Digisko

Jimi Hendrix

Band of Gypsys

First released (1970)

Band of Gypsys is a live album recorded on January 1, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City, featuring Jimi Hendrix on guitar and vocals, Billy Cox on bass, and Buddy Miles on drums and vocals. The performances were captured during four shows on New Year's Eve 1969 and New Year's Day 1970, with the album tracks drawn primarily from the later shows. The recording was engineered by Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's longtime studio collaborator, using the Record Plant's remote recording truck to capture the live sound. The album was produced by Hendrix himself and served partly to fulfill a contractual obligation to Ed Chalpin and Capitol Records stemming from a pre-fame recording contract dispute. Musically, the album marked a significant departure from the Experience's psychedelic rock, showcasing a heavier, funk- and R&B-inflected sound with extended improvisations, exemplified by tracks like "Machine Gun," which is widely regarded as one of Hendrix's greatest recorded performances.

Releases