Caretakers of Jimi Hendrix's estate continue to mine through the legendary guitarist's audio archives, and have now focused their attention on re-structuring and expanding Hendrix's "Band of Gypsys," arguably one of the most important rock & roll concert recordings.
Captured during Hendrix's four set, two-night stand at the Fillmore East in New York City on December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970, the album featured Hendrix as part of the briefly-lived trio Band of Gypsys, along with Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums. Six songs from the shows were originally issued as "Band of Gypsys" in April 1970, and a complementary album of additional material from the shows was released as "Band of Gypsys 2" in 1986. Those recordings have now been re-tooled into a new double-album, entitled "Live at the Fillmore East," and which now features some 15 songs, including the only known live versions of "Stepping Stone" and "Burning Desire," as well as previously unreleased takes on "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Stone Free" and "Izabella." However, one track from the original Band of Gypsys album, "Message to Love," has been left off the new "Live at Fillmore East" because the quality of the recording wasn't considered to be on par with the rest of the record. The release of the "Fillmore" album will be accompanied by a documentary film, "Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys," comprised of rare footage of the actual concerts, as well as interviews with Cox and Miles, as well as from Hendrix's Experience bandmates, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding. Both the "Live at Fillmore East" album and the "Band of Gypsys" home video are due out in late February.
