Various Artists - "The Spirit Lives On: The Music of Jimi Hendrix: Volume 1 & 2" Review

Artist/ Band: Various Artists
Title: The Spirit Lives On: The Music of Jimi Hendrix: Volume 1 & 2
Label: Lion Music
Year of Release: 2004

official Lion Music website

(click on the link above, for ALL band information on this and the band's other cds)

The Review:

First off, I want to say that most tribute albums serve no purpose. The reason I say this is 99% of the time none of the audience are ever satisfied with the end result. Either you get the purists that hate when a band expands on a song or you get the people that want the same song redone note for note. To me it’s a double edge sword. I don’t mind when a band includes a cover song on their album though. Odd opinion huh?

How we get to one of the most popular guitarists of all time,Jimi Hendrix. He was and still is one of the reasons why people pick up the guitar. I wasn’t surprised when Lion Music announced they were doing a tribute to him using musicians on there label.

I'm really not a huge fan of Jimi's so I really wasn’t impressed with hearing these new versions done by other bands. From what I hear, the originals really didn’t need to be redone anyways. However there are some excellent interpretations of classic Jimi Hendrix on both of the two volumes to explore for both new and old fans alike.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on August 4th, 2004

Tracks:

Volume One

1. Freedom - Sun Caged

2. Gypsy Eyes - Mistheria & Andrea Rivera

3. Highway Chile - Cyril Archard

4. Crosstown Traffic - Arabesque

5. Stone free - Eric Sands

6. Little Wing - Michael Harris

7. Spanish Castle Magic - Lars Eric Mattsson with Chris Poland

8. Bold As Love - Regi Hendrix featuring JMR & Greg Howe

9. Fire - Bumblefoot & Dennis Leeflang

10. Foxy Lady - Edward Box

11. 3rd Stone from the Sun - Carl Roa

12. Star Spangled Banner - Randy Coven

13. Little Miss Lover - Lars Eric Mattsson with Ritchie Kotzen

Volume Two

1- Roomful of Mirrors - Lars Eric Mattsson and Chris Poland

2- Purple Haze – Winterlong

3- Angel – Dave Martone

4- Manic Depression – Project Alcazar

5- Who Knows – Torben Enevolden

6- Burning the Midnight Lamp - Lars Eric Mattsson and James Byrd

7- Red House – Tony Hernando

8- Them Changes – Tommy Denander

9- Villanova Junction – Condition Red

10- Freedom – Baltimore