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Music CD - Jimi Hendrix: Band Of Gypsys
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Music CD: Band Of Gypsys
Artist: Jimi Hendrix
List Price: $16.98
Our Price: $8.94
Your Save: $ 8.04 ( 47% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Capitol
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Tracks:
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1. Who Knows
2. Machine Gun
3. Changes
4. Power To Love
5. Message of Love
6. We Gotta Live Together
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0724349344624
Format: Live
Label: Capitol
Manufacturer: Capitol
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Capitol
Release Date: 1998-01-13
Studio: Capitol
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Band Of Gypsys
Comment: Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsys *****
Complete with ex-Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles and old army buddy Billy Cox on bass and the man himself Jimi Hendrix on guitar at a loose New Years Eve concert at Bill Graham's Fillmore East jam Band Of Gypsys is the essential Hendrix recording, as well as his best.
The rhythm section of Miles and Cox is in my opinion better than that of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Also I must say, that to me this is the best Hendrix ever played, nothing I have ever heard from him on any other release even comes close to this, maybe 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' from Electric Ladyland comes close but nothing else. His songwriting is also amazing here. I am not going to say it is better then on his other recordings though because I feel that Jimi was an amazing songwriter his entire career.
'Who Knows' kicks things off on this blues-fusion album and does so greatly. 'Machine Gun' is perhaps the greatest thing Hendrix ever did. The guitar work is breathtaking, and the Vietnam conscious lyrics are heartfelt. Buddy Miles' 'Changes' is killer. The guitar and vocal work is some of the best and most raw blues ever recorded. 'Power To Love' and 'Message To Love' go hand in hand and should only be listened to back to back in succession. 'We Got To Live Together' closes the album and does so with a bang. The group vocals really get the message of the song across, and Hendrix's guitar sound on this track is head scratching, and Cox's bass playing on this track owns anything by the Experience.
Band Of Gypsys was Hendrix's anti-celebrity album. He wanted to get away from the showmanship of his earlier recordings and performances because he and his black audience felt it was demeaning much like it was for the fantastic Louis Armstrong. I think he achieved what he set out to with Band Of Gypsys and so much more. This is a fantastic record that should be heard by everyone.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Jimi is a musical God
Comment: To make it short and sweet.Just listing to Machine Gun with all those war sounds coming out his guitar shows me Jimi Hendrix was and still thousand ahead of any computrize sounding guitar player of today.Hendrix is god !
Customer Rating:
Summary: a brilliant live album
Comment: Before purchasing Band of Gypsys, I was well aware many people have mixed feelings with this live recording. Many people, specifically huge Hendrix fans who must own everything he did, feel this is a pretty average live performance overall. However, I have to disagree *strongly*. I've heard quite a lot of live albums from 60's and 70's rock musicians, and I really feel Band of Gypsys is right up there with the very best of them.
I can't put into words how surprised I was upon first listen just how CLEAR and magnificent the performance sounds. I don't even have the remastered version! Seriously, compared to most live albums released during the same time, this one sounds WAY above average. I'm really happy about that.
As for Hendrix's guitar playing, that was ANOTHER major surprise to me. I went in expecting just a few guitar solos here and there, because the reviews led me to believe this album was lacking in guitar playing. That is NOT true. There's more guitar soloing going on throughout the album than I ever thought was even possible. The opening track "Who Knows" and especially "Machine Gun" are lengthy tracks with funky rhythm sections and lots and lots of guitar soloing. Together, these two songs make up over 20 minutes of brilliant guitar playing and memorable songwriting.
The other four tracks are more soulful in vocal delivery, and funky and guitar-dominated, but shorter than the first two tracks. Shorter doesn't mean worse though, and overall we're talking about 45 minutes of a really spectacular concert from Hendrix. I'm sure there's better live albums out there from this legendary guitarist, but that doesn't make Band of Gypsys a bad recording in any way, shape or form in my opinion. Even calling it average wouldn't feel right.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: the beginning of the end
Comment: after the Experience ended it was the beginning of the end for Jimi Hendrix. I agree with "Not his Best". I was priveleged to see the Experience perform twice and was there when Band of Gypsys was released. It was common knowledge then and if you listen you will note, the guitar is out of tune. Of course the genius innovative playing was still intact, but Buddy Miles certainly was no Mitch Mitchell, he barely kept time. And when he "sang" (screamed) it was horrible. Billy Cox was acceptable, but overall they both pulled Hendrix down. Imagine him with Jack Bruce and Winwood or Lee Michaels and throw in Baker or Keith Moon; now that would have been one hell of a band. And Cry of Love was another dismal effort when the drugs really had done their toll. A sad end to a musical genius, a modern day Beethoven. This is not the only live recording of Jimi Hendrix. Two Experience albums exist in CD format, although to date out of print: "In the West" and "The Jimi Hendrix Concerts" both from Reprise.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not his best.......
Comment: I love Hendirx but not this CD, even though I have it, I rarely listen to it. I really dont think he was palying his best music at this time, too much pressure from all the people around him and record companies wanting albums from him, the man was doing heroin too.... his mind was really going in circles trying to please everybody... what a waste of talent to die so young, his best work was behind him I think, he was pushed in the wrong direction... too bad, best guitarest EVER by far....
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Editorial Reviews:
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Tired of the showboating image that his early live performances had saddled him with--and that his black audience viewed as demeaning and degrading to his musical talent--Hendrix dissolved his Experience in 1969 in search of a more terra-firma-grounded, blues-oriented persona. On New Year's Eve, Hendrix, his old Army buddy bassist Billy Cox, and ex-Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles performed a loose, jam-filled set at New York's Fillmore East (completists will want the panoramic though uneven Live at the Fillmore East). Released a few months after his New Year's Eve 1970 concert, Band of Gypsys underscored Hendrix's desired return to basics--even if his basic was at a level most guitarists could never attain in a lifetime of playing. --Billy Altman
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