Just a few days on from its release, Jimi Hendrix had the works of his discography – and that of newly released tracks by The Beatles and Bob Dylan – nailed down. It was his impressive ear for style and rhythm which impressed so often, among many facets of his talent. Live at the Hollywood Bowl hopes to capture the month after the release of such a monumental record, and the flourishes Hendrix could bring to the live atmosphere. These are the covers and tunes of a man moved tremendously by contemporary music. Fitting them into his live shows along the likes of Are You Experienced numbers is a real treat – or it should be. Live at the Hollywood Bowl begins slipping away thanks to some stuffy mixing.
A voice too loud, a guitar too mixed in with the rest of the stage presence and instruments surrounding it, nothing can be quite perfect for a live recording dating back over half a century, but what a shame. Killing Floor sounds excellent – a cover of the great Howlin’ Wolf which fits in so well with the playing style Hendrix offered his audiences. Live at the Hollywood Bowl, at its best, is a fresh look at the songs which were loved by the great guitarist. His playing style is highlighted as well here as it is in his studio efforts. Rock ballad essentials in The Wind Cries Mary soon follow, the first original of the piece and arguably the best of the bunch in these early moments of faded recordings scrubbed up to the best of Sony Music’s abilities.
Somewhat off the mark then but still a certainly listenable quality, Live at the Hollywood Bowl will serve more for the hardened historians collecting every Hendrix performance and appearance than for the passing fan. These deep cuts and live recordings are often a treat though, capturing the uproar of a crowd moved so passionately. It seems absent here, barely identifiable despite some exceptional playing from Hendrix. Do not doubt the vocal brilliance either, plenty of that is shared around on this recording. Little interjections from Hendrix paint a vivid picture though, the tune-up time before the playing of The Wind Cries Mary or the warnings of coming to get someone on Foxey Lady are little flourishes which are, of course, not found in his studio efforts. Great thumps and pacing to Catfish Blues are a welcome experience, of course, they are.
Whispered percussion and missing vocals from Hendrix do mean Live at the Hollywood Bowl is more like listening to crackly YouTube splices than a proper album, but the result is solid. Musical endeavours which are guitar-dependent and highlight the vocal work of a great guitarist, however neutered and lacking, are still as good as the man at the core of it. Hendrix hits through this one and though the likes of Foxey Lady may completely subvert the noisy masterclass at the core of it, to have a poor version is better than none at all. Live at the Hollywood Bowl suffers frequently from its poor mix, a sad shame to hear the likes of Like A Rolling Stone and Wild Thing, two incredible pieces, suffering away here.
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