STUDIO OUTTAKES AND JAMS
There are so many files and CDs have circulated that it is pretty impossible to detail them all. So here are some details of just a few. What you see here is duplicated on dozens of other similar collections and the collections listed here duplicate each other.
These sort of things are nearly always shoddily compiled and generally serve as raw material for your own compilations.
All this helps to understand what is out there and also what else might be on the way officially.
Studio Haze
It seems logical to begin with this collection which contained Experience outtakes (tracks 1 to 9) that were revisited in 1988 by Chas Mitch and Noel ! It seems that some boxes of tapes were found at Olympic Studios, so Chas was contacted and he then brought in Mitch and Noel, to patch up some of the outtakes. Chas obviously had an album in mind and this was done with care, so the sound quality is top class.
On some tracks (“Sunshine Of Your Love” for example) Mitch’s drums sound a little too fresh (80s production techniques) so they don’t work as well as they could have.
Chas decided to let Mitch and Noel create lyrics and then sing over a couple of the tracks. This is the case for “Cat Talkin’ To Me” with a spoken vocal from Mitch and “Little One” on which Noel sings for it to become “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong” (it turned up later on the official Noel Redding tribute CD “The Experience Sessions”). “Chas also added some brass to “Takin’ Care Of No Business” and it works very well (perhaps he and Jimi had once planned to do it that way). “Gypsy Blood” (a.k.a. “Cryin’ Blue Rain”) is an exagerated title for a short improvised blues theme where Jimi gently mouth some “yeah yeahs” and “ooohs”. Finally, “Shame, Shame, Shame” is a version of “It’s Too Bad” was in fact the continuation of the same jam as the “Room Full Of Mirrors” here. Some collectors have fused the jams back together.
1. Takin’ Care Of No Business (1967.05.04. – Added in 1988: bass, tuba & sax)
2. Gypsy Blood (aka: Cryin’ Blue Rain) (1969.02.26. – Added in 1988: drum and bass)
3. Lover Man (February 1969. – Added in 1988: drum and bass)
4. There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With That (1968.01.26, w/ Dave Mason on sitar – Added in 1988: Noel’s vocal, drums, bass)
5. Room Full Of Mirrors (1969.02.14-16 – Added in 1988: drum and bass)
6. Mr. Bad Luck (1967.05.04- Added in 1988: drum and perhaps bass)
7. The Sunshine Of Your Love (February 1969 – Added in 1988: drum and bass)
8. Shame, Shame, Shame (February 1969. – Added in 1988: drum, bass and perhaps rhythm guitar)
9. Cat Talkin’ To Me (January 1968 or February 1969 – Added in 1988: Mitch’s vocal, drum, bass)
> A number of tracks here turned up recently on the official 2010 album “Valleys Of Neptune” (see Posthumous releases – 2010 section).
Tracks 10 to 20 were taken from some tapes that Billy Cox had recuperated. These have turned up on a multitude of other collections.
10. Freedom (June 1970)
11. Lover Man (Summer 1970)
12. Valleys Of Neptune (Summer 1970)
13. Freedom (Instrumental, Summer 1970)
14. Dolly Dagger (Outtake, 1970.07.01)
15. Bleeding Heart (Outtake, 1969.12.18 or 1970.03.24)
16. Earth Blues (Outtake, 1969.12.19 + additional recordings: 1970.01.20)
17. Ezy Ryder (Outtake, 1969.12.18)
18. Izabella (Autumn 1969)
19. Ezy Ryder (December 1969, includes a short false start)
20. Room Full Of Mirrors (Outtake, 1969.11.17)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Happy Birthday Jimi
Foxy Lady (Hoepla VPRO TV 1967-11-10), Fire (No guitar mix), Burning Of The Minight Lamp (alternate), Summertime Blues (collage ?), Dance (alternate mix), Tears Of Rage (sample tape), Come On (Part One) (French single version), Get My Heart Back Together Again (Hear My Train A Comin’) (RAH 1969-02-18 soundboard), Crash Landing (2?), The Things I Used To Do (with Johnny Winter), McLaughlin Jam Excerpt, Who Knows (MSG 1970-01-28 excerpt, Power Of Soul, Hey Baby (Maui 1970-07-30, intro only)
This is interesting collection was taken from a Dutch radio tribute show “Wereldberoemd” (which means “World Famous”) on their Radio 6 in November 2007. There are some fascinating rarities here. There is a sample tape of Jimi and Paul Caruso playing Dylan’s “Tears of Rage” from a tape that was sold to Experience Hendrix in 2005 I think. Then there is the soundboard “Hear My Train…” from The Royal Albert Hall on the 18th of February. The whole concert is out there (will it see an official release soon?). The version of “Come On” is the French single version, which was an entirely different take to the one on “Ladyland” or on “Lifelines”! “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” is a different take from the one which was refined for the single. “Summertime Blues” is the audience recording from the Saville Club 67.
