LOS ANGELES (UMe Records) - For the very first time in more than 36 years, audiences will be able to witness the entirety of the epochal performance by
Jimi Hendrix that closed the Woodstock Festival. Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock (The
Deluxe Edition) will be released this coming
September 13th by
Experience Hendrix through Universal
Music Enterprises. Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock is a two-disc DVD set that, for the first time, chronicles every song, every note, played by Hendrix in his landmark performance on the morning of August 18, 1969.
Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock is certain to stand as the definitive record of one of Jimi's most celebrated performances. This all-new deluxe set features all of the existing film footage from Jimi's unforgettable August 1969 Woodstock concert newly re-edited and presented uninterrupted and in its original performance sequence. There are a total of 14 Hendrix songs seen and heard in Live At Woodstock including never-before-seen versions of "Foxey Lady," "Message To Love," "Hey Joe," "Spanish Castle Magic," "Lover Man," and "Hear My Train A Coming," an all-new 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo soundtrack mixed by Eddie Kramer, Jimi's original studio engineer who was on hand at Woodstock. The original, theatrically released, version of Woodstock included only 10 minutes of Hendrix's performance when it was first seen in movie theaters. The later director's cut of the film included another five minutes of Hendrix's performance.
The original VHS, (and subsequent DVD version) of Hendrix's Woodstock performance released in the early '90s ran for 57 minutes while the new version including the six songs not previously offered runs over 80 minutes. Experience Hendrix has teamed with Warner Bros. to restore all of the existing film footage from Hendrix's legendary Woodstock performance. This new edition was entirely re-edited by Jere Huggins, one of the original editors of the 1970 Academy Award winning Woodstock documentary feature film. Huggins worked extensively with Experience Hendrix's Janie Hendrix and John McDermott, as well as noted Warner Bros. film restoration specialist Bill Rush to incorporate a variety of previously unseen camera angles and coverage. Rush has been involved in the careful, critically acclaimed restoration of many classic films, including Public Enemy, Casablanca, and Out Of The Past. The result is a frame-by-frame digital restoration of the original 16 mm negatives that presents Hendrix in vibrant color and detail never before seen on screen. Rush is co-producer, for Warner Bros., of Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock.
While special features abound in Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock, of special note is the companion DVD disc, "Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock: A Second Look." Most of the footage was shot in black and white by a college student who was experimenting with open reel video recording at the time. He, subsequently, showed the footage to Hendrix after the festival, but since that time has remained under wraps. The original tapes were acquired by Experience Hendrix especially for inclusion in this package. A Second Look offers a totally unique perspective of Hendrix's Woodstock performance as it combines the black and white video footage of Jimi's legendary performance intercut with alternate camera angles filmed in color by the original Woodstock documentary crew.
A Second Look features uninterrupted footage of every performance featured on DVD disc one in its original performance sequence. In addition, A Second Look presents never before seen video footage of "Hear My Train A Comin'" - a performance missed by the sanctioned Woodstock film crew who had to stop shooting to change film at that moment. The song is presented here for the very first time.
The set is packaged with a booklet annotated by Hendrix historian and Experience Hendrix Catalog Manger John McDermott who, with Janie Hendrix served as producer of Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock. In addition to the full-length feature Live At Woodstock, this deluxe two DVD collection features a multitude of special bonus features. These are described below as well as a song listing.
The Road to Woodstock
A new documentary featuring Hendrix performance footage and new interviews with Woodstock promoter Michael Lang, and Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell (drums), Billy Cox (bass), Larry Lee (guitar) and Juma Sultan (percussion) among others.
Jimi Hendrix Press Conference
Filmed in Harlem at Frank's Restaurant on September 3, 1969, just two weeks after Woodstock, this press conference was called to announce Jimi's upcoming benefit performance on behalf of the United Block Association, a Harlem based youth organization. Jimi's comments about the festival and his memorable rendition of Star Spangled Banner are part the press conference.
Nashville Roots
Band members Billy Cox and Larry Lee recall their friendship with Jimi Hendrix and their shared journey from the fabled R&B 'chitlin circuit' to the greatest rock festival ever conceived. Cox had been Jimi's army buddy and the two joined up in Nashville after Jimi's discharge. They formed a band called the King Kasuals and became mainstays of the chitlin' circuit including the Del Morocco Club in Nashville where they were the house band for a time. Upon the departure of bassist Noel Redding in April, 1969, Jimi invited Cox to join him and went on to be the bassist for the Woodstock group - called Gypsys, Sun & Rainbows, as well as with Band of Gypsies in 1970 with drummer Buddy Miles, continuing with the reformed Jimi Hendrix Experience when drummer Mitch Mitchell returned to the fold. It was in Nashville that Jimi and Billy became friends with guitarist Larry Lee who is seen on stage in the Woodstock performance. He had played guitar for such groups as The Impressions and was drafted and wounded in Vietnam. Two weeks after his discharge, Jimi invited him to play at Woodstock. He later gained recognition as a guitarist on sessions at Stax and would also work with Al Green for more than a decade.
Recording Woodstock
Engineer Eddie Kramer details the recording of the entire epic festival. Kramer was Jimi's partner in Electric Lady Studios in New York and is a living link to the sonic legacy of Jimi Hendrix and a font of knowledge about Hendrix. He is co-author, with John McDermott of the book Hendrix: Setting the Record Straight.
Rare Artifacts & Memorabilia
Collection includes original Woodstock poster, festival tickets, and Hendrix's own handwritten set list draft, and poem about the festival, "500,000 Halos."
Songs performed in original sequence
Message To Love
Spanish Castle Magic
Red House
Lover Man
Foxey Lady
Jam Back At The House
Izabella
Fire
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Star Spangled Banner
Purple Haze
Woodstock Improvisation
Villanova Junction
Hey Joe
