Click to return to Dave’s Music Database home page.

Jimi Hendrix’s DMDB page

Also check out Jimi Hendrix’s DMDB page.


Jimi Hendrix – Significant Live Releases

The following are a select few of the glut of live album releases from Jimi Hendrix.

  1. Jimi Plays Monterey (6/18/67) *
  2. Live at Winterland (10/12/68)
  3. BBC Sessions (2/13/67 to 1/4/69) *
  4. Woodstock (8/19/69) *
  5. Live at Fillmore East (12/31/69 and 1/1/70) *
  6. Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight (8/30/70) *
Note: Dates reflect time of actual recording, not release. Albums with asterisks (*) are expanded versions of previous releases.
Jimi Plays Monterey 4.213 stars out of 4 ratings
Released: 9/70 *, 2/86 Recorded: 6/18/67
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine 16 *, 192 UK chart peak -- Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA 0.5 * sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions 0.5 *

Tracks: 1. Killing Floor 2. Foxey Lady 3. Like a Rolling Stone 4. Rock Me Baby 5. Hey Joe 6. Can You See Me? 7. The Wind Cries Mary 8. Purple Haze 9. Wild Thing

Notes: * Indicates information regarding the Monterey International Pop Festival release, which featured half an album of Otis Redding and half of Jimi Hendrix. Need track listing for that album.

Review: “This is great fun for fans” (Wilson) and “perhaps the most essential live Hendrix recording, if only for its historical importance – when Hendrix took the stage at Monterey in June, 1967, he was an unknown in the US; when he left it, the American rock industry had been turned on its head. It's also a good sampling of Hendrix's early repertoire, with minor obscurities like the old blues number Rock Me Baby, making other live releases somewhat redundant. And it contains two classics that he performed only rarely: a mind-blowing take on Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone” (Alroy), which “shows a side of him rarely seen” (Wilson). There’s also a “burning-guitar version of Wild Thing. Unfortunately, the set is somewhat short” (Alroy) and “the unvarying trio format (Redding contributes almost nothing, Mitchell is more subdued than on the studio recordings)…Note-for-note renditions of several album tracks (Foxey Lady) make this less than a huge priority. And as attention-grabbing as the guitar-burning thing was, how often do you want to listen to it?” (Wilson).

Live at Winterland 4.533 stars out of 4 ratings
Released: 1986 Recorded: 10/10/68 to 10/12/68
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine -- UK chart peak -- Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA -- sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions --

Tracks: 1. Prologue 2. Fire 3. Manic Depression 4. Sunshine of Your Love 5. Spanish Castle Magic 6. Red House 7. Killing Floor 8. Tax Free 9. Foxey Lady 10. Hey Joe 11. Purple Haze 12. Wild Thing 13. Epilogue

Review/Notes: “The Winterland shows (Oct. 10, 11 and 12) were well-recorded, but they weren't that good: after spending almost a year recording Electric Ladyland, much of which doesn't feature Noel Redding, the Experience was rusty. The rarely-performed Manic Depression and a nice version of Tax Free are the highlights” (Wilson). “Most of the rest consists of Hendrix standards. The other major exceptions are Killin' Floor, with Jack Casady on bass, and Cream's Sunshine of Your Love, dedicated to the band by Hendrix because they'd just broken up” (Alroy).

BBC Sessions 3.750 stars out of 6 ratings
Released: 11/88 *, 5/2/98 Recorded: 2/13/67 to 1/4/69
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine 119 *, 50 UK chart peak 30 *, 42 Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA -- sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions --

Tracks, Disc 1: 1. Foxey Lady * 2. Alexis Korner Introduction 3. Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? 4. Rhythm and Blues World Service 5. Hoochie Coochie Man * 6. Traveling with the Experience 7. Driving South * 8. Fire * 9. Little Miss Lover 10. Introducing the Experience 11. Burning of the Midnight Lamp * 12. Catfish Blues * 13. Stone Free * 14. Love or Confusion * 15. Hey Joe 16. Hound Dog * 17. Driving South 18. Hear My Train a Comin’ *

Tracks, Disc 2: 1. Purple Haze * 2. Killing Floor * 3. Radio One * 4. Wait Until Tomorrow * 5. Day Tripper * 6. Spanish Castle Magic * 7. Jammin’ (with Stevie Wonder) 8. I Was Made to Love Her (with Stevie Wonder) 8. Foxey Lady 10. A Brand New Sound 11. Hey Joe * 12. Manic Depression 13. Driving South 14. Hear My Train a Comin’ 15. A Happening for Lulu 16. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) 17. Lulu Introduction 18. Hey Joe 19. Sunshine of Your Love

