JIMI HENDRIX — First Rays of the New Rising Sun (review)

JIMI HENDRIX — First Rays of the New Rising Sun album cover Boxset / Compilation · 1997 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
It's difficult to write about posthumous releases. On one hand you're excited to hear music you might never have had the chance to hear, on the other, you can find yourself frustrated by the potential only hinted at within its songs.

'First Rays of the New Rising Sun' is an attempt by the Hendrix family to present what his next album would have been by collecting a wide range of near-to-completed sounding songs. While this isn't exactly the way it plays, with the inclusion of alternate mixes of older songs for instance, the family did manage to remove control of Hendrix's unreleased material from Alan Douglass, whose disrespectful treatment of the music in prior releases was worse than any missteps this compilation might make.

In fact, 'First Rays...' is not a failure by any means, especially for a compilation that draws together a range of rarities into a reasonably cohesive sum total of Hendrix's unfinished but impressive ideas. A less psychedelic Hendrix, perhaps a less wild Hendrix, he seemed to be exploring the rhythm and blues roots, seen most during earlier concerts and the release of the Band of Gypsys album.

'Freedom', 'Izabella' and 'Dolly Dagger' make up some of the more stunning tracks, stacked at the beginning of the album, with 'Room Full of Mirrors' not too far behind. Across the whole of the collection the songwriting is not as consistent as this opening, nor are his vocal lines (which were admittedly unfinished) and it isn't until 'Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)' that we see another gem. Jimi's guide vocal, still being worked out as he sings, is suggestive of where he was going but it's the guitar that you notice. His usual finesse is on display, with that mix of rhythm and lead taking centre stage.

There are other worthwhile moments, 'Drifting' for one, a pleasant ballad though perhaps a little too reminiscent of 'Angel' or 'Little Wing' in tenor, but overall this is a good album rather than a great one. Still Hendrix, but Hendrix unfinished.

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

About (or On)First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ELLERY ESKELIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
To Walk On Eggshells Avant-Garde Jazz
RUSS JOHNSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Snakeoil : Snakeoil Ok Avant-Garde Jazz
TIM BERNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Poetry of Place (from the exhibit by painter Karen Allen) Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CHRIS DINGMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hiwar World Fusion
ALEPH QUINTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio Dream a Dream
SATOKO FUJII
js· 1 day ago
Wojciech Jachna Squad - Ad Astra (Promo Teaser)
WOJCIECH JACHNA
snobb· 5 days ago
Nitty Gritty
RUSS SPIEGEL
js· 5 days ago
Never in a 100.000.000 Dreams
SUPERSISTER
js· 5 days ago
Love is a Fire that Burns Unseen
PETER MADSEN
js· 6 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed