It was decades ago when Jimi Hendrix took the stage to end what would arguably become the most famous rock event in history. Jimi came to headline the show and did so with a great set albeit at least twelve hours later than anticipated. For those who stayed to see the world's greatest rock guitarist it must have been a fitting end to three days of memorable performances by CCR, Janice Joplin, The Grateful Dead and many more.

 

Hendrix rolled out Live at Woodstock, which features the entire set over the course of two discs. Hearing Hendrix's complete concert isn't as revelatory as you'd think, since it just emphasizes that he overcompensated for his under-rehearsed band by jamming. And does he ever jam -- almost everything clocks in at over five minutes, with a couple weighing in at over ten minutes. Naturally, this will hardly be seen as a detriment by legions of Hendrix fans, and that's who this set is for.

 

Live At Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix's headlining appearance at the most famous festival in rock music history, is rivaled only by his set at the Monterey Pop Festival for sheer legendary status. But the two are very different. The rock guitarist was a virtual unknown in America when he delivered his literally incendiary performance at Monterey in 1967. A little more than two years later he was an established star, picked to close this mammoth three-day show (he was slated to appear on Sunday night, but weather and various snafus pushed that to Monday morning). Introduced as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Hendrix quickly corrects that to Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, with original drummer Mitch Mitchell and new bassist Billy Cox augmented by two percussionists and a second guitarist. The music had changed, too. Hendrix had started moving away from the format of short, poppy songs with the Electric Ladyland album, and while he still plays "Purple Haze", "Foxey Lady" and "Fire", much of the emphasis in this lengthy set is on extended jamming. At its most potent - such as moments like "Spanish Castle Magic" and a sped-up "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", which leads into the feedback-drenched reimagining of "The Star-Spangled Banner" - the performances take off.

 

Jimi Hendrix wanted to make music as deep as the ocean, as big as the sky, and as real as his life. Here is how he tried to do it one morning, at the end of a long, strange weekend, in August 1969.