Jimi Hendrix Encyclopedia

Beginning late in the evening of April 24th and through the early hours of April 25th, Hendrix joined Chas Chandler and Eddie Kramer at Olympic Studios to work on final mixes (stereo and mono) for several songs slated for inclusion on Are You Experienced, including: “Foxey Lady,” “Manic Depression,” “May This Be Love,” “Fire,” “Remember,” “Third Stone From The Sun,” and “Love Or Confusion.”

Tape Log: Foxey Lady // Manic Depression // May This Be Love // Fire // Remember // Third Stone From The Sun // Love Or Confusion

1967 April April 25 Chas Chandler City of London eddie kramer Greater London Jimi Hendrix Olympic Studios Recording Studio Recordings United Kingdom

Recording for “Three Little Bears” would take place at the Record Plant, where Steve Winwood, Jack Casady and a host of others visited the group. Although Hendrix originally coined the title, “Cherokee Mist” for the session, he later settled on “Three Little Bears” as its final working title. Throughout the session, Jimi developed a jazzy rhythm pattern that would eventually become “South Saturn Delta.” As the session progressed, Hendrix and bassist, Noel Redding get into a heated argument about the number of people in the studio. In his autobiography, Are You Experienced? Redding says, “There were tons of people in the studio – you couldn’t even move. It was a party not a session. He just said, ‘Relax man…’ I’d been relaxing for months, so I relaxed my way right out the place, not caring if I ever saw him again.” Taking a break from the session Hendrix leads an entourage to their local hangout at the Scene Club for some fun. Afterwards, Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Eddie Kramer, Winwood, Casady, Larry Coryell and others, return to the Record Plant to jam. These jams would become the foundation of “Voodoo Chile.” A number of recordings with Winwood and Casady participating were laid to tape on this night, with 3 of the takes being fused together as “Voodoo Chile Blues,” which was released on MCA’s 1994 release – :Blues.

Casady eddie kramer Hendrix Jack Casady Larry Coryell Mitch Mitchell Noel Redding Record Plant Recording Steve Winwood Three Little Bears Winwood

A series of overdubs and remixes of “Gypsys Eyes” are completed with Eddie Kramer at the Record Plant.

eddie kramer Gypsys Eyes Record Plant Recording

At the Record Plant, Eddie Kramer experiments with the crossfades that will link the first three songs, “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland),” “Crosstown Traffic,” and “Voodoo Chile” together for the Electric Ladyland album.

crossfades Crosstown Traffic eddie kramer Have You Ever Been Record Plant Recording Voodoo Chile

Eddie Kramer prepared a rough mix of “Gypsy Eyes” at the Record Plant, but marks the tape box, ‘check with Jimi for usage.’

eddie kramer Gypsy Eyes Record Plant Recording

The Experience return to the Record Plant to put the finishing touches on their forthcoming release, Electric Ladyland. Work on “Gypsy Eyes” on this night focused on the flanging effects, which had studio engineers Eddie Kramer and Gary Kellgren physically putting pressure on the flange reel of the tape deck during recording. While Hendrix and Kramer labored over the master tape for Electric Ladyland, Kallgren, Mitchell and Redding recorded twelve-takes of Redding’s own composition, “How Can I Live,” which later appeared on the debut release for Redding’s new band, Fat Mattress. With only one more track required to complete the album, the group turned to Earl King’s “Come On (Part One)” to fill the final track. After fourteen takes, the final take was selected as the basic track for the album. Electric Ladyland was now complete.

eddie kramer Electric Ladyland Gary Kellgren Gypsy Eyes Record Plant Recording the experience

Wally Heider Recording, Los Angeles, Ca. Studio 3, Mixing Eddie Kramer began mixing sessions for a proposed Experience live album. Among the work completed on this day are mixes and edits of “Star Spangled Banner” (San Diego 5/24/69), “Purple Haze” (San Diego 5/24/69), and “Little Wing” (Royal Albert Hall 2/24/69).

eddie kramer Experience live Little Wing Purple Haze Recording Star Spangled Banner

Wally Heider Recording, Los Angeles, Ca. Studio 3, Mixing Eddie Kramer continued work on several live recordings. Final mixes of “I Don’t Live Today” (Los Angeles Forum 4/26/69) and “Hear My Train A Comin’” (Royal Albert Hall 2/24/69) were prepared.

eddie kramer i don't live today Los Angeles Recording Studio 3 Wally Heider Recording

Wally Heider Recording, Los Angeles, Ca. Studio 3, Mixing Eddie Kramer resumed mixing sessions for the proposed live album. Upon completion, the album was handed over to Jimi’s manager Michael Jeffery. Despite their work, however, Reprise Records shelved the live album in favor of the compilation Smash Hits.

eddie kramer Los Angeles Michael Jeffery Recording Reprise Records Wally Heider Recording

Having just successfully completed two sold out performances at the Fillmore East, the previous night, the Band of Gypsys New Year’s Day performances were solidifying them as one of the most recognizable sounds in modern music. Just as with the two shows the preceding night Wally Heider and Eddie Kramer also recorded this performance. The results of which have been released as Band Of Gypsys (Experience Hendrix/Capitol Records, 93446-2) and Hendrix: Live At The Fillmore East (Experience Hendrix/MCA, MCAD2-1111931).

As the Band Of Gypsys hit the stage the crowd explodes into applause as the three neighborly musicians break into a barrage of musical attacks, bouncing melodic beats of musical affection off each other. The mesmerizing opening statements of the newly formed Band of Gypsys implanted a new brand of funky rock-inspired blues in the audience’s head.

