BFrank Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 I didn't go to see this, but I thought it might be interesting for Jimi fans. +++ Santana channels Hendrix best Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic Saturday, February 28, 2004 ©2004 San Francisco Chronicle Jimi Hendrix left behind some big shoes. An entire platoon of gifted guitarists trooped onstage Thursday at the Warfield theater and waddled around in those oversize boots until surprise guest star Carlos Santana stepped up and paid Hendrix the greatest tribute of all simply by being himself. The brief three-city swing, put together by Experience Hendrix, the production company run by the late guitarist's estate, revolved around a repertory company that featured some astonishing ringers -- 29-year-old Memphis guitarist Eric Gales, like Hendrix, an African American who played left-handed and backward, and Guitar World magazine editor Andy Aledort, who has transcribed Hendrix solos for music books. A couple of Hendrix rhythm section veterans -- drummer Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and bassist Billy Cox of the Band of Gypsies -- played a few numbers with the guest guitarists. Other guest guitarists included Buddy Guy, Joe Satriani, Neal Schon of Journey and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, who supplied some fine vocals to "Hey Joe" along with his guitar work. Paul Rodgers of Bad Company, trim and groovy in white turtleneck, pendant and what looked like one of Frank Sinatra's old toupees, sang some songs without bringing much to the party. The Byronic rock guitarist, who died at age 27 in 1970, recorded only three albums. But those albums sound as contemporary and fresh today as they did when they were recorded more than 35 years ago. He is the definitive rock guitarist as much today as he was when he burst on the U.S. scene at the Monterey Pop Festival during the Summer of Love. A cottage industry has grown up around his legacy, helped in no small part by the tireless efforts of Experience Hendrix, run by the guitarist's much younger half-sister, Janie Hendrix, who barely knew him. The sleek 32- page merchandise catalog handed out at the show advertises no fewer than 26 CDs (plus a separate four-CD boxed set), miraculously expanding on Hendrix's actual body of work. These concerts had their beginnings in a 2000 tribute concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where many of the participants first played together, a loose grouping that reconvened for a 60th birthday celebration in Hendrix's Seattle hometown in 2002. Guitarist Sheldon Reynolds, a veteran of latter-era Earth, Wind and Fire, opened with a dandy impression on "Foxy Lady," followed by another eerie evocation from guitarist Mato Nanji of American Indian blues-rockers Indigenous. Gales waved a lyric sheet in his hand while he sang "Manic Depression," and hack British rock veteran Rodgers tried to coax the capacity crowd into singing along to "Angel," with Hendrix vets Cox and Mitchell playing behind him. After more than an hour and a half of these reverent impersonations, that left it to bluesman Buddy Guy to lay some jive on the cats. Always a guaranteed scene-stealer, the Chicago blues guitar great didn't so much channel Hendrix as he did run his own, well-practiced show business game on the crowd, which ate him up. But it wasn't until Santana took the stage as the evening's unannounced headliner that the presence of greatness was felt. Spitting fire from his instrument, Santana played a couple of extended improvisational crescendos that, through their sheer imagination and passion, invoked the spirit of Hendrix. He didn't sound like Hendrix or play like him (although he did wear Hendrix on his shirt). He played like himself, as only Santana can, and in doing so honored Hendrix all the more. He wrapped up his appearance in an unaccustomed supporting role, giving bluesman Guy some stately accompaniment -- and ripping off a couple of mean solos of his own -- on Guy's signature song, "Damn Right I've Got the Blues, " slipping a Thelonious Monk quote into his gnarly vernacular blues. He didn't even bother to stick around for the obligatory guitar showdown and train wreck that followed, as the entire ensemble filled the stage to close the night with eight guitarists clanging out "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McG Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 (edited) Wow Great article, BFrank. As I read it, I couldn't help wonder what it would have been like if Stevie Ray Vaughn had been there... [And don't think for a minute I've stopped being jealous that you got to see Hendrix in concert...sheesh.] Edited March 1, 2004 by GoodSpeak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted March 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Sssssssssssshhhhhhh......don't tell anyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McG Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Your secret's safe with me, BFrank...I won't tell a soul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 One can only wonder what SRV would have sounded like in that setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted March 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 One can only wonder what SRV would have sounded like in that setting. ... or Jimi for that matter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Yes indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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