Jimi Hendrix - Free Spirit (1981) [Vinyl]

This budget LP, which Accord put out in 1981, reminds us just how frustrating inadequate liner notes can be. The liner notes briefly discuss the rise of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Hendrix's tremendous influence on rock, but they don't tell you anything at all about the material on the LP. Free Spirit is an eight-song collection of soul, blues and blues-rock (much of it very psychedelic) that Johnny Brantley produced for saxman/vocalist Lonnie Youngblood in June 1966. Hendrix is employed as a sideman, but he's a sideman who is featured prominently and has plenty of room to let loose on guitar (although Youngblood handles most of the vocals himself). Accord's liner notes don't even bother to mention Youngblood, whose 1966 approach could be described as Stax and Wilson Pickett by way of Chess and electric Chicago blues. All of the songs had been reissued time and time again by other budget labels, including "Wipe the Sweat," "Goodbye Bessie Mae," "Voice in the Wind," "Good Times" and "Suspicious." These selections aren't among Hendrix's essential work, but they're pleasing and are historically noteworthy. It's too bad that Accord couldn't have told consumers a few things about the music they were acquiring.