Third Man Records has partnered with Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings to release ‘Valley of Jams 1969-1970’ as the 67th entry in their archival audio series The Vault. The landmark anthology collects previously released improvisational recordings from Jimi Hendrix across three LPs pressed on vibrant 180-gram colored vinyl at Third Man Record Pressing in Detroit, along with an additional seven-inch single, patch, and bumper sticker. The package arrives in a captivating tri-fold jacket that utilizes multiple rapid shot photos of Hendrix to simulate movement through still imagery. Subscriptions to order the collection remain available through January 31 at midnight Central Time exclusively at thirdmanrecords.com/vault.
The collection focuses on the transitional period where the original Jimi Hendrix Experience lineup with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding began to evolve, with Billy Cox taking over on bass after Redding’s exit and Buddy Miles eventually picking up drums following Mitchell’s departure. Born in Seattle in 1942, Hendrix built his foundation through early experiences in the United States Army and as a backing musician for the Isley Brothers and Little Richard on the Chitlin’ Circuit before bursting onto the international music scene with the Experience’s first single in December 1966. The sessions highlighted throughout ‘Valley of Jams 1969-1970’ capture Hendrix’s extemporaneous artistic expression across multiple recordings in New York and London, showcasing his use of the studio and improvisation as foundational elements of his creative process.
Opening track “Slow Version” delivers a groove-driven explosion of raw rock and roll, while “Trash Man” showcases fanciful, vocal-like lead playing that demonstrates why Hendrix continues to be cited as the greatest guitar player of all time. The medley of “Cherokee Mist/Astro Man” pairs skilled leads with guitar-pedal affected rhythm and features pre-punk Tom Erdelyi on engineer duty, just a couple of years before he would join the Ramones as drummer Tommy Ramone. The 28-minute exploration of “Keep On Groovin'” stands as a tour-de-force that combines jazz, flamenco, blues, rock, soul, and other styles yet to be defined, revealing how prodigious Hendrix’s output remained during his less-than-four-year whirlwind in the spotlight before his death in September 1970.
Legendary engineer Eddie Kramer, who spent extensive time with Hendrix in the studio during these jam excursions, precisely mixed the entire collection. Experience Hendrix, owned and operated by members of the Hendrix family and formed in 1995 by Jimi’s father James ‘Al’ Hendrix, manages the name, likeness, image, and 100% of the music of Jimi Hendrix’s legacy. The recordings span sessions that document Hendrix’s progression through interplay with musicians who seemingly come and go, cementing not only the impressive volume of work but its enduring quality.
Tracklist:
LP 1: Slow Version (4:56) Jam 292 (5:22) Trash Man (7:23) Izabella (4:23) Record Plant 2X (11:03) Villanova Junction Blues (4:56)
LP 2: Ezy Ryder/MLK (19:59) Room Full Of Mirrors (5:53) Jungle (9:05) Strato Strut (4:40) Slow Time Blues (3:49)
LP 3: Burning Desire (9:48) Cherokee Mist/Astro Man (4:53) Stepping Stone/Villanova Junction Blues (6:38) Keep On Groovin’ (28:05)
7-inch: Midnight Lightning (3:07) Beginnings – Take 5 (5:26)