On October 4, Experience Hendrix L.L.C., in partnership with Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is releasing “Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision“, a deluxe box set offering 39 tracks (38 previously unreleased) that were recorded by the new-look Jimi Hendrix Experience (Billy Cox on bass, Mitch Mitchell on drums) at Electric Lady Studios between June and August of 1970, just before the legendary musician’s untimely death the following month.
These sessions saw Hendrix hard at work creating ‘First Rays Of The New Rising Sun’, an ambitious double album that was planned to follow his 1968’s ‘Electric Ladyland’.
The box sets offers a comprehensive look at the work Hendrix undertook during that summer of 1970. The music ranges from four-track demo recordings of ‘Valleys Of Neptune’ and ‘Heaven Has No Sorrow’, alternate arrangements of new songs such as ‘Come Down Hard On Me’ and ‘Belly Button’.
All over 3 CD’s (or 5 vinyl LP) the release offer 39 tracks of which 38 are previously unreleased. These include an unreleased version of ‘Angel’ [Take 7] which has been newly mixed. It includes the original performances recorded by Hendrix, Mitchell and Cox on July 23, 1970 and pointedly does not include any of the drums and additional percussion elements Mitchell opted to add to this master take after Hendrix had died.
In celebration of the forthcoming release, the City of New York temporarily renamed the portion of West 8th Street between 6th Street and MacDougal Street JIMI HENDRIX WAY. This is the block on which Electric Lady Studios was built and still stands.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
CD1
01. Ezy Ryder
02. Valleys of Neptune
03. Straight Ahead (Takes 1 & 2)
04. Drifter's Escape (Takes 1 & 2)
05. Astro Man (Takes 9 & 10)
06. Astro Man (Take 14)
07. Drifting (Takes 1 & 2)
08. Night Bird Flying (Take 25)
09. Farther Up the Road
10. The Long Medley: Astro Man / Beginnings / Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) / Midnight Lightning (Keep On Groovin') / Freedom
CD2
01. Earth Blues (Alternate Mix)
02. Dolly Dagger (Takes 17 & 18)
03. Angel (Take 7)
04. Beginnings (Take 5)
05. Lover Man
06. Tune X / Just Came In (Take 6)
07. Heaven Has No Sorrow (Demo)
08. Freedom (Take 4)
09. Valleys of Neptune (Demo)
10. Come Down Hard On Me (Take 15)
11. Dolly Dagger (Alternate Version)
12. Messing Around (Take 17)
13. Tune X / Just Came In (Take 8)
14. Drifting (Alternate Version / June 29, 1970)
15. Freedom (Alternate Version / July 19, 1970)
16. Belly Button Window (Take 1)
CD3
01. Dolly Dagger (Mix 2)
02. Night Bird Flying (Alternate Version)
03. Freedom (Alternate Version / August 20, 1970)
04. Midnight Lightning / Beginnings
05. Straight Ahead (Alternate Mix)
06. In From the Storm (Alternate Mix)
07. Bolero / Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)
08. Drifter's Escape
09. Astro Man (Alternate Version)
10. Bleeding Heart (Alternate Mix)
11. Drifting (Alternate Version / November 20, 1970)
12. Room Full of Mirrors (Alternative Version)
13. Angel (Alternative Version)
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision (2024) Box-Set 3 CD