> The complete “Tears Of Rage” was officially released on “West Coast Seattle Boy” (2011)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At The Beeb
Interview 1, Hey Joe, Stone Free, Love Or Confusion, Foxy Lady, Purple Haze, Killing Floor, Fire, Interview 2, The Burning Of The Midnight Lamp, Little Miss Lover, Drivin’ South (Version 1), Catfish Blues, Hound Dog, Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?, Hoochie Coochie Man, Drivin’ South (Version 2), Radio One Theme, Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Day Tripper, Hear My Train A Comin’
A nice collection of the original mono recordings from the BBC sessions. The official versions were enhanced with faked stereo.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Woodstock Rehearsals 1969
Lover Man, Machine Gun/Hear My Train A Comin’, Spanish Castle Magic, Izabella, Message To Love, Instrumental Jam I, Instrumental Jam II, Jam Back At The House I, Instrumental Jam III, Jam Back At The House I, Jam Back At The House III, If Six Was Nine, Sun Dance, Free From Blues
The Experience have broken up but Mitch stays on to help Jimi put together a new band with some of his friends. They practice in a rented house in Shokan near Woodstock. The musicians are just feeling around each other and getting to know Jimi’s music in preparation for the Woodstock Festival concert, for which they were ill prepared. It’s easy to say that the band weren’t very good, but who is when they play together for the first time? There was no audience here so it’s not a “performance” up for judgement. One musn’t forget also that Jimi deliberately left space for Larry Lee which created comparative lulls (which never happenned with The Experience).
The CD has very good sound and apart from the attempts at familiar numbers, there a few interesting loose jams. One senses Jimi’s desire to stretch out away from the three piece thing. The very short twelth track begins as a “Machine Gun” type riff then goes very breifly into “If Six was Nine”! A very rare occurance and the only time I’ve ever heard Jimi touch it outside of “Axis”.
The last two tracks are from a very relaxed and spacey jam at the Tinker Street Cinema in Woodstock, one of which features a flute player.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Freak Out Jam
Bright Lights Big City/World Traveller/It’s Too Bad/Message To Love/Things I Used To Do 1/Things I Used To Do 2/Cherokee Mist/Little Dog Of Mine/Bolero/Hear My Train A Comin/Drivin South/Hollywood Jam/Mushy Name/Drifter’s Escape/Midnight Lightning (Rap)/Midnight Lightning/Hound Dog Acoustic
“Bright Lights Big City”
A home recording. Jimi talks and plays a little with his old Greenwich Village chum Paul Caruso in “early 1968”. Jimi also played this Jimmy Reed number when he was with Curtis Knight And The Squires.
“World Traveller”
An outtake from May 1969, with Buddy Miles and Duane Hitchings (not Larry Young !). It chugs along with a nice funky rhythm for around 8 minutes and features an off the cuff rapping vocal from Jimi.
“It’s Too Bad”
Recorded the same day as the previous track this is I think the complete 11 minute take of the track that appeared officially on the MCA 2000 box set.
“Message To Love”
Jimi with the Buddy Miles Express recorded at the same time as the “Blue Window” that appreared officially on the “Martin Scorcese Presents The Blues” compilation album. It is just a short instrumental jam around the basic riff of the song.
“Things I Used To Do 1″/”Things I Used To Do 2”
From the same session as the track that appeared neatly on the boot “By Night” (and recently “Villanova Junction”) but this time we hear the whole session. One of the takes was on “Lifelines” and a slightly edited version appeared on People, Hell And Angels.
“Cherokee Mist Jam”
The same thing that appeared on the MCA 2000 box set with lesser quality.
“Little Dog Of Mine”
Absent on my copy. See “Diamonds In The Dust” – below
“Bolero – Mix N° 1”
Jimi with some unknown musicians on a fascinating recording. It isn’t Ravel’s Bolero at all, but has a similar chugging rhythm. There is some piano in there and some nice floating trumpet playing over the top. Jimi comes in with some nice fuzz guitar. This isn’t the Bolero that was featured in the West Coast Seattle Boy box set.
“Hear My Train A Comin”/”Drivin South”
From the BBC sessions. “Drivin South” is the one where Jimi broke a string.
“Hollywood Jam”
October 68 iand an interesting brief jam with keyboard player Lee Michaels and Buddy Miles on another drum kit ! Also known as “Electric Church Jam”.
“Mushy Name”
A jam with Cox and Mitchell around some riffs that were later integrated into “Ezy Ryder”. Sounds like some organ in there aswell but it’s Jimi’s guitar fed through a Leslie speaker I think, like on “Tax Free”. In Eddie Kramer’s book, the title “Mushy Name” is also given to the jams that have since become known as “Little One”. Officially released as “Inside Out” on “People, Hell & Angels” (2013)
“Drifter’s Escape”
Different from the officially released versions and this is unfortunately speeded up, making Jimi sound like someone else. Shame.
“Midnight Lightning (rap)”
Not a rap at all but a brief impressive lick from Jimi . He toys with the riff of Howlin Wolf’s “Spoonful”, then you can hear Kramer ask him to play a sequence again so he can get it down on tape. On the following track we hear how Jimi incorporates it into the song. Released officially asi on West Coast Seattle Boy (box)
“Midnight Lightning”
Some of this sounds like the basic track that Alan Douglas had used on the collage album of the same name. It’s great .
“Hound Dog Acoustic”
This is from the sequence in the unreleased “Experience” film where Jimi treats some friends (sitting around him on a bed) to an acoustic improvisation on the Leiber/Stoller classic which falls apart as Jimi goes into “Two Old Maids” (which he also threw into the previous track on this CD !).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Freak Out Blues
Intro By Jimi, Midnight Lightning, Voodoo Chile, Rainy Day Try Out , Red House, Bleeding Heart, Blue Window Jam, Villanova Junction Blues, Funky Blues Jam, OnceI Had A Woman, Police Blues, Country Blues, Freedom Jam , Acoustic Medley
This hotch-potch of studio jams, work-in-progress and solo recordings has some interesting moments. Most of it has found its way onto official releases over the years with superior sound quality, howver, here we hear different and rawer mixes sometimes. The sources shown here are how they are described on the CD.
This was also put out as part of the “Ultra Rare Trax” series of bootlegs of various artists material (Beatles, Stones, etc.,…)
Intro By Jimi 0:03 US Army broadcast 30-10/67
A brief snatch of Jimi saying “…freak out blues…”
Midnight Lightning 4:02 Olympic Studio 14-02-69
This is Jimi on his own and very similar to the version that was on South Saturn Delta. An important track!
Voodoo Chile 8:57 Record Plant 02-05-68
One of the early takes with Stevie Winwood from the Ladyland sessions.
Rainy Day Try Out 1:38 Record Plant 10-06-68
Interesting as I haven’t heard this particular portion of the Rainy Day jamming before. Some great guitar from Jimi.
Red House 6:55 TTG studios 21-10-68
An extract of the Electric Church Red House that appeared on Alan Douglas’s “Blues” compilation.
Bleeding Heart 3:39 Record Plant 05-70
Some intriguing slide guitar improvistions are patched in at the begining of this. The rest is a sparse guitar and drum mix without vocals, of the track we know from “War Heroes” and “South Saturn Delta”.
Blue Window Jam 8:23 Mercury Studio 15-03-69
A rough mix of the track that appeared on “Martin Scorces Presents The Blues” and “Both Sides Of The Sky”
Villanova Junction Blues 3:55 Record Plant 14-11-69
In fact the “Jungle” that appeared on Morning Symphony Ideas.
Funky Blues Jam 1:46 Date Unknown
In fact part of the “Strato Strut” that appeared on Morning Symphony Ideas.
Once I Had A Woman 5:17 Record Plant 23-01-70
Interesting. This the track that appeared first on Douglas’s Midnight Lightning overdub album and later overdub-free on Blues but here, the mix has the harmonica way up-front and it kind of makes more sense. The following three tracks are from the same session.
Police Blues 11:13 Record Plant 23-01-70
This the full Blue Suede Blues Band Of Gypsys jam. An extact first appeared on Loose Ends (with more hilarious studio chat) and later with Douglas overdubs on Midnight Lightning. It also later appeared in the shops on Purple Haze Records’ Truth And Emotion. Some great improvisations on here which deserve to be included on a Dagger jam album or something.
Country Blues 6:40 Record Plant 23-01-70
The track we know from the purple box.
Freedom Jam 8:27 Record Plant 23-01-70
Also know as the Highway Of Desire jam.
Acoustic Medley 3:23 Jimi’s Apartment N.Y. Early 70
Some rather distant sounding low-key doodlings by Jimi as he relaxes and chats with friends.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
McLaughlin Sessions
Young & Hendrix, World Traveller, Its Too Bad, Nine To The Universe, Drivin South, DroneBlues, Jimi Jimmy Jam, Young & Hendrix Reprise
Many tracks here were featured edited down on “Nine To The Universe” and recently complete on Dagger’s “Hear My Music”. The sound is a bit rough and the jam around “Drivin South” is the only track which features John McLaughlin !
“Young & Hendrix
The uncut jam with Larry Young that we know from the 80s “Nine To The Universe” album. The recording is missing the very beginning and cuts out at one point. Officially released in its complete form on “West Coast Seattle Boy” (2011)
“World Traveller”/ “Its Too Bad”
More from the Larry Young jam and the same recordings as on “Freak Out Jam” but a little bit longer here. “It’s Too Bad” turned up on the MCA Box and “Martin Scorcese”.
“Nine To The Universe”
Uncut take of the famous jam with Buddy Miles (lacks beginning and end however). Some fabulous guitar playing in there and we hear Devon Wilson briefly on vocals with Jimi.
“Drivin South”
At last a jam with John McLaughlin ! Unfortunately he is barely audible, playing a Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar fitted with a faulty pick up which crackles a little. Jimi plays wonderfully but the track cuts out during the superb kick start break on this collection. Shame. It can be found complete on the bootleg “Message from 9 To The Universe – Volume Two” down below.
“Drone Blues”
At the beginning Jimi incorporates that “Midnight Lightning” flurry of notes (detailed on “Freak Out Jam”). Other parts sound more like “Drivin South”. Fantastic. This appeared edited on “Nine To The Universe” and was later released in complete form by Dagger on “Hear My Music”.
