(Blues-rock) [LP][24/96] Jimi Hendrix - Loose Ends - 1973, FLAC (tracks)

Jimi Hendrix – guitars, lead vocals
Billy Cox – bass, backing vocals on track 6
Mitch Mitchell – drums on tracks 1, 3, 4 and 5
Buddy Miles – drums on tracks 2, 6, 7 and 8 (track 8 wiped), backing vocals on tracks 6 and 7
Sharon Layne – piano on track 3
Noel Redding – bass on track 4

Recording details

Track 1 recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, New York on July 15, 1970
Track 2 recorded at Record Plant Studios in New York City, New York on January 23, 1970
Track 3 recorded at Record Plant Studios on May 14, 1969
Track 4 recorded at Mayfair Studios, New York City, New York on July 18 and 29, 1967
Track 5 recorded at Electric Lady Studios on June 17, 1970
Tracks 6 and 7 recorded at Record Plant Studios between December 15, 1969 and January 23, 1970
Track 8 recorded at Record Plant Studios on June 14, 1968

Loose Ends is a posthumous seventh studio album by American guitarist Jimi Hendrix, released in February 1974 in the United Kingdom. It was the fourth and last Hendrix studio album released after his death by manager Michael Jeffery. The album features a collection of outtakes and jams, with the exception of "The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" which is the sole authorized track by Hendrix (the stereo mix was used on this LP). It was engineered, mixed and compiled by John Jansen. (Additional engineering: Eddie Kramer, Dave Palmer, Kim King, Gary Kellgren, Jack Adams, Tom Flye, Jim Robinson). John Jansen refused to have his name listed on the LP's credits and used the pseudonym "Alex Trevor" on the records sleeve instead. Warner Bros. (Jimi Hendrix' label at the time), refused to issue this release in the US & Canada due to the sub-par material on it. The UK, French and Japan pressings all had different covers.

Evidently, at this stage, little else had been found in the vaults and this weak selection of studio demos and jams was offered. Even Eddie Kramer declined to participate in this sad effort. "Come Down Hard On Me Baby" is a rough hewn evolution of the "Bleeding Heart" on "War Heroes". "Blue Suede Shoes" is just a bit of grass smoking studio fun where Jimi tries to explain a drum pattern to Buddy Miles, then he does a brief impersonation of Elvis Presley, before the band have a go at the Carl Perkins song, which quickly fades out. The blues instrumental workout "Jam 292" is the best track, featuring some stunning guitar work. It turned up in 2004 in complete form on the Dagger Records release "Hear My Music" (another take titled "Jelly 292" appeared on the "Jimi Hendrix :Blues" album). "The Stars That Play..." is an interesting remix of the old "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp" B-side, with the devastating guitar solo high in the mix. That track was re-released in the nineties on "South Saturn Delta", as was Jimi's cover of Dylan's "Drifters Escape" (although in a slightly more finished form). The rest is taken up by a rather tedious studio jam by the Band Of Gypsys (featured later on "The Baggys Rehearsal Sessions"), and the last track is a brief but touching instrumental of the "Electric Ladyland" title theme (later seen on the MCA 2000 box set). This album was so weak that Warner Brothers (who handled Reprise) refused to release it in the States.