JIMI HENDRIX “WEST COAST SEATTLE BOY” REVIEW

JIMI HENDRIX “WEST COAST SEATTLE BOY”
By Richard Zeigler

Can there still be worthwhile Jimi Hendrix songs and outtakes that are worthy of release? Hasn’t that barrel already been scraped clean? The latest release from the Hendrix estate shows that Hendrix’ recorded output still contains gems that will please and surprise, and that the barrel (or is it barrels) have yet to be sufficiently plumbed. The four-disc West Coast Seattle Boy is chock-full of great Hendrix work, including a number of songs wherein Hendrix is the sideman rather than the leader. But a solid core is also contained on the similarly named single-disc release, which focuses on his 67-70 heyday. “Love Or Confusion” is simply a great Hendrix tune that could have gone on any of his albums to great effect. “Mr. Bad Luck” (previously bootlegged as “Waterfall”) is one of Hendrix’s finest songs, a swooning, languid guitar meditation. An instrumental version of “Are You Experienced” is superb. An acoustic version of The Band’s “Tears Of Rage” is fascinating, as is the compelling combo of “Bolero” and “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)”. Overall, the sound and sequencing are absolutely top-notch, as the album flows nicely along as a stand-alone listening experience. Genius is genius, and this album shows once again that Hendrix merits that description. And if there’s more like this in those barrels, then keep it coming!

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