“Jimi Jimmy Jam”
Jimi with Jim McCarty (of Buddy Miles Express and later of Cactus) on a nice grinding rock track in two parts, the second of which is familiar from “Nine To The Universe” and now complete on “Hear My Music”. Recorded I think at the same time as some jams with Jack Bruce and Buddy Miles which have also appeared.
A pity “Easy Blues” wasn’t included.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Drone Blues
Drone Blues/I’ve Seen The Blues For Me And You/Jam Thing (Traffic)/Once I had A Woman/BB King Jam/Country Blues/Everythings Gonna Be Alright/Further On Up The Road
“Drone Blues”
No different to the version on the so called “McLaughlin Sessions”.
“I’ve Seen The Blues For Me And You”/”Further On Up The Road”
These were also penciled-in by Alan Douglas for inclusion on the “Midnight Lightning” album. The first is a fine jam with a vocal and another guitarist (Larry Lee ?). It is incomplete here (see “Diamonds In The Dust” or the recent “Am I Blue” on Purple Haze Records. “Further On Up The Road” is a great spontanous jab at the blues classic which unfortunately falls apart.
“Traffic Jam”
This is the “Jam Thing” from the Hendrix/Traffic album below.
“Once I had A Woman”
Same as on “Blues”
“BB King Jam”/”Everythings Gonna Be Alright”
From the oft bootlegged Generation Club jam with the Gentleman of the blues, Mr. B ! B ! King ! A nice sleazy sound to this.
“Country Blues”
As on the MCA box
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jimi Hendrix & Traffic – A session
Jam Thing/Guitar Thing/Session Thing
This is a ridiculous title as only Chris Wood of Traffic appears – on one track!
“Jam Thing” was recorded 15 June 1970 at Electric Lady and features Chris Wood (of Traffic) plus Dave Palmer, the drummer with The Amboy Dukes (which featured 70s guitar hero Ted Nugent). The track is interesting, as part of it features Jimi jamming around his “Bolero”/”Hey Baby” theme. He had mentioned that he was working on this “suite” in an interview with Keith Altman in September 1970.
“Guitar Thing” was featured later on Dagger Record’s “Morning Symphony Ideas” in it’s original form as part of the improvisation titled “Keep On Groovin”. There are again echoes of “Hey Baby” (or “Gypsy Boy” at least).
“Session Thing” dates from October 1968 and features Lea Michaels on keyboards and perhaps Lowell George on flute (according to the site In From The Storm).
> Thanks to the Forum Jimi Hendrix for this information!
The cover shows Jimi with, from left to right, Eric Burdon, John Mayall, Stevie Winwwood (of Traffic of course) and Carl Wayne of The Move. Taken during the Beat Monster Festival in Germany I think.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Diamonds In The Dust (The Best Of The Rare Studio Recordings)
CD 1. Jungle/Beginning, Drivin’ South, Sgt. Peppers, Cherokee Mist, Pride Of Man, Ezy Ryder, Drivin’ South, Highway Of Desire, Send My Love To Linda, Cryin’ Blue Rain
CD 2. Villanova Junction/Ships Passing In The Night, Lil’ Dog Of Mine/Valleys Of Neptune, Blue Window Jam, Variation On A Theme/Lonely Avenue, Ships Passing In The Night
“Jungle/Beginning”
This is I think from the Woodstock Shoka House jams. It begins with some abstract percussion and chucka chuck guitar plus flute, before restarting with a hurried “Beginning”.
“Drivin’ South”, “Sgt. Peppers”
As on “Axis Outtakes”
“Cherokee Mist”
This is the version with the thumping indian drum beat and Jimi on electric sitar backing and going wild on feedback behind it all.
“Pride Of Man”
Like on “Freak Out Jam”, this is simply the “Cherokee Mist/In from The Storm” that was on the MCA box but is longer here
“Ezy Ryder”
This is “Lullabye For The Summer” (released officially on “Valleys Of Neptune”) but has different mix and a muted funky intro from Jimi.
“Drivin South”
The second part of the jam with McLaughlin (missing on “McLaughlin sessions”)
“Highway Of Desire”
A tedious 22 minute jam by Band Of Gypsys (with a harmonica player) which starts as a proto “Freedom”. In the middle Jimi improvises a vocal with some of “Ezy Ryder”. The line “…the highway of desire” becomes “...the highway of broken hearts”, which is used on some boots as the title for this jam (also on the “Astro Man” box set). Then Jimi improvises another lyric; “7 dollars in my pocket …” which on some bootlegs is presented alone. Hard work to sit through all this, a bit like the “Burning Desire” is on “Baggy’s rehearsals”.
“Send My Love To Linda”
A glimpse of this appeared on “Lifelines”. A song in it’s earliest stage.
“Cryin’ Blue Rain”
The notes say that this is Band Of Gypsys, but in sounds more like Mitch plus a second guitarist (Larry Lee ?). This is not the “Blue Window” jam (which used the line “Cryin’ Blue Rain” in the lyrics) but the blues jam “Lord I Sing The Blues For You And Me” in a much longer version than on “Drone Blues”.
