutes on this 2-disc set. "Voodoo Child" is over 13 minutes long and its played faster then the album version. Overall all the songs are great and this would be a awesome set to add to your Hendrix collection.

I don't know why the editorial review and also the little booklet say that this is not his best performance, his guitar wasn't tuned for this, or they weren't good because none of them knew what they were playing. I thought it was a awesome performance. As Jimi puts it he was just jamming. I thought that was a cool line. It was like he didn't care if the audience left or what they thought, because he was just jamming.

TRACK LIST/RATING
DISC 1
1.Introduction-(2:21)-10/10
2.Message to Love-(7:21)-10/10
3.Hear My Train a Comin'-(9:49)-10/10
4.Spanish Castle Magic-(7:05)-10/10
5.Red House-(5:24)-10/10
6.Lover Man-(5:11)-10/10
7.Foxey Lady-(5:06)-10/10
8.Jam Back at the House-(7:44)-10/10
DISC 2
1.Izabella-(6:42)-10/10
2.Fire-(3:42)-10/10
3.Voodoo Child (Slight Return)-(13:40)-10/10
4.Star Spangled Banner-(3:43)-10/10
5.Purple Haze-(4:23)-10/10
6.Woodstock Improvisation-(3:59)-10/10
7.Villanova Junction-(4:28)-10/10
8.Hey Joe-(5:52)-10/10
February 22, 2005

Woodstock The Summer Of Love With Jimi Hendrix!

Live at Woodstock was great for Jimi Hendrix, but as far as his Gypsy Sun & Rainbows Band including Juma Sultan on percussion, Larry Lee on rhythm guitar, and Jerry Velez on percussion they where way out of key as far as sound wise. Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, and Jimi Hendrix played great together that very last day of Woodstock. This is truely a great performence including the entire set unlike the video Woodstock. Their are endless jams on this one including Message To Love running seven minutes and twenty one seconds wow! Hear My Train A Comin running 9:49, Spanish Castle Magic 7:05, and Jam Back At The House running 7:44 wow a great jam band.

Then second set is just as great with a great performence of Voodoo Chile(slight return) running 13:40). I also loved the jams titled Woodstock Improvisation, and Villanova Junction. The funny thing about the whole concert is the last song which is in my book the worst song titled Hey Joe other than that last song this performence is really good just with the three members. Larry Lee lacks being in tune for the whole concert they really cut him out on this recording the only song you really can hear his out of tune guitar is on Spanish Castle Magic. Their is a huge booklet included with the CD that explains the whole story behind the woodstock legacy. This is truely a must have Jimi Hendrix live concert!

September 12, 2004

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