You’d suspect on a site like mine, there would be no shortage of Jimi Hendrix material to peruse through, but alas, this is the first one I’ve got. It’s not for lack of love for the man, as in fact, I possess great quantities of the emotion for the guy. I sit firmly in the camp of considering him the greatest rock and roll guitarist ever, a controversial position I know, (wink) and one that requires a bit of elucidation. When Chuck Berry laid down his signature riff for Johnny B. Goode, he showed the world how electric guitar was all that was really needed for rock and roll. No offense to Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard’s patented piano lead attack, but the sound and image of the electric guitar would define the genre of music, truly giving the style its rock more than anything else. Jimi proved this thesis by taking the electric guitar to its logical end point through his experimental rocking. It’s not like Jimi was technically the best guitar player ever, he was simply the most innovative, and the most in tune with its possibilities. His insights transformed him into something the world had never seen before, a sort of improvisational Mozart, creating manic symphonies on the spot, all with just one instrument. Now, with all that said about Jimi changing the world of music with his electric guitar, I present to you quiet acoustic Jimi on 12 string acoustic…Hah! Don’t worry, electric monster Jimi is coming tomorrow, but no proper introduction of the man would be complete without a thorough discussion on his pioneering efforts in the field of electricity. This performance of his original, “Hear My Train A Comin,’” is an awesome stunning and intimate look at the man just playing his guitar in a white room, singing the blues. It’s among the best moments in music history, and luckily its here for all of us to enjoy, so please do.