“Villanova Junction/Ships Passing In The Night”
On the sleeve it says that this is a jam “with Steve Stills and Nicky Hopkins” but that only really refers to the first part which bears no relation to “Villanova Junction” and is a long shuffling jam. I think Jimi is on bass there so it’s perhaps from the session that produced the “Live And Let Live” on the Timothy Leary album. If so, the third guitarist is John Sebastien and the piano is Duane hitchings.
The slow second part (which bears no resemblance to “Ships Passing In The Night”) is quite beautiful and it’s from a jam with Richie Havens (acoustic guitar), Eric Oxendine (Haven’s bassist) and Jimi on electric guitar. Oxendine has said that he possesses more tapes of jams with Jimi.
“Lil’ Dog Of Mine/Valleys Of Neptune”
A brief snippet of Jimi clowning around in the studio with this little popular ditty. Then there is a long wait before he and Cox doodle around the basic riff of “Valleys Of Neptune”. God knows what this doing on a set which claims to be “The best of …)
“Blue Window Jam Part 1 & 2”
The complete 20 minute jam that was edited down for the “Martin Scorcese presents The Blues” compilation. It is of course Jimi with Buddy Miles Express and “Part 2” is where it goes into the basic “Message To Love” riff, also on “Freak Out Jam” (but with much better sound here).
“Variation On A Theme/Lonely Avenue”
This appeared officially on “Morning Symphony Ideas” as “Keep On Groovin” and “Jungle”. What the hell was Jimi doing with Buddy Miles behind him.
“Ships Passing In The Night”
An interesting jam attributed to B.O.G. (again it sounds more like Mitch’s subtilities) with a muted trumpet accompaniment from I don’t know who. Jimi’s vocal is a little shaky and it soon falls apart. It bears no relation to the other track here with this name.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Blue Window
Izabella Session (10.01), Blue Window Jams (33.50), Keep On Groovin’ Sessions (25.00)
An interesting collection here of jams from March to May 1969. The best parts of that “Izabella” turned up on the Dagger release “Burning Desire” and a much shortened “Blue Window” was put on the “Martin Scorcese Presents The Blues – Jimi Hendrix”. This complete version is great and reveals much more improvisation from Jimi and the other musicians. As for “Keep On Groovin” , I knew some of this from the Radioactive release “Studio Outtakes Vol. 2″(and on Reclamation’s “In The Studio – Volume 2”). It’s a very loose jam with Paul Caruso (harmonica) and Devon Wilson (backing vocals) with all concerned making things up as they go along in total abandon. It all gets very wild and tribal and it’s fascinating “fly-on-the-wall” stuff as we hear just what Jimi got up to outside the pressures of touring and having fun in the studio. Enough to give Mike Jeffrey nightmares.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Acoustic Jams
CD 1 – Long Hot Summer Night (3 takes)1983/Angel/Cherokee Mist/Astro man/Valleys Of Neptune/Money/Voodoo Child (Slight Return) alternate/Come On alternate/Hear My train/Voodoo Chile (2 takes)/Gypsy Eyes/Acoustic solo/Beginning
CD2 – Little Miss Strange/South Saturn Delta/Three Little Bears/Gypsy Eyes/1983/Jam (Gypsy Eyes)/Drifting/Mr. Bad Luck (Look Over Yonder)/Send My Love To Linda/Drifting session/Belly Button jam/Freedom session/Cherokee Mist/Valley of Neptune session/Acoustic solo
An exaggerated title for this collection of outtakes as not many tracks are acoustic! They even put the cover photo the wrong way round. Anything goes, anything goes !
“Long Hot Summer Night”(3 takes)
Well this is acoustic to start off with. A home recording with a nice vocal.
“1983”/”Angel”/”Cherokee Mist”/”Hear My Train/”Voodoo Chile”/”Gypsy Eyes I”
As on “Jimi By Himself”. Another home (or hotel room) recording, this time on electric guitar.
“Astro Man”/”Valleys Of Neptune”
Home doodlings that also appeared on “Spicy Essence” and “Jimi”s Private Reels – Vol. 1”
“Money”
Two guitars present here. One acoustic, one electric (both Jimi?). The riff sounds a little like “Money” but it isn’t that, it’s in fact the riff that became part of “Power Of Soul” (which was inspired by the riff of Ray Charles’ “Mary Anne” (which copied the riff from T. Bone Walker’s “Hard Way”!).
Also on “Jimi”s Private Reels – Vol. 1”
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return) alternate”
Electric Ladyland outtake which falls apart after 3 minutes
“Come On” alternate”
“Electric Ladyland” outtake, already seen on “Lifelines”
“Gypsy Eyes II”
Another acoustic tryout without vocals.
“Beginning”
An alternate (meaning muffled) mix. Also a little longer than the “First Rays” version
“Little Miss Strange”
Another (muffled) “Ladyland” outtake, but an interesting early version which features different guitar overdubs than on the master
“South Saturn Delta”/”Three Little Bears”/”Gypsy eyes”/1983″/”Jam” (Gypsy eyes)
Solo rhythmic run throughs of the songs (on electric guitar)
“Drifting”
Instrumental and vocal studio sessions
“Mr. Bad Luck (Look Over Yonder)”
The great early Experience version
“Send My Love To Linda”
A different outtake to the one on “Diamonds In the Dust” – 1 minute only
“Belly Button Window”
An interesting little instrumental jam on the theme
“Freedom”
Nice early version with different guitar and vocals and no Ghetto Fighters
“Cherokee Mist”
Same as MCA box version, weaker sound but with more echo, which suits it fine.