Notes: * Indicates information regarding the Radio One release, which only covered material from 2/13/67 to 12/19/67. Songs marked with * appeared on Radio One. Full track listing for that album: 1. Stone Free 2. Radio One Theme 3. Day Tripper 4. Killing Floor 5. Love or Confusion 6. Drivin’ South 7. Catfish Blues 8. Wait Until Tomorrow 9. Hear My Train a Comin’ 10. Hound Dog 11. Fire 12. Hoochie Coochie Man 13. Purple Haze 14. Spanish Castle Magic 15. Hey Joe 16. Foxey Lady 17. Burning of the Midnight Lamp

Review: “Right around the same time the Hendrix juggernaut started snowballing in England, the BBC was in the midst of setting up Radio 1, an entity dedicated to broadcasting pop music. Spearheaded by adventurous DJs such as John Peel and Alexis Korner, Radio 1 provided an outlet for the creative outpouring of the newly arrived Hendrix along with countless others. Since many BBC sessions fell halfway between being a studio recording and a live performance, BBC Sessions shows off some of Hendrix's most spontaneous and creative outbursts” (CdUniverse.com).

“This 2-CD set replaces the one-disc Radio One, which…already contained all the best material here, with the exception of a very loose, never-broadcast jam with Stevie Wonder on drums (Jammin’)” (Wilson). Wonder’s drumming also appears on “a notable instrumental jam on I Was Made to Love Her” (CdUniverse.com). Also featured are “an amusing take on Dylan’s obscure Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? [and] “ the famous Hendrix practical joke at Lulu’s expense, when he” (Wilson) changed “gears from a drastically reworked Hey Joe and dedicating Sunshine of Your Love to the recently split up Cream before getting the plug pulled on him” (CdUniverse.com).

There are also highlights such as “the stripped-down version of Burning of the Midnight Lamp, the turbocharged instrumental Driving South (a ripoff of Albert Collins’ ‘Thaw Out’), the hilarious Radio One jingle, and Hoochie Coochie Man with host Alexis Korner on slide guitar. Though there's a hefty assortment of hits, there are more covers (Hound Dog) and album tracks (Little Miss Lover), and the loose atmosphere of the recordings adds to the fun. This time the liner notes correctly quash the rumor that John Lennon appears on the cover of Day Tripper – the co-lead vocal is Redding’s” (DBW)

Live at Woodstock 3.578 stars out of 9 ratings
Released: 8/74 *, 7/6/99 Recorded: 8/19/69
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine 37 *, 90 UK chart peak 32 * Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA 0.5 sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions 0.5 *

Tracks, Disc 1: 1. Introduction * 2. Message to Love 3. Hear My Train a Comin’ * 4. Spanish Castle Magic 5. Red House * 6. Lover Man 7. Foxey Lady 9. Jam Back at the House *

Tracks, Disc 2: 1. Izabella * 2. Fire * 3. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) * 4. Star Spangled Banner * 5. Purple Haze * 6. Woodstock Improvisation * 7. Villanova Junction * 8. Hey Joe

Notes: * Indicates information regarding the Woodstock release. Songs marked with an * appeared on original Woodstock release. Track listing as follows: 1. Introduction 2. Fire 3. Izabella 4. Hear My Train a Comin’ 5. Red House 6. Jam Back at the House 7. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)/Stepping Stone 8. The Star Spangled Banner 9. Purple Haze 10. Woodstock Improvisation 11. Villanova Junction 12. Farewell

Review: “Jimi Hendrix was the headliner” (CdUniverse.com) “at the Woodstock Festival, Bethel, New York on August 18, 1969” (CdUniverse.com). “Ironically, he got to go on around dawn on Monday morning, by which time there were only (...only) 60,000 remaining parishoners” for this ““historically important…performance” (Alroy), despite featuring “Hendrix's all-around weakest band since…the Blue Flames” (Wilson). Hendrix's Gypsy Sun & Rainbows consisted of “Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, and a gaggle of other musicians who either barely knew Hendrix, barely knew the material, or both” (Alroy).

