THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE

This is one of the better Jimi compilations out there. Before I had this when it first came out, the only other release I had from him was the US version of his first album. To most people this would be about all the Jimi they would need. You get all his most famous songs as well as his version of "Wild Thing" from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival (the same festival where he famously lit his guitar on fire) and his version of "The Star Spangled Banner" from Woodstock. The collection leads off with Jimi's most famous reinterpretation: Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower." His version of "Hey Joe" is included but generally his own songs are much better. A few of the selections here are not really essential; some of them are more mediocre while others (like "Wait Until Tomorrow" featuring Robert Wyatt on backing vocals) are much better.

For prog fans, you are better off getting Electric Ladyland instead. Or even his first two albums. The influence of Hendrix spread far and wide across the rock music landscape, and not just his guitar playing innovation but also his studio innovations. He was one of the first to think of the recording studio as an instrument in itself. Not until New Wave and Disco ruled the airwaves in the late 1970s did people stop caring about Hendrix; but in the 1980s everyone from metal bands to Stevie Ray Vaughn kept his spirit alive. You may not think he had an influence on prog but there are few prog guitarists not influenced by him in some way. In fact, not only guitarists but people like Keith Emerson were influenced by Jimi's sense of showmanship; in some ways Emerson almost wanted to be the Hendrix of the Hammond.

Nothing very proggy here but a consistent collection with a lot of songs. It's like a Jimi jukebox as the songs are not in chronological order. You get all the songs played to death on radio plus some songs that are just as good but not as overplayed. Still, his albums are the way to go if you want to understand what this guy was about. A nice sample of Hendrix, good but not essential. 3 stars.