Hendrix Influence on Jazz

[bombastic]

I'm listening to Exp. Hendrix c.d. and like his music alot. do you think hendrix' influence on Jazz-Rock was all positive? I think some of those '70s fusion groups went overboard with the electric stuff and excluded the great blues guitar soloing that hendrix did in his music which was the heart of it. the fusion groups seemed to be all about how fast they could play their instuments, and that became boring really quick. i think that's why we don't hear many of these bands anymore. their sound was hendrix minus the interesting riffs and solos. they were jazz musicians trying to be rock musicians. there are exceptions, i really like chick coreas electric piano on "theme for the mothership" on hymn of the seventh galaxy, as an example, but for the most part, when i go back and listen to these bands,the music is overbearing listening. this is just my opinion, if you hear it differently, explain what you enjoy about it.

[Pharaohrock]

Dude, the timing of this is so ripe. 1) I've had Hendrix on the brain lately....playing constantly in my car.....esp. Voodoo Soup record......and 2) there is a terrific feature article on this very subject= "The Hendrix Connection to Jazz" in this month's edition of JAZZWISE magazine, which is the British equivalent of JazzTimes. You can take a peek at it at any of the larger Barnes and Noble stores.....it's a lil' pricey at 8.50, but it's definitely worth checking out. There are interviews of Vernon Reid and John McLaughlin about the matter. The article draws a parallel between Hendrix's experimentation with overtone combinations to Coltrane's, among many other insights......there is a selected discography for the most jazz-influenced Hendrix tracks. The article shows Hendrix's considered or actual dalliances with the jazz world, like Miles' invitation or having Sam Rivers on a session.

I was just listening to Dave Holland's "Dreams of Our Elders" disc in my car. The reason I bring that up is because Kevin Eubanks shows a lot of Hendrix influence, and it's clear he picked up on some of the finer points...

[Pharaohrock]

And to answer you directly, I think Hendrix has had a subtler and more subversive effect on jazz and jazz guitarists than in simply influencing the jazz fusion movement. Eubanks is a good example because he brings the Hendrix influence to the table no matter what he's playing...

[3pointdeli]

it's pretty well known that hendrix was influenced by jazz, but there hasn't been a great deal (that i'm aware of) of attention payed to the influence hendrix had on jazz. this should be an interesting thread.

everyone have a great weekend! see ya.

[lazy bird]

Did Gil Evans recorded the music of Jimi Hendrix?

[bombastic]

it's not really hendrix related, but if you want to hear a great guitar solo, listen to ritchie blackmores guitar solo on "child in time" available on "very best of deep purple" on rhino c.d.s. i guess all electric guitarists were influenced by hendrix after 1967. anyway, blackmores solo on this track is dynamite.

[omar zamora]

Hendrix's music and certain strains of Jazz came very close to converging, and I think they fed off each other. Definitely, by Jimi's Band of Gypsies period, the music had a certain feel. Hendrix and Miles' planned collaboration that never happened (due to Jimi's death) is one of the big "what would have been?" questions in modern music, both Jazz and Rock.

[bombastic]

i know he did some recording with john mc laughlin.There is an album called "Nine to the Universe", i can't remember if mc laughlin plays on that one with hendrix, it's possible. also there was a group called "sky church" that hendrix had with horns that played fusion music. gil evans did record an album of the music of jimi hendrix that is available on c.d. there's another pretty good one called "in from the storm" where well known guitar players and other musicians pay tribute to hendrix. my favorite album by him has always been "axis:bold as love".

[jazzypaul]

In case you all were wondering about the Gil Evans/Jimi thing, the deal was, Jimi was supposed to record WITH Gil, and Jimi died before the sessions had a chance to get started. So Gil recorded a bunch of Jimi tunes in tribute. Jimi's contributions to jazz were just beginning.

The strange thing is how few musicians have investigated his music for the purpose of playing his songs in a jazz style. Sure, the occasional guy does Little Wing, but I've always been shocked that more groups didn't do Third Stone from The Sun (easy pickins), Spanish Castle Magic (great chordal movement) or The Wind Cries Mary (it was good enough for Miles...). My group does Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic and Third Stone from the Sun, and they're always high points of the set.

[Pharaohrock]

Go to that F-ire.com site i mentioned earlier Paul.....there's a band called Acoustic Ladyland that covers Hendrix tunes in a Sax-quartet format.