“Covering for his unrehearsed band forced Hendrix into some wild and completely brilliant improvisation, some of it using the chordal soloing technique that Hendrix developed late in his career and never captured in the studio. No other rock guitarist has managed to imitate…Hendrix's unique musical insight” (Alroy). This means that Woodstock showcases “Hendrix in transition: from a rock and pop approach, to Sky Church music – Jimi's free form synthesis of blues, modal jazz, funk and ethnic sources” (CdUniverse.com).

“An early arrangement of Hear My Train A-Comin’, and such old warhorses as Red House and Voodoo Child are given spirited blues treatments…His breathtaking Woodstock Improvisation…showcases his taste for modern jazz and flamenco – while his poignant instrumental reverie Villanova Junction reflects the influence of Wes Montgomery” (CdUniverse.com).

Of course, this is also “the source of that crazy (and breathtaking) rearrangement of The Star Spangled Banner” (Alroy), “which became a legend only after it was featured in the movie” (Wilson).

“This one is an essential for fans – Woodstock showcases Jimi Hendrix as a guitarist's guitarist” (CdUniverse.com).

Live at Fillmore East 4.010 stars out of 4 ratings
Released: 4/70 *, 2/23/99 Recorded: 12/31/69 and 1/1/70
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine 5 *, 65 UK chart peak 6 * Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA 2.0 * sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions 2.0 *

Tracks, Disc 1: 1. Stone Free 2. Power of Soul * 3. Hear My Train a Comin’ 4. Izabella 5. Machine Gun * 6. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) 7. We Gotta Live Together *

Tracks, Disc 2: 1.Auld Lang Syne 2. Who Knows * 3. Changes * 4. Machine Gun 5. Stepping Stone 6. Stop 7. Earth Blues 8. Burning Desire 9. Wild Thing

Notes: * Indicates information regarding the Band of Gypsys release. Songs marked by * appeared on the original Band of Gypsys release (which also included “Message of Love,” not featured on Live at the Fillmore East. Original running order: 1. Who Knows 2. Machine Gun 3. Changes 4. Power of Soul 5. Message of Love 6. We Gotta Live Together

Review: See the DMDB page to read more about this album.

Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight 3.750 stars out of 2 ratings
Released: 11/71 *, 11/12/02 Recorded: 8/30/70
Peaked: US chart peak, according to Billboard magazine 200 * UK chart peak 17 * Sales: sales, in millions, in the U.S. as certified by the RIAA -- sales, in millions, in the U.K. as certified by BPI -- estimated world sales in millions --

Tracks, Disc 1: 1. God Save the Queen 2. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 3. Spanish Castle Magic 4. All Along the Watchtower * 5. Machine Gun 6. Lover Man * 7. Freedom * 8. Red House 9. Dolly Dagger 10. Midnight Lightning *

Tracks, Disc 2: 1. Foxey Lady * 2. Message to Love 3. Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) 4. Ezy Ryder 5. Hey Joe 6. Purple Haze 7. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) 8. In from the Storm *

Notes: * Indicates information regarding the At the Isle of Wight release. Songs from that album are indicated with an *. Track listing for that album: 1. Midnight Lightning 2. Foxey Lady 3. Lover Man 4. Freedom 5. All Along the Watchtower 6. In from the Storm

Review: Blue Wild Angel covers “Hendrix's headlining set at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970, his last major public appearance” (CdUniverse.com). “Backed by Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and Band of Gypsies bassist Billy Cox, Hendrix took the stage on August 30th, 1970 at around three in the morning” (CdUniverse.com). “Opening with an instrumental version of God Save the Queen meant to rouse the crowd, Hendrix put together a set that found him paying homage to the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band), Bob Dylan (All Along the Watchtower), and his blues roots (Red House)” (CdUniverse.com). “Renditions of Dolly Dagger, Ezy Rider, Freedom, & Hey Baby …trade on the more rhythmic R&B & jazz influences he'd diligently worked into his music” (CdUniverse.com). “Much of Hendrix's between-song banter [is preserved] including an anti-war intro to a nearly 20-minute version of Machine Gun dedicated to soldiers fighting in Vietnam, which heaves, sighs, and roars through waves of distortion-laced improvisation” (CdUniverse.com).

Overall, though, this “was not one of his best, and the lengthy, boring version of Foxey Lady is typical” (Wilson).

Review Sources:

Related DMDB Link(s):

Jimi Hendrix’s DMDB page Significant Posthumous Studio Works

This page last updated January 26, 2009.