“Valley Of Neptune”
Tedious instrumental run through
“Acoustic Jam”
Jimi freely searching for ideas on acoustic at home base.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1968 A.D.
Rainy Day Shuffle/Rainy day Dream Away/Still Raining Still Dreaming, Gypsy Eyes 1& 2, Gypsy Eyes, Come On (false start), Come On, Three Little Bears, Tax Free, Mushy Name, House Burning Down, House Burning Down, Burning Of The Midnight Lamp, Miami Pop Festival – Foxy lady, Fire, Gettin My Heart Back Together, Purple Haze.
“Rainy Day Shuffle/Rainy day Dream Away/Still Raining Still Dreaming”
This interesting sequence gives us all of the “Shuffle” jam, an extract of which was previously seen on “Lifelines”. It merges into an alternate mix of “Rainy Day” in it’s unseparated form, which is great.
“Gypsy Eyes”
This sequence presents some sparse work-in-progress with some lovely guitar work. Stripped down like this, one of the riffs here is very close to “Outside Woman Blues”. The first two instrumental takes break down and the third version is an early rough mix with a vocal and some alternative guitar overdubs. We also hear how it continued after the album’s fade out.
“Come On”
First falls apart, second seen before on “Lifelines”.
“Three Little Bears”
Again the long sprawling version, but not as complete as the one on “Axis Outtakes” and “Villanova Junction”.
“Tax Free”
The alternate mix with percussion and some guitar layers more prominent . Much better sound than on “Axis Outtakes”. God, Jimi was hot on this one.
“Instrumental”
This is an instrumental version of the Mitchell/Redding composition “Dance” (see “Axis Outtakes”). The riff was later retained by Jimi as the basis for his “Ezy Ryder” for which he also added another riff he had been toying with, known as “Mushy Name” (see “Freak Out Jam”).
“House Burning Down”
Interesting early mixes of this stunning song. Again some nice unused guitar bits and vocals here and there. The second sounds like an early mix acetate, crackles and all.
“Burning Of The Midnight Lamp”
A mono version very close to the original until it breaks down, restarts then fades out.
Miami Pop Festival – May 18, 1968 – Foxy lady, Fire, Gettin My Heart Back Together, Purple Haze.
Two of the live Miami tracks were already on “Calling Long Distance”. These were precious recordings before the official release came out.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ball And Chain
Honeybed (4 takes), Three Little Bears (vocal overdub), Piano Roll, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright, Messenger, Message To Love , Power Of Soul (6 takes), Electric Church Jam, Hear My Freedom Call Me
This CD, which has good sound quality, is mostly taken from an instrumental jam with keyboard player Lee Michaels in October1968 (tracks shown in red). That sounds like Buddy Miles on drums. It’s all a bit plodding but Jimi manages to let loose with some heavy solos here and there, so that makes it interesting. There is an improvised rap vocal from Jimi on “Hear My Freedom Call Me” .
The other tracks are rather dull work-in-progress outtakes. “Honeybed“, with Cox and Miles, is Jimi’s working title for song structure that would become “Come Down Hard On Me”/“Bleeding Heart” and here it has totally diffrent lyrics. Aaargh! “Three Little Bears” again! This mix has Jimi’s vocal track up front before the intruments come up for the jam (which is missing the slow coda).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack Bruce Jams
Cream’s bass man meets up with Jimi and I’m not sure who else for some heavy jamming. An interesting meeting seeing as Cream were the “power trio” blueprint for The Jimi Hendrix Experience. A bit hissy and the usual blues bashing stuff with a couple of aborted stabs at “Sunshine Of Your Love” along the way. Long and tedious with, as usual, some great soloing within.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jimi’s Private Reels Volume 1 – Two Guitars On A Wednesday Night
Country Blues (improvisation), Country Blues (part two), Room Full Of Mirrors/Highway Of Desire, Astroman/Valley Of Neptune, Power Of Soul/Money (That’s What I Want)/Tajimi Boogie
Here Jimi jams with another guitarist who is said to be Taj Mahal but this has never been confirmed. According to Caesar Glebeek, Jimi is jamming with Jim McCarty (of Buddy Miles Express) and this seems more likely. At the end of the first track you can clearly hear the musician say “Really good !” and it certainly isn’t Taj Mahal’s voice. SOme of this is also attributed to jams with Richie Havens and Eric Oxendine.
There is no rhythm section as the jams were recorded in a hotel room, appartment or at the Shokan house and this is just general strumming and doodling. Jimi is alone on the embryonic “Astro Man/Valley Of Neptune” and his vocals reveal that the recording runs a little too fast.
“Private Reels Volume 2” was made up of extracts from the B.B. King club jam, the jam with Traffic members plus a “Villanova Junction” (sic) on which Jimi only plays bass.