“His playing is so loud, so fluid and so rife with electronic distortions that it resembles that of no other currently popular performer,” reported Mike Jahn for The New York Times (January 2, 1970). Lead guitarist Jimi Hendrix was once again joined on stage by bassist, Billy Cox and drummer, Buddy Miles for their new collaboration of roaming and experimental sounds.

The Band Of Gypsys first set featured performances of “Who Knows,” “Machine Gun,” “Changes,” “Power Of Soul,” “Stepping Stone,” “Foxey Lady,” “Stop,” “Hear My Train A Comin’,” “Earth Blues,” and “Burning Desire.”

As Rolling Stones’ Loraine Alterman reported, “at the first show on New Year’s Day, the audience really let loose with cheers only on the old “Foxey Lady.” In all fairness, however, his second show reportedly went over much better especially when he and Miles sand a pleas for unity about how we’ve all got to live together, a song did together in a jam at the Newport ’69 festival in Los Angeles.

“In the end, though, Hendrix is a musician, not a contortionist or juggler. If the fans can forget the visual show and if Hendrix can come up with a new approach to material for a Band Of Gypsys, he’ll remain a heavy on the scene.”

After a brief intermission the Band Of Gypsys returned for a second set highlighted with “Stone Free,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “Power Of Soul,” “Changes,” “Message To Love,” “Earth Blues,” “Machine Gun,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “We Gotta Live Together,” “Wild Thing,” “Hey Joe,” and “Purple Haze.”

Alfred Aronowitz of The New York Post interviews Hendrix for a piece in the January 2, 1970 edition. Inside Aronowitz explains Hendrix’s musical change saying, “Jimi had chosen the New Year, and as he put it, the new decade to unveil his new trio… What’s the reason for the change? ‘Earth, man, earth,’ Jimi said. With his old group, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, the music has been too far out in space. ‘Now I want to bring it down to earth,’ Jimi said. ‘I want to get back to the blues, because that’s what I am.’ The new group has a new repertoire, but during his first set last night, Jimi was still waving his freak flag.

“There had been plans for Jimi to go back on tour with The Experience accompanied once again by Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass, but after the show Jimi had changed his mind. ‘With Mitch, maybe, but not with Noel, for sure.’ He said. ‘That’s another thing. This is more of a real thing. We’re trying to get it on its feet. We’re waiting for Stevie Winwood. If I can get ahold of him and he agrees to it, that’ll be another voice. We’ll have harmony for days.’ The name of Jimi’s new group, incidentally, is A Band Of Gypsys. ‘That’s what we are,’ said Buddy. ‘That’s what all musicians are, Gypsies.'”

1970 Alfred Aronowitz Band of Gypsys Changes Earth Blues eddie kramer Fillmore East hey joe jan January 1 Little Drummer Boy Live Machine Gun Message To Love new years day performance Power Of Soul Purple Haze Stone Free The New York Post Voodoo Child (Slight Return) Wally Heider We Gotta Live Together Wild Thing

Juggy Sound, New York Studio Recording Jimi and engineer Eddie Kramer begin sifting through the multi-track recordings made of the Band Of Gypsys live performances at the Fillmore East.

Band of Gypsys eddie kramer Fillmore East Juggy Sound Recording

Juggy Sound, New York Studio Recording Record Plant, New York Studio Recording Send My Love To Linda Power Of Soul Burning Desire Jimi began the evening with Eddie Kramer at Juggy Sound. The two continued in their effort to craft a live album from the four Fillmore East performances. In the early morning hours following the mixing session, Hendrix traveled to the Record Plant to join forces with Cox and Miles for a series of promising demo recordings. Jimi efforts yielded a rough sketch of “Send My Love To Linda” which progressed into a lively, extended jam. Additionally, twelve takes of “Paper Airplanes” (which would evolve as “Power Of Soul”) and five takes of “Burning Desire” were also put to tape.

eddie kramer Fillmore East Juggy Sound Recording

Juggy Sound, New York Studio Recording Once more, Jimi began the evening with Eddie Kramer mixing potential candidates for the Band Of Gypsys live album at Juggy Sound. Neither Cox nor Miles played any role in the mixing or track decisions for the album. As Hendrix was the producer, such decisions were reserved entirely for him. Record Plant, New York Studio Recording Burning Desire Backwards Experiment At the Record Plant with Cox and Miles, Hendrix devoted time on this evening to experimenting with different backward guitar effects. This session also saw additional work on “Burning Desire” but with little noticeable progress toward the completion of a basic track.

Band of Gypsys eddie kramer Juggy Sound Recording

While Hendrix and Eddie Kramer were taking a break from a mixing session for Band Of Gypsys at New York’s Juggy Sound, Jimi joins Rosicrucians, a Queens-based band that Kramer was producing, for a casual jam session.

1970 Band of Gypsys casual jam session eddie kramer February 2 Live New York's Juggy Sound Rosicrucians

Juggy Sound, New York Studio Recording Mixing sessions for Band Of Gypsys resumed. Before the evening session began, Hendrix engaged in a jam session with the Rosicrucians, a Queens-based group whose album Eddie Kramer had been producing at the studio. Two separate recordings were made before Hendrix concluded the jam.

Band of Gypsys eddie kramer Recording Rosicrucians

Juggy Sound, New York Studio Recording Hendrix and Eddie Kramer completed the final editing, mixing, and sequencing for the Band Of Gypsys album.

Band of Gypsys complete eddie kramer Recording

Jimi works on overdubs for the track, “Drifting” which Eddie Kramer and second engineer Kim King oversaw at Electric Lady Studios.

Drifting eddie kramer Electric Lady Studios Kim King Recording

With more overdubs required on “Dolly Dagger”, Jimi returned to Electric Lady with Eddie Kramer and Dave Palmer where additional parts for the track were put to tape.

Dave Palmer Dolly Dagger eddie kramer Electric Lady Recording