Jimi Hendrix Encyclopedia

Hit Factory, New York Studio Recording 1 ) Message To The Universe 2 ) Lover Man 3 ) Izabella 4 ) Message To The Universe 5 ) Izabella 6 ) Burning Desire 7 ) Easy Blues 8 ) Izabella 9 ) Beginnings Jimi returned to the recording studio for the first time in nearly three months. The guitarist was accompanied by his expanded ensemble Gypsy Sun & Rainbows, as well as engineer Eddie Kramer. Jimi had readied a slate of promising new material and looked to make progress on his next studio album. A number of recordings from this session were later issued on disc. The two most prominent were “Message To The Universe”, now a part of South Saturn Delta and “Izabella” from the box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience. While no longer in print, two other recordings from this session have been previously released. An edited version of “Easy Blues” was part of the 1980 compilation Nine To The Universe. “Beginnings” was posthumously overhauled in 1974 and fitted with new overdubs as part of the ill advised [and long since deleted] Midnight Lightning album produced by Alan Douglas.

Beginnings Burning Desire Izabella lover man Message To The Universe Recording

Back at Electric Lady Jimi records the master takes of “Night Bird Flying” and “Straight Ahead.” Joined by percussionist Juma Sultan these sessions proved to be among his most productive in the post-Electric Ladyland days. He follows these recordings with takes of “Beginnings,” “Freedom,” and a loose recording simply titled “Messing Around.”

Beginnings Electric Lady Freedom Juma Sultan Night Bird Flying Recording Straight Ahead

Returning to Electric Lady Studios after a series of West Coast tour dates, Hendrix jumped right back into a series of strong recordings kicked off by a playful series of takes of “Astro Man.” As the night progressed Hendrix guided the group through recordings of “Rollin’ Stone,” “In From The Storm,” and a rendition of Cream’s “Politician.” Hendrix then tore into a 26-minute untitled jam before breaking into “Beginnings,” “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” “Straight Ahead,” “Midnight Lightning,” and finally “Freedom.”

Astro Man Beginnings Electric Lady Studios Midnight Lightning Politician Recording

Returning to Electric Lady, Jimi continues to work on rough mixes for “Night Bird Flying,” “Straight Ahead,” “Drifter’s Escape,” “Ezy Rider,” “Come Down Hard On Me,” “Beginnings,” “Cherokee Mist,” “In From The Storm,” “Valleys Of Neptune,” “Astro Man,” and “Belly Button Window” overdubs.

Beginnings Cherokee Mist Come Down Hard On Me Drifter’s Escape Electric Lady Ezy Rider In From The Storm Night Bird Flying Recording Straight Ahead