For newcomers to Jimi's music, here is a quick guide to the BEST albums available today.

The Dagger Records albums are only available by mail order from the official site (see Links).

The deleted albums are quite easy to find second hand.

The unofficial releases listed here were until recently very widely available in regular distribution networks.
They can still be found new or second hand on some sites.
I don't encourage or condemn the purchase of these illegal releases. They were in high street shops and
on legitimate web purchase sites, which is why I must detail them in this record guide.

 

The best compilation

VOODOO CHILD -(MCA)
For those not wishing to build an extensive collection straight away, the ideal introduction is this double CD (one studio, one live) which provides a quite thorough cross-section of Jimi's work. Some of the tracks are excellent alternate versions of the originals and one or two are genuine rarities. - See "Compilations" section.



For those already convinced that it is important to build a collection, here are my recommendations:

 

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE 1966-1969

The greatest and most creative period in Jimi's short career. The ultimate power trio, working in a multitude of styles, with a delicious fusion of blues, rock, R&B, jazz, and pop. Their three brilliant studio albums represent the heart of Jimi's work as a songwriter and revolutionary musician.


Studio albums :

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED -(MCA)
The band's debut album, which revolutionised rock music, is perhaps the best first purchase. The current edition on MCA includes their first three killer singles "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary" (plus their B-Sides) and not forgetting other standards like "Red House", "Foxy Lady" and "Fire" plus the elaborate "3rd Stone From The Sun", "Love Or Confusion" and the Beatles inspired title track.

AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE -(MCA)
The second album had less innovative punch than the first perhaps, but is full of charm. There are many heavy rock tracks but the album on the whole has a more lyrical and laid-back feel. If there are no hit singles present, there is a cluster of Hendrix classics such as "Little Wing", "If Six Was Nine", "Spanish Castle Magic" and "Castles Made Of Sand" and beauties like "Bold As Love", "Up From The Skies" and "Little Miss Lover".

ELECTRIC LADYLAND -(MCA)
Jimi's unsurpassed masterpiece. This is one heavy album. Such a rich sound, some superb songs and just beautiful guitar playing. Originally a double vinyl which gave Jimi the chance to indulge in long blues workouts and almost a whole side devoted to the epic journey to Atlantis with "1983". Also present are such classics as "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)", "All Along The Watchtower", "Gypsy Eyes" and "Crosstown Traffic". The greatest rock album of all time.
This double album was so good that it left Jimi little else to say in terms of psychedelic rock. The band split soon after as Jimi veered off towards a funkier R&B feel to his music while pushing towards jazz in parallel.

BBC SESSIONS -(MCA)
A superb overview of the bands rich and varied repertoire on these 1967 studio recordings for various BBC radio and television shows.

 

Live albums :

LIVE AT THE MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL - (MCA)
An October 2007 re-release remaster of the legendary compact show in the summer of love that trumpeted in the band's US success. A raw energetic sound while Jimi puts on his full stage show, culminating with the famous guitar smasher "Wild Thing".
The concert is also available as part of a various artists 4CD box set (on Rhino/Essential) and was previously available as "Jimi Plays Monterey" and on the unofficial two CD set "No More A Rolling Stone" from Purple Haze records. ).

PARIS 1967 / SAN FRANCISCO 1968 - (Dagger Records)
A single CD with excerpts from two excellent concerts.

LIVE 1968 - Paris/Ottawa - (Dagger)
The Paris show is a great gig, previously seen on "Stages" (see further down). A bonus there are three songs from the first set at Ottawa.

LIVE IN OTTOWA - (Dagger)
Good raw recording form this Canadien date in early 1968 (2nd show of the night).

WINTERLAND NIGHTS - (Purple Haze) - Unofficial - Deleted
San Francisco 1968 and the band have really got their sound together. They also begin to stretch out many songs, allowing Jimi to explore his soul through improvisation. This release made available recordings previously issued on the official "Live At Winterland" and "Live At Winterland +3".

ALBERT HALL 1969 (Charly - 3 versions)
A stunning document of the band in early 1969 at The Royal Albert Hall. Released in many forms over the years, Charly have three versions to choose from: "Experience - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (single CD), "Albert Hall Experience" (double CD) and "The Last Experience" (3 CDs with the entire show and some rather weak bonuses). The unofficial Purple Haze Records also released an excellent double CD with the whole show (plus excellent soundcheck bonuses) as "An Evening With The Jimi Hendrix Experience".
This show is lined up for a top quality MCA CD and a DVD release this year.

