Jimi Hendrex ?

bladesmith · « **on:** 16 Apr 2015, 10:40 pm »

Anyone know of any "better quality" recordings of Hendrex ?

Or what you might think is a "good/best" original recording of his ?

thanks...

MttBsh · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 11:43 pm »

Just a quick note - we here in Jimi's hometown Seattle refer to him as Hendrix (with an i). You have good taste in music!

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 11:48 pm »

Seems the best are those remasterized by Steve Hoffman for SACD/DVDA.

ted_b · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Apr 2015, 12:53 am »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 16 Apr 2015, 11:48 pm

Seems the best are those remasterized by Steve Hoffman for SACD/DVDA.

? There are no SACD or DVD-Audio discs for Jimi. What do you mean??

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Apr 2015, 01:05 am »

Quote from: ted_b on 17 Apr 2015, 12:53 am

? There are no SACD or DVD-Audio discs for Jimi. What do you mean??

It was not released by some reason, I read on a old TAS it was remasterized by SH.

firedog · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Apr 2015, 07:15 am »

The original CD remasters of the original 60's - 1970 catalog (from the 80's) are pretty good, and aren't Volume Compressed.
Since 1997 (I think), the Hendrix family has been in charge of most of the catalog and the remasters are very good, but some volume compression has been added.

"Valleys of Neptune" is a posthumous release of uncompleted studio stuff from the 60's - but the tracks are pretty complete - and it seems pretty much like what "another" Hendrix album would have been like. It's good quality, even if Jimi would have decided never to release it. (It's also a more complete and less messed around with\less overdubbed version of the material on the long ago posthumous release "Cry of Love").

I also like the "Live at Winterland" recordings, but they are the quality of decent live recordings - not great sounding.

I would stay away from pretty much all the other stuff, unless you are buying old vinyl. There is some good stuff, but it's more for serious fans, and is pretty hit or miss as far as performance and sound quality.

I don't know of any hi-res remasters. I wish someone like Acoustic Sounds could get the original master tapes and put them out in hi-res. I'd buy those in a second, but apparently the Hendrix family hasn't been interested till now.

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Apr 2015, 06:57 pm »

You are certainly a brave one: The Hendrix catalog is a mess. Much better than it used to be, but still a mess. I think the estate is focused more on getting the ownership issues ironed out, followed by getting new material released, with stuff like sound quality DFL.

Sound quality for the first two albums, as on CD, seems to be better from overseas: Less compression, better tone, balance, etc. In short, stuff just sounds right. Search out the British copies for mono, German for stereo.

Never been happy with any version of Electric Ladyland on CD. It seems like the further back you go, the less compression used.

Domestically, I was quite happy with the 2011 remaster of In The West: Sounds very good, and they've added the tracks that were supposed to be on the LP originally. Great value for the price point. The last re-issue of Band of Gypsies is also a good sounding release. The lone record on MCA, Blues, has sounded great from the first pressing onward.

Good Luck.

gregfisk · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Apr 2015, 12:21 am »

The Hendrix family won the rights to the music years ago and have been working on promotion and getting more music out for years now. Janie Hendrix is a wonderful person who I've been working with for some 20 years now. Several family members work for the company that's just outside of Seattle. They still have to deal with people and companies trying to use his music and their property illegally from time to time but I think for the most part that's behind them now.

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Apr 2015, 08:56 pm »

Yes, they won the rights to the music years ago. However, they had to deal with... footdragging nonsense from a myriad of parties while trying to get the masters back into their possession. And then a number of ongoing, gray area things, like getting a proper release of Experience done. That was slated to happen a couple of Novembers ago, and never showed.

I have no doubt Janie is and awesome person. She'd have to be, in order to deal with the nonsense she has endured. However, there are a number of catalog decisions that have not been... optimal, leaving a lot of us long time fans feeling kinda "meh." Maybe Janie could get a few pointers from Gail Zappa.

firedog · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Apr 2015, 07:01 am »

I still wish they would do hi-res remasters of the original tapes. I don't understand why they haven't tried it. Neither have the Zappas. Shame.

bladesmith · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Apr 2015, 08:44 pm »

Quote from: MttBsh on 16 Apr 2015, 11:43 pm

Just a quick note - we here in Jimi's hometown Seattle refer to him as Hendrix (with an i). You have good taste in music!

(I just noticed that

, my auto correct has a mind of it's own...)

I remember when I was a kid and Jimi became popular, my older brother had some of his albums, he loved it. I couldn't understand it, back then. Now, I think his music has magic. Just incredible.
And the way he put an album together, from the first song to the last, very good works. I hope his work gets proper remastering/management.

