Aunque John Mayer es un tipo un tanto altivo, de esos que dan cierta rabia, hay que reconocer que es un autentico crack. Domina la guitarra como los grandes, tiene el soul y blues en las venas y domina su voz, sacando todo tipo de registros. Admirado por adolescentes MTV, por suerte se aparta de esté cliché “mojabragas” en lo musical.

Este es un ejemplo. Versión del clásico de Jimmy Hendrix, The wind cries Mary. Muy fiel a la original (lo cual está al alcance de muy pocos, ahí su mérito), pero con su estilo en el modo de cantar-la.

Y aquí otro personaje, Jamie Cullum. Quizas su mejor virtud son las buenas versiones que ha ido haciendo en su prematura carrera, como este ejemplo de Jimmy Hendrix, o Radiohead, o hasta Frank Sinatra…

Jaa, da staunst Du! Und zwar im Jahre des Herrn 1967. Sein Song “The Wind Cries Mary” hat mehr Gefühl in der ersten Notenzeile als alle GZSZ-Folgen zusammen. Die schwedische Hauptstadt Stockholm darf sich heute noch geehrt fühlen, dass dieser Song vom Maestro darin gespielt wurde – jedenfalls, wenn es nach mir ginge.

Damit Ihr auch wisst, was ich meine, habe ich Euch etwas mitgebracht:

This is Third Moment playing a cover of  “The Wind Cries Mary” this afternoon for the Reidsville Chamber of Commerce ice cream social at the Penn House. John Waller on drums and Ron Edmunds on bass.

We later shredded a version of “Power of Soul”

We played only five cover in two hours so our repitoire of originals is growing.

“The bluesman always liked to walk at night. The moon, city lights and footsteps were always playing a new charming melody just for him.”

That was the reason why he rented an old flat placed on the old city center. A tiny, cold flat, with loud neighbours and soft wall colors. Many friends told him about moving to a better place, but there he had all he needed. He had his city. After living 10 years there, he learned to understand its feelings and translate them to his music.

He used to walk at night, so nobody could break off city’s speech. Just walk, listen and stare. It was so important not to miss a single thing, or everything else would loose its meaning. The shy lights fill the streets of moving shadows, the wind passes through the roads as it whispers something in his ear (something that only his guitar is able to recreate), and the air he breathes tastes like cold. Then, his footsteps plays the rythm of the night’s song.

Then, during the day, he sat near his house and played last night’s song so everyone could hear city’s thoughts.

It was my adopted Uncle Anthony that turned me on to the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

It was the early part of 1980.  My uncle Anthony used to swing by the family compound in his cherry red ‘69 Chevy Chevelle looking for my genetic uncle, Will.  They were in the last phase of high school and the best of buddies.  I always new when Anthony was in the area because his car was like a great sound system on wheels.

One day, I heard him outside blasting a tune called over his system called “Crosstown Traffic.”  I hurried outside to greet him.  I still remember sticking my head through the passenger side car window, letting the music fill both ears.  He sat in the driver’s seat, singing and dancing and “bumpin’ those sounds.”  When the song was over, I asked, “Who’s that?”

“Jimi Hendrix,” said Uncle Anthony in his husky, molasses, southern drawl.  “Boy, you haven’t heard of Jimi Hendrix?”  I told him I had seen him in the Woodstock movie, but he seemed to me to be “a bunch of guitar noise.”  Anthony gave me the look that said, “Boy, this kid needs to be ’schooled’ in something other than Top 40.”  He motioned for me to hop into the passenger seat.  I climbed into his classic ride and got a lesson I will not forget.

He ejects the cassette from his deck, and slides in a copy of an album called Are You Experienced? He takes a few seconds to rewind the newly inserted tape, and tells me to listen.  “Now, tell me if this here is ‘noise.’”

This was the first time I ever heard a song called, “The Wind Cries Mary.”  Right off of the bat, the song his a airy level of “heaviness.”  I was automatically captured by the fluid, bluesiness of the guitar’s sound and 3 note opening line.  The vocals sound like a man who has just lost something very valuable to him.

After all the jacks are in their boxes,
And the clowns have all gone to bed
You can hear happiness staggerin’ on down the street
Footprints dressed in red

And the wind, it whispers Mary

The broom is eerily sweeping
Up the pieces of yesterday’s life
Somewhere a queen is weeping
Somewhere a king has no wife

And the wind calls Mary

There was something so pure in the solo that followed those words.  It was melodic, rhythmic and hypnotic..  It was rock filtered through a scope of blues.  It sounded human.  It’s still my favorite part of the song.

When the song came to an end with the sound of drums, I sat there.  I had never heard anything like that on the radio.  It was an older sound, but still very hip and fresh sounding.  Anthony said, “That is Jimi Hendrix.  Now isn’t that a great song?”  Before I could answer, another sound hit my ear.  It was a pulsating riff that came out of left field.  It was playful rock, funk, blues-based, and called “Fire.”  It was a one-two combination of those songs that tore my head right off, and made me think “I should have these records to listen to.”

Just before the solo on “Fire,” my uncle Will comes out of the family compound and opens the passenger door.  “Okay, get out.  We gotta get to Pep Boys so we can get my car started.”  I hop out of the car with the tune still blasting away at my ears.  Will slams the door.  Anthony waves and the two are headed out into the warm Los Angeles night in search of car parts.

Anthony would later introduce me to other Jimi Hendrix Experience albums, including the beautiful Axis: Bold As Love, and the monumental Electric Ladyland.“  The music would go in both straight-forward and experimental directions in Hendrix’s short career,  and as a budding guitarist I would make it my business to investigate further and not to see Jimi Hendrix as some “noisy cat with a guitar.”  He would become not only one of my favorite guitarists but also songwriters, arrangers, and entertainers.

Thanks, Uncle Anthony!

November 27 marks the birthday of Jimi Hendrix.  Much as been written about his life and his legacy.  He was a man of music, and that has also been written about extensively.  With the passing of his drummer-in-crime Mitch Mitchell, the only thing that remains of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience is the music.  Believe me, it’s an experience that is worth seeking out.  Happy birthday, Jimi!

(Lex Neon is also known as Alex Oliver, the quirky and often eccentric musical genius of “sunshine pop / rock” band Poppermost.  Check out their music and Lex’s rock rantings at
http://www.poppermost.com ).

Please note: the original release date for this magnificent album was May 12, 1967.

Currently listening : Are You Experienced By The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Jimi Hendrix died in 1970. Bassist Noel Redding died in 2003. The last member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, drummer Mitch Mitchell has passed away. He was 61.

All of my vinyl records are old, scratched, and well-used. But, we still have the internet…

Here is one of my favorites. The Wind Cries Mary.

I had been wondering why Experience Hendrix, the company that controls the estate and dealings, music and likeness, was never approached or never approached to put him in these games. Now that it’s happened, and with one of my favorite songs, (below) I just might shell out the $$ when it drops. Jimi was that dude, peep the mug and then dig the tune.

Bruges: Friday, 5th April, 1929

Antwerp: Thursday, 19th March, 2008

!!!

!!!

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=A-lIhikpMlo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85rPsIEHkyU