Saturday 1 October 2011, 16:00

Broadcast history

Sunday 7 March 2010, 21:00 GMT "Rare Hendrix", repeat Tue 9 March 16:00, Sat 13 March 17:00

Sunday June 6 2010, 18:00

Monday 30 August 2010, 18:00

Playlist

1.  Killing Floor (Olympia, Paris, October 18 1966)
from "Jimi Hendrix Experience" box set, MCA/Universal (2000)

2.  Angel (New York, 1968)
from "Jimi By Himself - The Home Recordings" (1995)

3.  Jimi/Jimmy Jam (Record Plant, New York, 25 March 1969)
from "Hear My Music", Dagger Records (2004)

4.  Blues Jam at Olympic (Olympic Studios, London February 14 1969)
from "Hear My Music", Dagger Records (2004)

5.  Bleeding Heart (Record Plant, New York, 24 April 1969)
from "Valleys Of Neptune", Sony (2010)

6.  Freedom (Berkeley Community Center, 30 May 1970 1st Show)
from "Jimi Plays Berkeley" 3-track CD (1991)

7.  Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) (Royal Albert Hall, London, 24 February 1969)
from "Jimi Hendrix Experience" box set, MCA/Universal (2000)

Music beds:  Drone Blues, Valleys Of Neptune (Piano)
from "Hear My Music", Dagger Records (2004)

On Monday 8 March 2010 Sony/Experience Hendrix launch a major Hendrix Catalogue project with the release of 'Valleys Of Neptune", consisting of 12 previously unreleased recordings.

In the aftermath of Hendrix's death in September 1970 there was a string of "official" releases but in the 1970s these didn't satiate collectors.  "Cry Of Love", released in 1971, included recordings Hendrix was working on before his death with a view to his next album release.  There then followed a series of albums culled from the archive under the supervision of producer Alan Douglas.  However, some of these recordings used "modern" overdubs and quickly became discredited by collectors.

At the same time, there was a steady trickle of bootleg recordings, both studio and live, some of reasonable quality and evidently culled from first or second generation masters.

The use of bootleg recordings took a twist in 2000 when it was alleged that one-time Hendrix manager Michael Jeffery had claims to the artist's back catalogue.  In the legal hiatus that followed, a number of seemingly legitimate albums emerged on the "Purple Haze" label that had previously been available on bootlegs.  However, after legal action by the Hendrix estate these releases were taken off the market.

This legal success and the fact that Hendrix's father had gained rights to his son's catalogue in 1994 gave new impetus to a  release campaign and Experience Hendrix, acting for the estate and under the direction of Hendrix's step-sister Janie, worked with Universal to issue definitive album releases.

This led to the release of 'First Rays of the New Rising Sun" in 1997 which aimed to be a more faithful approximation of the album Hendrix was working towards before his death.  In 1999 'South Saturn Delta' contained previously unreleased outtakes and alternate versions whilst a sumptuous box-set was released in 2000 with further rarities.

After this time, there was also the parallel release of special collector's editions under the Dagger Records imprint, available via the official Hendrix website.

In our special programme, we'll feature some of the official rarity releases including a track from the new album 'Valleys Of Neptune".

Album review

Experience Hendrix

The Jimi Hendrix Record Guide All you need to know...