Previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix music to be available soon

[Mike]

Nearly 40 years after Jimi Hendrix's death, the estate of the legendary Seattle-born guitarist will release an album it says contains never-before-heard music.

The upcoming release, the details of which are being announced today, is the result of a new partnership between Experience Hendrix and Sony Music Entertainment's Legacy Recordings.

Called "Valleys of Neptune," the album will become available March 9 and will feature some of Hendrix's final studio recordings.

"It reflects his genius, his showmanship and his leadership," said Janie Hendrix, chief executive of Experience Hendrix in Tukwila. "He was the boss, and you can hear his direction and control in the songs."

Most of the album's tracks were recorded during a four-month period in 1969 in New York and London, after the 1968 release of his "Electric Ladyland" album, and before the 1970 opening of his Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village.

The title track, "Valleys of Neptune," comes out Feb. 2. The album also includes studio covers of Elmore James' "Bleeding Heart" and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love."

Jimi Hendrix died in London in September 1970 at age 27. A California attorney managed his estate for nearly 20 years. Hendrix's late father, Al, won the rights to his music in 1995.

Experience Hendrix last year announced a licensing deal with Sony Music for his master recordings. Universal Music Group had held the master licenses for much of the Hendrix catalog since 1997.

Under the new deal, Sony's Legacy Recordings also will reissue deluxe editions in March of the core catalog — "Are You Experienced," "Axis: Bold As Love," "Electric Ladyland," and "First Rays of the New Rising Sun." The bonus material includes a DVD featuring interviews with band members Noel Redding and Billy Cox.

Copyright © 2010 The Seattle Times Company

[bluesboy]

The Hendrix music estate has been releasing live albums for years.

jimihendrix.com

[Viaene]

I heard some of those live albums, there's a lot of noise on it, frankly. Jimi was good, but quite experimental on stage. I'm more fan of his studio work, so I hope this unreleased material is awesome

[Uncle Joe]

You guys are in for a surprise.

For instance...were you aware that Jimi loved a good Polka now and then?

Ja, ja.

[edna]

Jimi was good, but quite experimental on stage. I'm more fan of his studio work...

I agree so much with you...

[Batman]

He's got some good stuff on stage, but he was definitely better in the studio. I personally don't like all these post-mortem releases. I even heard one that was unfinished and the record company hired musicians to play the drums and bass on songs that were just guitar before he died. Pretty lame that they would disrespect his music like that.

[chutzpah]

Jimi Hendrix has to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time...and anyone who's ever played "live" knows that when things wrong it's a struggle...I have to agree about his last album being put out with added bass and drums...but that's the music industry (back in the 70's) So really nothings changed...Jimi Hendrix is dead and his music lives on... :guitar:

[Viaene]

Listen to the song Valleys of Neptune!