Spicy Essence
Jam I – Jam Ii – Room Full Of Mirrors – Astro Man – Jam Iii – Jam Iv – Jam V.
This is a slightly shorter version of the same jams and it has a weaker sound. It says “Appartment Jam 70” but these tapes are thought to be more like 1969 (certainly if the location really was the Shokan house).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Voodoo Chile Sessions
Very interesting to hear how Jimi put together “Voodoo Chile” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band Of Gypsys – The Rehearsal Sessions
The Dagger Records release was really a “best of” the Baggy ‘s rehearsals, so this collection allows you to hear all the work in progress. Fascinating stuff as we hear Jimi putting his ideas together little by little.
Two other outtakes, “Machin Gun” and “Izabella”, can be heard on the official site.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Message From 9 To The Universe – Volume One
Message from Nine to the Universe, Jimi/Jimmy Jam, Young/Hendrix, Easy Blues, Drone Blues
This very interesting ATM CD presents the “9 To The Universe” album again but this time with the unedited jams. The same tracks crop up on many other bootlegs but this was great idea. All of this turned up later on Reclamation’s release with the same title.
The album gives a clear picture of the meticulous work by Alan Douglas the create that infamous 80s official release. Here is a comparison of the timings (edit > original)* :
Nine To The Universe 8:46 > 18:49
Jimi/Jimmy Jam 7:58 > 16:15
Young/Hendrix Jam 10:22 > 14:26
Easy Blues 4:17 > 9:59
Drone Blues 6:16 > 8:34
A considerable difference in timings! However, Alan Douglas’ cuts were very well placed, keeping the essential moments of the jams and not spoiling the flow at all. The uncut jams are fascinating however as one hears Jimi live and direct, as the creative juices flow. On the title track, we hear a brief rapping vocal from Devon Wilson who responds to Jimi’s coaxing.
On the official Dagger release “Hear My Music”, “Jimi/Jimmy Jam” lasts an extra 40 seconds and “Drone Blues” is five seconds shorter.
* Thanks to the Forum Jimi Hendrix
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Message From 9 To The Universe – Volume Two
World Traveller, McLaughlin Jam, Young II, Strato Strut, Rainy Day Shuffle, It’s Too Bad
Volume Two continued with more familiar jams, for example the “Rainy Day Shuffle” (an excerpt was on “Lifelines”) and “It’s Too Bad” (MCA box set). That last song was also on Radioactive’s “Studio Outtakes Vol.2” along with the funky “World traveller”. The version of “Strato Strut” is a different montage to the one on “Morning Symphony Ideas” (it’s in fact an Alan Douglas montage).
Of particular interest is the complete jam with John McLaughlin, all 29 minutes of it (though it has a few clicks on it). A historic meeting of two guitar greats of course but poor old McLaughlin plays only on an acoustic guitar fixed up with a faulty pick-up. It crackles annoyingly while he puts in a few bubbly but weak solos then Jimi comes in and demonstrates that it’s not just about lots of fast “complicated” notes, something that few of his peers and successors never grasped.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jimi Hendrix & Larry Young – Record Plant Sessions 1969
Jam 1, Jam 2, Jam 3, Jam 4, Jam 5, Jam 6, World Traveller, World traveller (Reprise), My Brother’s Dead, Livin’ At The Burwood
Larry Young is in fact only on four of the tracks. The first is again the superb “Young Hendrix” jam (in edited form on “Nine To The Universe”) followed by three loose jams from the same session. Then there are two jams with another keyboard player, Duane Hitchings. The disc finishes with “World Traveller”, “It’s Too Bad” (listed as “My Brother’s Dead”) and the last track “Livin’ At The Burwood”, is simply an edit of the first track.
The “Young/Hendrix” jam was released in full on West Coast Seattle Boy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Out In The Sun
South Saturn Delta, Three Little Bears, Gypsy Eyes, 1983…(A Merman I Should Turn To Be), Our Lovely Home (aka “Snowballs At My Window”), My Friend, All Along The Watchtower, Bright Lights Big City, Acoustic Jam With Mitch
This CD compiles a few home recordings. A few tracks from “Jimi By Himself”, a couple from a jam with Paul Caruso (excerpt on “Freak Out Jam”). There is also a half hour “Acoustic Jam With Mitch” which is pretty Lo-Fi but interesting. Mitch clatters away (on whatever was in reach it seems) as Jimi doodles away, playing parts of “Stepping Stone”, “Cherokee Mist” and alot of improvisation. “My Friend” is a disjointed acoustic solo demo and unfortunately “Our Lovely Home” – aka “Snowballs At My Window” – cuts out after about a minute (it was included in the Electric Ladyland 50th Anniversary box set, with the “My Friend” here).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Crash Landing – Unreleased Version
Radio promo, Crash Landing, Somewhere, Power of Soul, New Rising Sun, Message to Love, Stone Free, Peace in Mississippi, Lover Man, MLK Jam/Cherokee Mist, Gypsy Boy, Captain Coconut/Jam/Cherokee Mist
An interesting bootleg that gathers together the unaltered versions of the tracks that were hacked up by Alan Douglas for the controversial “Crash Landing” album of 1975 plus a few other tracks that were penciled in for that album. There is a great “Lover Man” (which I only know from this collection) and “Power Of Soul” is much better than the confused Eddie Kramer mix that appeared on “South Saturn Delta”. It’s interesting also to hear the raw versions of “Somewhere” and the “Stone Free” re-recording. “Peace In Mississippi” is the same as the “Voodoo Soup” version and “Message To Love” differs very little from the MCA box set version. The last track is in fact the same as the official album version (with Douglas’ overdubs) but is somewhat longer.
