Jimi Hendrix – Live At Woodstock (1999)

Believe it or not, you can actually hear this sensational product today. Jimi Hendrix being undoubtedly one of the greatest guitarists to walk the earth, performed a legendary performance at the Woodstock festival, just outside of New York, way back in 1969. Over a million people attended this festival, and many saw this performance live. It is sure to be a good musical piece, so let’s hear some history as we go back in time to 1969.

Introduction (Live At Woodstock) – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 has the humble Jimi Hendrix introducing the band to the audience (including bassist Billy Cox and drummer Mitch Mitchell), who welcome him warmly. A nice intro to the performance we are about to hear.

Message To Love – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 is an epic and brilliant sounding piece. The band is on top form here. A great performance of a lesser-known Jimi Hendrix number. Jimi’s playing, in particular, is out of this world and truly amazing. He really shines on this recording. A great way to begin this live performance. Epic – and moving. Many twists and turns are here in this great live performance.

Next is Hear My Train A Comin’ – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 has a suspenseful intro before going into a brilliant, blues-based number. It is really awesome as the listener hears no bum notes or mistakes from the group in this live setting. It’s a mellow wah-wah blues sort of piece for the Hippie generation. A brilliant and wonderfully played piece, in the era before autotune. There is a great deal of suspense in this number as well, listen carefully for that. The outro is a sonic blast.

Following is Spanish Castle Magic – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 which is an awesome and brilliant rendition of the famous number by Jimi Hendrix. It’s a timeless and purely fantastic listen. Still sounds great today, and proof that Jimi Hendrix could do it live as well. The playing on the guitar by Jimi is immaculate. Proof of perhaps the greatest guitarist to walk this planet. Plenty of intricate playing is on this number.

Red House – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 is a fantastic rendition of the classic Jimi Hendrix tune. Expert playing and some of the best sounding blues phrasing you will ever hear live is on this song. Jimi Hendrix shows his brilliant and intricate playing wonderfully here. Great song, and effort by Jimi.

Lover Man – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 is a more uptempo number which is at a frenetic pace. It’s yet another brilliant piece by Jimi Hendrix and his band. It is played so fantastically that the music speaks for itself. Mostly an instrumental, but a very excellent one at that. The guitar playing and performance is very psychedelic. An epic listen. The outro is fantastic.

Next is Foxey Lady – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 which is a great rendition of the original song, which is devoted to the “lady in yellow underwear” who is watching this performance. In any case, it is a wonderful and epic jam band sort of piece by Hendrix. It is so intricately played by the greatest guitarist of the Hippie generation that his legacy is secured here. Great stuff.

Following is Jam Back At The House – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 which begins with riff-laden guitars, before going into a fantastic jam by Jimi Hendrix. It is a rather catchy number that is great to hear on a live performance basis. There is no singing on this, just great jamming here. It does sound awesome though. Mitch Mitchell sounds fantastic here, with some awesome drumming propelling this jam along, and does well in the midsection here. The rest of the band follow back into the jam, and the whole piece is ingenious. Brilliant.

Izabella – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 begins with Jimi Hendrix talking some strange talk first off, before going into a liquid blues riff. The rest of the band follows, and it is a nice-sounding tune to hear. It is a great listen, with lead and rhythm playing wonderfully done by Jimi Hendrix. Words need not describe how good this is. Still, it is a fantastic listen. It is another excellent number by the group.

Fire – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 is a great rendition of the classic song by Jimi Hendrix. It is a great listen and interpretation of the original here. Very fast, yet super listenable. Great stuff here. Almost punk-like in its interpretation of the original.

Next is Voodoo Child (Slight Return) – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 which kicks off a brilliant listen for this rendition of the Jimi Hendrix original. Jimi’s playing is brilliant here, as is the rest of the band. There is a deep musical knowledge and sensibility from the group here. Excellent stuff. Halfway through, Jimi reintroduces the band before going into the second half of this tune. It’s a psychotic, psychedelic and epic listen overall. Well over 10 minutes long, it is a sonic trip. It goes out of the jam and back to a reinterpretation of the intro riff at the end of this number.

Going straight into Star Spangled Banner – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 Jimi Hendrix and co. play the United States of America national anthem to a crowd of over 1 million people, live. It is very brilliant and essential to hear. Plenty of whammy bar dive bombs are here, which makes the sound even more interesting than usual. It is an emotional and memorable piece. A must listen.

Purple Haze – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 is next. It is a great rendition of the original tune by Jimi Hendrix. Very uptempo and wonderfully played by Jimi Hendrix. It is fast and furious listening for anyone who is a fan of Jimi Hendrix’s music. Excellent stuff. Great to listen to, even today. The outro will melt your mind.

Woodstock Improvisation – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 just goes to show that Jimi Hendrix was not a one-trick pony. He had much musical knowledge up his sleeve. This improvisation is just him on guitar. A brilliant and interesting guitar-based listen, it is great to hear. The sound here is phenomenal.

Leading straight into Villanova Junction – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 we hear relaxed playing by Jimi Hendrix and a more subtle sounding musical backdrop to hear on this recording. It is more like a jam than anything, but a very good jam at that. A nice number to hear towards the end of this recording. The crowd chant for more – and more is what they get.

After the medley comes the encore number Hey Joe – Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, August 18, 1969 which is a great live version of the song. Needless to say, it is a brilliant listen, and definitely worth hearing. A nice way to finish off the legendary live performance by Jimi Hendrix and friends. It goes into a longer jam towards the end of the song. The crowd gives Hendrix and friends a loud cheer at the end. A great performance.

This is a quintessential album that is a must-listen. It is really fantastic and a great way to show Jimi Hendrix’s music ability. The Woodstock festival itself was legendary, and this is essential musical historical listening for anyone who loves the 1960s or indeed the history of music.

Essential.

9/10