Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Experience Hendrix Tour - 3/20/10 St. Louis

Hendrix's music remains fresh in tribute offering

By Daniel Durchholz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment
03/22/2010

Nearly 40 years after his death, Jimi Hendrix's music is still being experienced. "Valleys of Neptune," a collection of previously unreleased Hendrix recordings, just debuted at No. 4 on Billboard's Top 200. His catalog has been given yet another fresh makeover, and he's even on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone magazine.

At the Fox Theatre on Saturday night, the latest edition of the Experience Hendrix tour showed just how pervasive his influence continues to be. The three-hour show featured an all-star lineup from a variety of musical traditions, united by a collective debt to the iconic artist's songs, showmanship and trailblazing technique.

Two of the performers knew Hendrix personally: Band of Gypsys bassist Billy Cox and St. Louis resident Ernie Isley, who was 11 years old when Hendrix moved into his family's home and who played with the Isley Brothers.

Backed by Cox and Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton, Isley set the bar high with "Manic Depression" and a distorted, overdriven "Amazing Grace."

Each group of musicians that followed had about 20 minutes to impress, and nearly everyone had a show stopper. For Living Colour, it was a funked-up "Crosstown Traffic"; Eric Johnson and Susan Tedeschi offered a moody, multihued "One Rainy Wish"; and Jonny Lang and Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, joined by Living Colour and Tedeschi on backing vocals, played "Fire."

Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his band showed some of Hendrix's rock star swagger with "Voodoo Chile," as Shepherd strode confidently to each side of the stage, thrusting his guitar at the audience.

The night's most innovative set came courtesy of Robert Randolph, whose music hails from the "sacred steel" tradition of the Pentecostal House of God church. Leading a triumvirate of steel guitars, Randolph mixed the sacred with the psychedelic on "Purple Haze."

Guitar wizard Joe Satriani followed with "Third Stone from the Sun" and then traded solos with Living Colour's Vernon Reid on "Foxy Lady" and "All Along the Watchtower."

The show ended with many of the participants onstage for "Red House." Cox said he hoped the tour would return next year. Despite its creator's demise decades ago, Hendrix's music is still alive and well.

I caught this show in Montclair, NJ - The Wellmont - on 3/24. Eric Johnson played Axis Bold As Love and an absolutely incredible Are You Experienced. He had the phrasing, the tone, and the notes. Satriani's Third Stone From The Sun was pretty hot too, but Johnson was the big winner IMHO. I thought Robert Randolph was a bit over the top, his Purple Haze truly was a great big haze.

All-in-all, a nice guitar 'experience', well worth seeing.

anyone ever listen to andy aledort play hendrix? he has done a couple of note for note dvd lessons and written many transcription books . the guy is amazing