THE LA FORUM CONCERT- (Radioactive & Burning Airlines) - Unofficial - Deleted
April 1969, from the final American tour by The Experience.
Also included in the 90's box set"Lifelines" (in fact a radio documentary).

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TRANSITION 1969-1970

After the whole psychedelic trip of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimi took time off to recover and restructure his life and music with the help of old and new friends, with some fairly good results on these two live albums :

LIVE AT WOODSTOCK -(MCA)
Gypsy Sun & Rainbows, or Jimi on stage with five other musicians (including Mitch Mitchell of The Experience) in a relaxed and improvisational mood at the close of the famous festival. A bit tatty round the edges but with some impressive moments along the way, including the legendary version of "Star Spangled Banner".

A BAND OF GYPSYS -(MCA)
An all black trio, dominated by drummer/singer Buddy Miles. These recordings were selected by Jimi himself, from concerts that were organized in order to settle a legal battle. This is perhaps the most untypical Hendrix album, where funky soul meets hard rock. The band made a strange yet innovative noise and Jimi was on awesome form, notably on the historic "Machine Gun". (More tracks from these Band Of Gypsys concerts are on the disappointing "Live At The Fillmore East").

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THE FINAL CHAPTER - 1970

Jimi laboured to complete a new album of his new brand of soul-tinged rock in 1970, but ran out of time.

Studio album :

FIRST RAYS OF THE NEW RISING SUN -(MCA)
This album compiled many unfinished (but highly polished) tracks previously seen on the 70s albums "Cry Of Love", "Rainbow Bridge" and "War Heroes".
Quite different from the Experience epoch studio work, with Jimi leaning away from blues, towards R&B with a strong rock base.

Live albums :

LIVE AT BERKELEY - 2nd Show -(MCA)
The second show of the night, where Jimi sticks close to the old Experience repertoire. The newer songs were still being constructed in the studio and thus less affirmed.

LIVE AT BERKELEY - 1st Show -(Radioactive) - Unofficial - Deleted
The early evening show this time. Some stunning moments here, notably the now legendary versions of "Johnny B. Goode" and "Hear My train a Comin".

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OTHER ARCHIVE RECORDINGS

Superb tracks from old deleted releases and from the vault, covering all periods :

SOUTH SATURN DELTA -(MCA)
After "First Rays", more highly finished left overs (from The Experience epoch also) plus some raw studio outtakes.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE -(MCA)
A superb luxury 4 CD collection of demos, outtakes, alternate mixes, old rarities and live tracks.

:BLUES -(MCA)
A nice thematic collection of acoustic, electric, studio and live recordings covering all periods of his successful years.

MARTIN SCORCESE PRESENTS THE BLUES -(MCA)
A few rarities (some from the above 4 CD set) plus some great oldies on another impressive blues compilation.

HEAR MY MUSIC -(Dagger)
Studio outtakes again, featuring two unedited jams from the legendary (and deleted) "Nine To The Universe" album and some new goodies.

BURNING DESIRE -(Dagger)
Band Of Gypsys jamming in the studio. More satisfying than the other Dagger releases featuring the band.

NINE TO THE UNIVERSE -(Reprise) - Deleted
This eighties vinyl then CD, gathered together some superb jazzy-bluesy studio jams. Some of it turned more recently (unedited) on "Hear My Music".


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Live Compilations

HENDRIX IN THE WEST - Deleted
This early seventies album came out later on CD. A great collection of performances from 1969-1970.

SOUND TRACK RECORDINGS FROM THE FILM "JIMI HENDRIX" - Deleted
Another good seventies release (also on CD later) to accompany the cinema release. A double vinyl "best of" live.

THE JIMI HENDRIX CONCERTS - Deleted
Six Winterland tracks here (five of which weren't on "Live At Winterland") alongside other great Experience (and later) performances.

STAGES - Deleted
A four CD box with three Experience concerts (Stockholm 67, Paris 68, San Diego 69) plus Jimi on his comeback tour of the states at the Atlanta Pop Festival in July 1970.
The three Experience concerts were to appear later on the unofficial Purple Haze and Radioactive Records and the Paris show was re-released on Dagger in 2008.

 

 
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