Chazro · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Apr 2015, 12:09 am »

Hendrix was in the final stages of recording his latest/last studio record when he passed. It was to be a double LP ala Electric Ladyland. The powers that be decided to release 3 albums made up of tunes from this recording plus some outtakes; 'Cry Of Love', 'Rainbow Bridge', & 'War Heroes'. Experience Hendrix Corp. released the album as he originally intended with its original title; 'First Rays Of The New Rising Sun' in '97. This record's all killa, no filla!! For this longtime Hendrix fan, this record's essential.

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Apr 2015, 07:19 pm »

Quote from: firedog on 21 Apr 2015, 07:01 am

I still wish they would do hi-res remasters of the original tapes. I don't understand why they haven't tried it. Neither have the Zappas. Shame.

Indeed. When Gail did this latest catalog remaster, they made DSD transfers of the masters. Oh, to have Chunga's Revenge & Sleep Dirt on SACD...

firedog · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Apr 2015, 08:17 pm »

Quote from: Mike Nomad on 30 Apr 2015, 07:19 pm

Indeed. When Gail did this latest catalog remaster, they made DSD transfers of the masters. Oh, to have Chunga's Revenge & Sleep Dirt on SACD...

Didn't know they had made DSD transfers. That gives me hope that one day they will need some money and do a DSD release (or at least 24/176).

Kenneth Patchen · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 May 2015, 10:04 pm »

Just slightly off tangent, I've heard several good Hendrix Tribute albums (including The Turtle Island String Quartet) but the best imo is Stone Free with Clapton, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, Spin Doctors, The Cure and others. They all did Mr. Hendrix real proud. Check out Buddy Guy and the Spin Doctors below.

And just for obvious and blatant hipster one-upsmanship, as a teenager My first rock concert was Jimi Hendrix and The Experience live in the Richmond Mosque, 15th row center from the stage. Ripped it up he did. It was early in hs career, I think he had just finished his second album. Eat your hearts out kids. You too Vinyl Lady.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grXPx2Z4ANc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-HW-3e2DCE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Cheers,
KP

firedog · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 May 2015, 05:32 am »

Agree Stone Free is a great tribute album. Only a couple of clunkers, mostly good ones, some outstanding ones.

Quote from: Kenneth Patchen on 1 May 2015, 10:04 pm

Just slightly off tangent, I've heard several good Hendrix Tribute albums (including The Turtle Island String Quartet) but the best imo is Stone Free with Clapton, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, Spin Doctors, The Cure and others. They all did Mr. Hendrix real proud. Check out Buddy Guy and the Spin Doctors below.

And just for obvious and blatant hipster one-upsmanship, as a teenager My first rock concert was Jimi Hendrix and The Experience live in the Richmond Mosque, 15th row center from the stage. Ripped it up he did. It was early in hs career, I think he had just finished his second album. Eat your hearts out kids. You too Vinyl Lady.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grXPx2Z4ANc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-HW-3e2DCE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Cheers,
KP

bladesmith · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 May 2015, 10:03 pm »

I watched (netflix) the movie, Jimi Hendrix/Hear my train comin'.
Lots of interesting stuff in it, I didn't know he was so humble, until on stage.

And I got the album (UK version) Smash Hits/Jimi Hendrix Experience, very nice....

bummrush · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 May 2015, 10:51 pm »

Stone Free is very good.Some very nice musical explorations.
My only complaint with West is the omissions and incluxkons.I wanted Hitw to just be song for song as it was in orig album.Instead of we took tnis or that out and then stick it on the 4 disc set.So as to add some more tunes.that weren't originally on Hitw. But man when Hitw came out,for me it was long overdue.

barrows · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 May 2015, 11:13 pm »

Good news to hear that DSD archives exist. This means it would not be too much work for Experience Hendrix to ready those for release as DSD downloads... There is hope.
Anyone know if there is anyway for us audiophiles to "strongly encourage" the release of at least the main studio albums as DSD downloads?

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 May 2015, 03:55 am »

Quote from: barrows on 23 May 2015, 11:13 pm

Good news to hear that DSD archives exist. This means it would not be too much work for Experience Hendrix to ready those for release as DSD downloads... There is hope.
Anyone know if there is anyway for us audiophiles to "strongly encourage" the release of at least the main studio albums as DSD downloads?

Sorry to get your hopes up with regard to DSD masters for JH: We were talking about Frank Zappa. I don't know if there are DSD masters for JH.

About tribute records... Stone Free has some really strong cuts. If you want to hear folks _really_ get inside the tracks, you need to check out Searching for Jimi Hendrix. The two best Hendrix covers I have ever heard are on that record: Laurie Anderson doing 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be), and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama do Drifting (if your rig is good enough, you may well cry when hearing this track).