[Nils]

hendrix always stirs up controversy, because jazz purists don't like the idea of a rock star influencing jazz. but honestly, if you listen to hendrix (especially on longer and live tracks) you'll hear how he gets beyond the rock shred/jam mentality into a mode where he is vocalizing on the guitar. it's a combination of notes, phrasing, and (especially) tone. the guitar becomes a new instrument.

as you see fit. i'm obviously biased on this subject; check out my formal thoughts in my modern jazz guitar (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/library/modern_jazz_guitar.htm) entry for our Building a Jazz Library section. there's a strong continuum between hendrix and the fusion people, and his music seeps into other kinds of guitar music where there's significant freedom from swing and bop.

n

[drewK]

It is truly a shame that Hendrix didn't get a chance to explore more into the jazz area. It seemed like he was heading that way as he was getting a bit restless. I just finished watching the Miles Davis Story DVD the other night and it appeared that they were within months of a collaboration project and then, of course, Jimi died. Miles loved Hendrix and it definitely influenced him. This would have been interesting to see where this all would have gone. Who knows... maybe they are collaborating as we punch the keys on our computers and read here in this forum... "See you in the next world and don't be late...." Hendrix

[3pointdeli]

this may have already been mentioned but the current issue of "jazziz" has an article about hendrix and his role in the development of fusion.

[Jazzmoose]

Frankly, when it comes to the guitar itself, I wish Hendrix had had more of an influence on jazz. Although it's changing, one of my beefs with jazz artists is that while the brass players, drummers, etc. all come up with these cool effects and sounds from their instruments, the guitar players seem to think that if Wes didn't do it, it isn't right...

[AfricaBrass]

Originally posted by Jazzmoose
Frankly, when it comes to the guitar itself, I wish Hendrix had had more of an influence on jazz. Although it's changing, one of my beefs with jazz artists is that while the brass players, drummers, etc. all come up with these cool effects and sounds from their instruments, the guitar players seem to think that if Wes didn't do it, it isn't right...

Do you have Hendrix's "Nine to the Universe" ? This album has him jamming with Larry Young. It's pretty cool.

The only problem for me with guitarists trying to find new tones is when they end up sounding like John Scofield. I dig the guy's playing. I even have some of his cds. I just can't get into that over processed chorus tone that he used to have.

Have you listened to Sonny Sharrock? I haven't listened to him in years, but I used to like some of his stuff. I think my favorite Hendrix influenced guitarist was Pete Cosey when he played with Miles. I love Pangea and Agartha.

[Noj]

One of the many things I like about Jimi, even though it is sort of anti-jazz, is the very creative ways he was able to manipulate sounds in the studio. I'm thinking of songs like "Castles Made Of Sand"(solo backwards) or "Pali Gap"(interwoven guitars exchange lead/rhythm, both are Jimi overdubbed) or "Moon, Turn The Tides Gently, Gently Away"(odd sounds swinging microphones).

It is mind-boggling to think Jimi gave us so much great material in so little time.

[AfricaBrass]

Originally posted by Noj
One of the many things I like about Jimi, even though it is sort of anti-jazz, is the very creative ways he was able to manipulate sounds in the studio. I'm thinking of songs like "Castles Made Of Sand"(solo backwards) or "Pali Gap"(interwoven guitars exchange lead/rhythm, both are Jimi overdubbed) or "Moon, Turn The Tides Gently, Gently Away"(odd sounds swinging microphones).

It is mind-boggling to think Jimi gave us so much great material in so little time.


My favorite Hendrix tracks are ones like 1983 (A Merman I Shall Be) and Ezy Rider. I love his guitar overdubs on these songs. They really make these songs great.

[BFrank]

Jimi was a master of the studio and effects, way before digital made all that stuff boring.

"Nine To The Universe" does have one track called "Young/Hendrix" which is a jam with Larry Young, Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell. It's not as interesting as I wish it could have been, but it's better than nothing (which is what we got from the Miles/Jimi plans). I believe there is another track or two from this session in the "Jimi Hendrix Experience" box, which I don't have.

The jazz album that comes to mind as being very influenced by Jimi is McLaughlin's "Devotion" with Larry Young, Billy Rich and Buddy Miles (the direct connection).

[Bev Stapleton]

There's an excellent jazz CD of Hendrix tunes by French-Vietnamese guitarist, Nguyen Le called "Purple: Celebrating Jimi Hendrix." It came out at the end of last year. Includes Terri Lynne Carrington on drums and vocals.

[David Williams]

BBC Radio 3 tonight: 'Acoustic Ladyland.... use Hendrix's compositions as a launch-pad to Coltrane-influenced post-bop improvisations'

Listen http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/ (HERE) - click on Radio 3. They're playing various stuff at the moment, with Acoustic Ladyland to follow, I think.

[Mnytime]

Jimi was a influence on Miles. Miles even went to Jimi's funeral I believe and Miles wasn't one to go to funerals from what I have read.

I would love to hear the stuff that Jimi and Miles recorded together. :D

[Noj]

12-String Hear My Train A' Comin'
51st Anniversary
The Wind Cries Mary
Third Stone From The Sun
Little Wing
Castles Made Of Sand
If 6 Was 9
Bold As Love
Moon, Turn The Tides, Gently, Gently Away
All Along The Watchtower
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
The New Rising Sun
Pali Gap
South Saturn Delta
Midnight Lightning
Captain Coconut
Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)
Villanova Junction