The Jimi Hendrix Experience

First: The "Red House" on Disc 3, from the long out-of-print *In the West*, is worth the the price of the entire box. This is one of the great electric blues recordings of all time. Ditto the lyrical "Little Wing" that precedes it.Second: The set is lovingly and beautifully mixed and mastered. The alternate studio takes are a revelation. There isn't a cut on all four discs that isn't essential to anyone who has ears to hear.Hendrix was the greatest visionary musician of the 20th century. If you don't know that, if you suspect it but aren't quite sure, if you think "maybe yes, but what about Miles, Coltrane, Armstrong" etc., I say, get this set; go directly to disc 3, track 7, and think again. Which is not a cut to Louis Armstrong or anyone else in his class. They definitely made Hendrix possible. Maybe you won't agree with me in placing Hendrix a notch above, but in any event, he's in their company.If you already know this, then KNOW THIS: there is much here that you've never heard, and that you NEED to hear. What a great thing that Hendrix didn't know how to write or read music; that he used the recording studio as his laboratory. This set contains much of that experimentation/improvisation. Along with the excellently recorded "live" cuts, the results are nothing short of IN-SIGHT (in the Longergan-ian sense)into one of the great musical geniuses of all time. Yes. Of all time.This album spans Hendrix's entire solo career. On disc 1, you can hear why, Londoners, and later, New Yorkers at Club Wha, FREAKED OUT when they heard him play. It's still fresh and full of remarkable guitar playing. In addition to alternate takes from *Are You Experienced?* and *Axis Bold as Love*, you get his great Monterey Pop recordings of Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" and lots of other juicy live stuff from Jimi's freakily manic early American concerts.Disc 2 shows Hendrix getting more and more confident and centered in his vision. Plus, this is where he starts to use all his technical chops, not just as a guitarist (the best there ever was) but also as a studio technician. Eddie Kramer deserves loving credit here too. I don't know of any other more fruitful collaboration in the history of recorded music, with th possible exception of the Solti/Culshaw "Golden" Ring (Wagner: Der Ring des Niebelungen" on Decca/London)of the late 50's - early 60's.Disc 3, with much of the previously released material from *In the West* has excellent versions of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," "Stone Free," and "Purple Haze."Disc 4 has a lot of excellent alternate versions to songs that were made perfect in the miraculous live album "Band of Gypsies" and provide a glimpse into what might have been "Country Blues" and "Message to Love" are particularly fine.The digital remastering is excellent. The sounds are beautifully mixed, showing that the Jimi Hendrix "experience" was the result of one man's vision supported by the indispensible collaboration of Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, Billy Cox, Buddy Miles, the aforementioned Kramer, and Chas Chandler, among a host of others.Shell out the cash for this set. You won't be disappointed.

I'm a big Hendrix fan, and when I first heard of this box set, my expectations were huge. I waited months for it to come out, the anticipation growing so high it seemed impossible for anything to fullfill it. Then it finally was released and I bought it.On just the first look at the outside of the box, you already know it's gonna be great. It's covered in some kind of rich, purple velvet that looks and feels fantastic. Inside is an 80 page booklet with an essay by Dave Marsh, tons of photos, handwritten lyrics, and at least a paragraph about every song. Each of the four CD's come in it's own CD case.The music on this set is a treasure trove for any Hendrix fan. Lots of great live tracks, but what steals the show are the amazing alternate takes and never before heard songs. The tracklisting goes pretty much in order from 1967 to Jimi's last recorded song, "Slow Blues", in 1970. Which only reminds you of how much Jimi did in so little time.Highlights:Disc One. Outtake of "Third Stone from the Sun". You can hear Jimi and Chas Chandler coming up with the spoken intro, as well as the rest of the song. First ever recording of "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" with Jimi working out the harpsichord part. Live covers of "Rock Me Baby" and "Like a Rolling Stone" are also fantastic.Disc Two. Instrumental live in the studio "Little Wing". Live cover of "Gloria". Long never before heard blues song "It's Too Bad". And the live in-studio instrumental "Bold as Love", which to me is the best I've ever heard Jimi play. This track alone is worth the price of the set. I can listen to it on repeat all day. Disc two is the one you'll come back to the most along with...Disc Three. This disc is all live. It feature the best live recordings of "I Don't Live Today", "Roomful of Mirrors", and "Spanish Castle Magic" ever. As well as a "Red House" that is up there too.Disc Four is where the nonstop greatness falters a little...a VERY little. Highlights are a live "Hey Baby/In from the Storm" medley, some live covers, and all the extremely rarely heard studio recordings of Jimi trying to work out songs for his fourth album.Overall this box set is nothing short of revelatory to any Hendrix buff. It not only groups together great rare live performances, but shows Jimi's inner working of songs in studio and offers a few original songs never before heard. All thrown into a great box which really isn't expensive as box sets go. You'll be delving through this stuff for a long time. Here's hoping Experience Hendrix continue with their line of quality releases. Now if only Pink Floyd were to give us something like this...

When I came upon this a few months ago, I jumped on it.8 180gram Audiophile pressed lp's for less then $80 isjust ridiculous! The music speaks for itself. The packagingis one of THE best boxed sets I've ever seen, and thepressings are fantastic. Very quiet vinyl, fidelity is, imhobetter, much more natural and exciting soundind than thenewer cd's, and I have them all. So again, don't delay becauseas of November I've seen an increase in Hendrix Vinyl pricesat all retailers, from Oldies.com (which is where I picked thisup for a whoppin $64!!), to Barnes and Noble, to Cd Universe.Don't know why but it does look like the older MCA pressedstock is probably getting low. They are all out of print andwhen the current stock is sold look for the prices on all theMCA pressings to go up and up!!Enjoy the music and to Janie.......Thank you so much for youroversite of the catalog. You've done us fans and Jimi verygood indeed!! Keep up the good work.Gerard Masters

As I mention in the title, this box will take you beyond The Jimi Hendrix Experiment’s studio albums. It has live recordings and alternate studio takes. The content is fascinating and top notch. I have the vinyl version of the box and the sound quality is terrific. I wish sets like this came with a ribbon or something to help you get the album sleeves out, but it’s a minor miss and not something to drop a star over. If you love Hendrix’ albums and guitar playing, this is a set you’ll really enjoy.

The only thing I didn't love was the design of the case to hold the cds in place in the case. They will slide out if your not careful. But the music on this cds is fantastic