Crash Landing Master Reels & Outtakes
Coming Down Hard On Me Baby, Crash Landing , Somewhere, Peace In Mississippi, With The Power, Stone Free Again, Message To Love, M.L.K. (Captain Coconut)
This messy bootleg gathers together some original sources (in many takes and stages of completion) but some Alan Douglas tampering is also present. The “Power Of Soul” is more advanced than on the above CD and is considered to be the best version.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Midnight Lightning Revisited
Midnight, Midnight Lightning (instrumental), Hear My Train A Comin’, Gypsy Boy (New Rising Sun), Blue Suede Shoes, Machine Gun, Once I Had A Woman, Beginning – Bonus tracks: Midnight Lightning, Blue Suede Shoes, Once I Had A Woman
“Midnight Lightning” gets the same treatment as above here but not always with the original tape sources unfortunately. “Midnight” is simply the “Voodoo Soup” version for example.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Raw Blues
CD 1: Electric Church/Red House, Born Under A Bad Sign, Once I Had A Woman, Easy Blues, Mannish Boy, Villanova Junction Jam – Country Blues – Jam, Georgia Blues
CD 2: Jam 292 A.K.A. Jelly 292, Voodoo Chile Blues, Strato Strut, Country Blues – Astro Man, Things I Used to Do, Bleeding Heart, Hear My Train A Comin (Gettin My Heart Back Together), Belly Button Window, Its Too Bad, Villanova Junction – Jam – Country Blues
This carefully prepared double CD presents the unedited versions of the tracks that were on the official “:Blues” album. In fact there is only about an extra minute for a few of the tracks. The rest is made up of other blues jams from various sources.
The artwork is terrific, based on the official release but with only photos of Jimi !
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Blue Thumb Acetate
Everlasting First (take 16), Ezy Ryder1, Ezy Ryder 2, Loon (instrumental jam)
An acetate of Jimi at a 1970 session with Love, surfaced recently on Ebay and is now in circulation among collectors. The session took place at Olympic Studios in London (March 1970). The first track is an early mix of the track that opened the Love album “False Start”. Jimi puts in some vocals on the two brief and raggedy takes of “Ezy Ryder”. Finally there is a nice ten minute jam with all concerned where Jimi exchanges solos and riffs with Gary Rowles.
A slightly different mix/take of “Everlasing First” was released officially on West Cast Seattle Boy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Still’s Basement
San Francisco Bay Jam 1, 2, 3, 4, Mellow Jam #1, Old Times Good Times, Cool Jazz Jam, Middle East Blues Jam, Mellow Jam #2,
A bizarre collection of various jams but NONE from Stephen Still’s basement! In fact, the only track to feature Stills is Old Times Good Times (on which Jimi plays lead guitar of course) from his first solo album.
The San Francisco Bay jams don’t feature Jimi at all (though it has been suggested that he might be on bass). The version #2 does sound a little like Jimi it must be said. Versions #3 and #4 are simply the first two tracks speeded up!
Mellow Jam #1 – from the supposed tape of Jimi with Richie Havens and Eric Oxendine (already seen on the bootlegs Spicey Essense and Private Reels Vol. 1 and Diamonds In The Dust (erroneously listed as Ships Passing In The Night).
Cool Jazz Jam – also known as Jazz Jimi Jazz (as on Axis Outtakes on Purple Haze Records).
Middle East Jazz / Blues Jam (aka Stray Blues, Dancing Blues, Hollywood / Duet Jam, Winter Blues and Devil Blues!) and is a guitar jam with Noel Redding (according to Noel in his book).
Mellow Jam #2 – aka Jungle and Jungle Jam (Nov ’69 Jimi – Jimi & Buddy).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Black Gold
This is NOT the legendary lost tape of one of Jimi’s future projects but a 5 CD collection of various outtakes.
The various tracks are also to found on other bootlegs listed here. Again, check the link to the French Forum Jimi Hendrix at the top of the page for tracklisings.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
51st Anniversary – The Story Of Life
A mega 8 CD collection this time, which compiles all sorts of outtakes and live tracks from many sources. All of this is on the other CDs listed here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Unsurpassed Masters
A 5 CD collection of outtakes from the ATM series (Archived Trader Material). This is very meticulous in its compiling of successive tryouts of songs in the process of creation.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Naked Ladyland
This collection throws together a host of outtakes and work-in-progress tapes in the making of “Electric Ladyland” and various recordings from 1968. These tracks are all over other bootlegs but this is the sort of thing that Experience Hendrix should do properly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
and so on…
A multitude of other compilations, all overlapping with the same material.
To reseach about more bootlegs, check out Bootlegpedia and other sites on my links page.