Jimi
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
The trio of Mike Abbott (electric guitar), Jeff Jenkins (B3 organ and synth) and Mike Marlier (drums), as 2B3 the esteemed musicians put an inimitable spin on Jim Hendrix tunes with their well crafted organ trio formula.
“Purple Haze” starts the listen with a particularly playful interpretation, where furious drumming, thick guitar and spirited organ do justice to the original, and “Manic Depression” follows with a calmer pace as much atmosphere unfolds in a building display of precise musicianship that’s both gritty and melodic.
In the middle, “Foxey Lady” contains no shortage of grooves as the trio display incredible chemistry, while “Hey Joe” moves cautiously amid blues guitars and dreamy keys.
Residing near the end, the meticulous guitar work of “Etched In Stone” parallels Hendrix’s greatness, and the keys and drums only complement the sublime landscape, and the final track, “Jimi”, burns slowly initially, before exiting in a powerful and calculated presence of machine gun style drumming, hazy keys and moody guitar work.
Abbott, Jenkins and Marlier each have impressive resumes of their own, and together their collective strengths tear down and reconstruct these timeless songs in a way that no one else could pull off. If there’s a better collection of Hendrix covers, I sure haven’t heard it.
Travels well with: Blue Muse- It Never Entered My Mind; Kenny Carr- Distance