Ball And Chain

Reviews

Ball And Chain
Jimpress Forty Seven - June 1996

The serial number on the packaging (JIMI 009) bears no relation to the label name and number on the disc but that is a minor blemish on this tremendous release. The disc takes its title from the original working name for the song Honeybed and the inside cover features a page of hand-written lyrics for the song, The disc itself bears more than a passing resemblance to a Whoopy Cat release, identical in fact.

All of these recordings are previously unreleased, they are mastered slightly fast so the timings given in 'From The Benjamin Franklin Studios' won't match up exactly.

The disc opens with the four takes of Honeybed (1:09, 0:32, 4:33, 1:48) from the Band Of Gypsys session, 23 December 1969, which have been circulating amongst collectors on tape but, for an unreleased sang, seem to have taken an age to make it onto disc. Other than jams it isn't too often that a totally unissued song makes it onto disc so this is clearly the most important part of this release. Whilst it's certainly not a Hendrix classic it is well worth hearing, let's hope that somewhere in the official vaults there is a finished version.

Three Little Bears (Vocal Reference) (5) (12:46) has Jimi's vocals mixed right up and the music right dawn until it runs into the South Saturn Delta (5)/Jam section. This has previously appeared on Unsurpassed Studio Takes but not in this mix.

Next up is the session that we referred to as 'Jams With Piano' in Appendix A of 'From The Benjamin Franklin Studios."

JS 28 (listed as Piano Roll 1) (3:42)
JS 29 (listed as Piano Roll 2) (5:12)
JS 30 (listed as Piano Roll 3) (5:35)
Everything's Gonna Be Alright (1) (2:25)
JS 31 (listed as Messenger) (3:09)
This session (most likely from TTG Studios, October 1968) features Jimi and Mitch Mitchell, keyboards are either Lee Michaels or, if the Messenger title is correct (as many collectors seem to have decided some time ago), Jimi himself.

Message To Love (3) (2:36) is possibly from the Hit Factory on 28 or 29 August 1968.

Takes l to 6 of Power Of Soul (0:26, 2:48, 1:24, 0:28, 0:47, 7:03) are (30-35) and feature Band Of Gypsys fram 16 January 1970.

Closing the disc comes a somewhat hissy (like the tapes in circulation), but nevertheless enjoyable, pair of tracks which we have previously dubbed the Lee Michaels Jam. Opening with plenty of percussion we have JS 14 which has been titled Electric Church 3am 8:49), a name which is likely to cause more problems than it salves.

Hear My Freedom Call Me (7:44) is the name by which collectors have long known the final track so no problems there. The real Electric Church Jam actually followed these two tracks but doesn't appear on this disc.

Overall a very enjoyable listen, especially so if you are not a keen tape trader and are hence coming to these recordings with fresh ears.

J