After hearing of Mitch Mitchell's death, I put on "Axis: Bold as Love" on the ole turntable to experience the awesomeness of Mitch. My attention was focused on his drumming and I came away with a new appreciation. I, like many casual listeners of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, always paid heed to Jimi's fiery guitar stylings. What I missed was the incredible interplay between Jimi and Mitch. They're the rock equivalent of Coltrane and Elvin Jones. I still can't get over the weakest link of The Experience: Jimi's sprechsingen. If only I could wish it away and listen to an instrumental Hendrix album. That would be sonic bliss.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Drummers, the Dead
After hearing of Mitch Mitchell's death, I put on "Axis: Bold as Love" on the ole turntable to experience the awesomeness of Mitch. My attention was focused on his drumming and I came away with a new appreciation. I, like many casual listeners of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, always paid heed to Jimi's fiery guitar stylings. What I missed was the incredible interplay between Jimi and Mitch. They're the rock equivalent of Coltrane and Elvin Jones. I still can't get over the weakest link of The Experience: Jimi's sprechsingen. If only I could wish it away and listen to an instrumental Hendrix album. That would be sonic bliss.
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I suspect that what Rocky would REALLY wish is for an Experience fronted by Stevie Nicks. I have to concur with his assessment of Jimi's vocals, though; I've always found them, at best, ham-handed. But to be fair, are there any blues guitarists with great voices? Many of the classic bluesmen have a certain charm, in a rough-and-tumble sort of way, but off the top of my head I can think of only Paul Pena, Prince, Richard Johnston, and maybe Muddy Waters as being talented vocalists. Can you suggest any other candidates?
I've always liked Robert Cray's voice.
Really, though, isn't this a conversation the three of us should be having in Belize?
I think there are a lot of great blues singers, perhaps not in the classical sense of great tone and range, but more in terms of phrasing and vocal textures that imbue the lyrics with feeling. Robert Johnson to Skip James to Nina Simone to Dan Auerbach, etc. etc. Also, Dylan and Nicks have it in spades. Jimi doesn't. His speak- and shout-singing is void of the textures and phrasing that can add an emotional dimension to the words.
(btw i looked into flights to belize. there are no deals from the bay area at this time. i'll keep on checking.)
You've never seen Dylan live, obviously. Really, though, isn't seeing Dylan live and then debating his vocal merits something the three of us should be doing in Belize?
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