Published on May 20, 1999
So I’m listening to the “soundtrack” to the latest documentary
from director D.A. Pennebacker,
Searching For Jimi Hendrix, and I think to myself, “Do we
really need another Hendrix cover album?”
After all, it has only been about eight years since
Stone Free came out and did a respectable job of presenting
the music of the legendary guitarist in a whole new light. (There
was something satisfying about hearing artists like The Cure cover
“Purple Haze”.)
But
Searching For Jimi Hendrix does something that
Stone Free didn’t: It presents a more diverse group of
artists, including some that you might never have heard of prior to
this album. And while I can’t say that all the translations are
great, I’d like to think that the artists’ hearts were in the right
place.
First, a warning: If you pick this disc up expecting to hear
close-to-the-bone renditions of the songs, you’re gonna be real
disappointed. Of course, this was not the overall goal for the
album; each artist got their own chance to interpret a Hendrix song
– not necessarily a well-known one either – in their own
manner.
Some of these work well. Taylor Dayne’s electronica-laden
version of “The Wind Cries Mary” is surprisingly good, as is Laurie
Anderson’s rendition of “1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)” – and
frankly, I don’t like Anderson’s work in general, so this
has to be a kick-ass version.
Artists who you’d never expect to be listening to, much less
playing, Hendrix pull off the most convincing shockers on
Searching For Jimi Hendrix. Rosanne Cash’s version of “Manic
Depression” isn’t perfect, but it’s an interesting take. Likewise,
Mark Isham possibly captures the jazziness of Hednrix’s songwriting
and playing the best with his cover of “Stone Free”. And, quite
possibly, we see the torch of Latin rock pass from Los Lobos (“Are
You Experienced”) to Los Illegals (“Little Wing”).
But there are disappointments on this disc as well. Charlie
Musselwhite tries to keep “Here My Train A-Comin'” close to the
blues roots, but it comes off sounding incredibly antiquated.
Likewise, Five Blind Boys From Alabama don’t quite pull it off with
their a capella version of “Drifting,” though I really wanted to
hear their contribution to this project. And Chuck D.’s
“Hendrix-inspired” rap on “Free At The Edge Of An Answer” – well,
I’m sorry, but this just doesn’t feel like it belongs on the
project. (If I had to pick a song for Chuck to have done, I’d have
selected “Crosstown Traffic”.)
Searching For Jimi Hendrix has highs and lows like any
tribute album, but it does hold its own weight well – and shows me
that the world was indeed ready for another Hendrix tribute
disc.