Friday Night Jazz Hendrix

Here’s something I haven’t been able to say for 40 years —

“I’m really looking forward to checking out the new Jimi Hendrix album.”

As it turns out . . . come March 1, there will be a new Hendrix disc of some unreleased material — Valleys Of Neptune.

For you young ‘uns out there who might not be familiar with Jimi — he was the genius guitar player who combined R&B, psychedelia distortion/feedback-laden electric leads. You can still hear his influence in music today.

Hendrix released but 3 albums during his short lifetime: Are You Experienced (1967) is probably the greatest debut rock albums of all time (Rolling Stone ranked it #15 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time). The next disc was Axis: Bold as Love (1967) and Electric Ladyland (1968).

He was 27 when he died in London on September 18, 1970.

Valleys Of Neptune track by track listing (with descriptions) after the jump . . .

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UPDATE:

Wow, terrific comments. I put the full run of reader suggested Hendrix videos here.

VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE: Track by Track

All of the 12 recordings featured on the album have never before been released on a CD/LP. The songs document the pivotal time period after Electric Ladyland and before Electric Lady Studios and the recordings made there that would later take form as Cry of Love and First Rays.

Valleys of Neptune documents both the final studio recordings Jimi made in 1969 with the original Jimi Hendrix Experience and the first efforts with new bassist Billy Cox. As a number of the song titles will be familiar to fans and buyers alike, the following details the key characteristics of each of the tracks on Valleys of Neptune.

“Stone Free”: The original 1966 recording by the original Jimi Hendrix Experience is best known as one of Jimi’s signature songs. The Jimi Hendrix Experience box set (2000) featured a new remake by the original group. Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, and Billy Cox recorded this version in May 1969. It is a different recording entirely.

“Valleys of Neptune”: This track was recorded in September, 1969, and May, 1970. This full-band version has never been released. An extract of a demo Hendrix made of this song — featuring just Mitchell on drums and percussionist Juma Sultan — was part of the short-lived Reprise/Polydor album Lifelines, which was in the marketplace between 1990 to 1992.

“Bleeding Heart”: This cover of the classic blues song by Elmore James is different entirely from the versions featured on South Saturn Delta and (originally) on War Heroes. This recording has never been issued and features Jimi, Billy Cox, and drummer Rocky Isaac. It was recorded in April, 1969.

“Hear My Train A Comin’”: This electric, full-band version is different from the famous 12-string acoustic version that was featured in the 1973 documentary Jimi Hendrix and subsequently on the album Jimi Hendrix: Blues.

“Mr. Bad Luck”: Like “Valleys of Neptune”, a different version of this song was part of Lifelines in (1990). Jimi would later develop this song as “Look Over Yonder,” issued as part of South Saturn Delta.

“Sunshine of Your Love”: A stage favorite for the group during the 1969 period which has never been released.

“Lover Man”: Jimi recorded many different arrangements of this song, including the versions on both the Jimi Hendrix Experience box set (2000) and South Saturn Delta. This is an entirely different recording made in February, 1969.

“Ships Passing Through the Night”: A never-before-released track taken from the last recording session by the original Jimi Hendrix Experience on 4/14/69.

“Fire/Red House”: Both of these songs by the original Jimi Hendrix Experience were recorded at the same February, 1969, session. They feature the expanded stage arrangements Jimi had developed and are not alternate takes of the original 1967 recordings.

“Lullaby for the Summer/Crying Blue Rain”: These April, 1969, recordings by the original Jimi Hendrix Experience have never been released.

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