Hendrix’s adolescence and scuffling days on the Chitlin Circuit exposed him to a gamut of musicians and stage shows which helped shape the Technicolor guitar demon that set the world on fire. This CD might seem like a disparate bunch of great tunes from the rock and blues archives but, as music historian Derek Barker’s informative booklet says, it also represents genres that Hendrix loved or was influenced by, as well as figures who crossed his path or influenced his playing and stage act (along with songs he covered). These include Little Richard, Chuck Berry, T-Bone Walker, Howlin’ Wolf, Guitar Slim, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, BB King, Fats Domino and Earl King.
Seeing Elvis in 1957 changed Jimi’s life, so Blue Suede Shoes starts, but some names aren’t so expected: Hendrix tried to record with Miles Davis (here represented by two mid-50s cuts) before money intervened. His version of Robert Petway’s Catfish Blues evolved into Voodoo Chile, while the young Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s startling Space Guitar from 1954 is eye-opening, with its stutters, shrieks and talking guitar style which Hendrix made (seem like) his own. Put in a dime and cavort.
