Jimi Hendrix - Jimi Hendrix: Live At Berkeley

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Music reviews of Jimi Hendrix: Live At Berkeley

Music Review: Keep On - Straight Ahead
Rating: 5 Stars

Many collectors have questioned why Experience Hendrix has chosen to only release the second show, but I'll just express my gratitude that the second show has finally seen the light of day as a commercial release. We can for now only sit back and hope for the first show and maybe the soundcheck to be released as soon as possible. But for now, let's consider what we have here in this release of the second show...

Altogether, this disc clocks in at 67 minutes and change, with eleven tunes, all of them well known to Hendrix afecianados. They are presented here in the best sound yet - a significant step up from the best boots. To clarify further, the sound is actually very good given its era, with decent stereo separation, dynamics and clarity, and very good dynamic contrasts. Jimi's guitar is placed in the center, and if there is any gripe about the sound it might be that Billy's bass is down in the mix too far.

Sandwiched around the tune up, Jimi gives the little bit of intro that speaks volumes to me. '70 was not just a dark year in America's history due to unrest over Viet Nam and civil rights, but also a difficult year for Jimi. This was due to legal issues and conflicts with his management, all multiplied by his need to do new things and move on against the resistance that tried to keep him churning out the acid rock hits. But Jimi had moved beyond those days as is shown in the song selections and delivery at the Berkeley shows.

After the intro, a slightly rough around the edges Pass It On (Straight ahead), is followed by Hey Baby, a true sleeper of a tune that is given an excellent run-through here. It's such a gem, and it shows where a part of Jimi's musical future might have gone had he lived. In my opinion, this is one of the very best live recordings of this essential tune. Other highlights include Stone Free, I Don't Live Today and Machine Gun.

Of these, I Don't Live Today is very illuminating of where Jimi was at emotionally at the time. Interviews given around the time of the performance revealed Jimi to be eagerly anticipating his future, with many exciting plans, such as the possibility of playing with Miles Davis. But his forward look was tempered by the mood of the times and one can sense this by his introductory remarks to this classic acid-infected blues, when he says: "We'd like to do a thing that's what's happening today with a lot of people. And I'd like to dedicate it to all... all the cats that are trying to struggle that are gonna make it anyway." The word "anyway" has an emphasis that shows resolve in the face of adversity and in that way, this song encapsulates much of Jimi's last year. This is one of the better live versions of this tune, although I could have done without the profanity because it seems to dilute the song's impact. Jimi had often dedicated this tune to the American Indian, so the Berkeley dedication was surely a sign of the times.

The set is closed out with a fairly fast Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) again delivered with a classic intro, where Jimi says: "We hope you all got some kind of a feeling about this thing - the next thing we're gonna play and the last thing. It goes like this - playing to keep us alive. This is nothing but determination and so forth and so on, you know. Knowing that you're gonna get it together. Thank you, good night." The song is then delivered with more drive than any of the many versions I've ever heard. The themes throughout were consistent with how the music was delivered - with a purpose - that being to support each other during hard times and to not give up in the face of adversity. It's all just another example of how Jimi had become a crystal clear spokesperson for the people, a leader with a vision.

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