Paul Gilbert‘s Tribute to Jimi Hendrix album has been reissued through Music Theories Recordings/Artone Label Group. Originally released in 1991, it now celebrates its 35th anniversary and becomes officially available digitally for the first time.
“When I was five years old, my uncle Jimi Kidd insisted that I buy the War Heroes album by Jimi Hendrix. I dutifully bought it, and ‘Highway Chile’ quickly became one of my favourite songs,” the guitarist revealed of his own version, a featured track single.
Back in the summer of 1991, Paul Gilbert was invited to the Frankfurt Jazz Festival in Germany on 2 June to trade a few solos with Albert Collins, who was headlining. At the time, Gilbert was riding high with Mr Big, whose hit album Lean Into It was yet to be released. “I was already in Europe, finishing up a Mr Big tour, so the travel would be easy. I said, ‘Yes!'” Gilbert recalled of the appearance with Collins.
However, shortly after arriving at the venue, Gilbert learned that Collins had suffered a sudden health issue and would be unable to perform. “The promoter was panicking and asked me to be the headlining act instead,” said Gilbert. “I didn’t have a band with me. And I didn’t have any solo material prepared.”
The promoter quickly assembled a backing band using the bassist and drummer from Ten Years After, the group led by Alvin Lee, who were also appearing at the festival.
It was only hours before showtime. “The only thing I could think to do was to quickly rehearse some Jimi Hendrix songs and make the solos long enough to fill up a whole set. I told the promoter, ‘We only have time to learn 5 songs, so I’m going to have to play really long solos.’ The promoter said, ‘It’s a jazz festival! That will be great!'”
So the band and Gilbert jumped into rehearsal, and a couple of hours later did the show with scorching renditions of ‘Red House’, ‘Hey Joe’, ‘Highway Chile’, ‘Midnight’ and ‘Purple Haze’. “It turned out great,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever played such long solos in my life.”
Those tracks are captured on Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, with Gilbert’s rendition of ‘Purple Haze’ preceding ‘Highway Chile’ as a single release.
Reflecting on the spontaneity of the situation, Gilbert said: “The panic that comes from just trying to survive an unexpected musical situation can bring things out of a musician that would never happen if everything was rehearsed and planned out. As AI figures out how to make perfect productions, it might be a human being’s reaction to unexpected twists and turns that are the most interesting to listen to. At the same time, I do like to have some rehearsal with my band before a tour if I can get it!
“Around that time, I also had a cover band called The Electric Fence with my friends Jeff Martin and Russ Parrish. When I would get home between Mr Big tours, Jeff, Russ and I would make a list of 25 songs and challenge ourselves to see if we could learn them in a week. Then we’d do a gig. Most of the songs were Hendrix, Beatles, David Bowie and the like, and I did quite a bit of the lead singing. So hopping up on stage with little preparation was =something I was used to and enjoyed a lot!”
Discussing Hendrix’s enduring influence, Gilbert added: “Jimi’s songs are such great vehicles for jamming. His writing invites musicians to play with each other and listen to each other. The songs are flexible enough to allow musicians to keep their own style and still make the song work.”
Despite initially feeling that a tribute to Hendrix should be an important mission requiring plenty of time to prepare and produce, Gilbert now believes the spontaneity of the performance captured the spirit of Hendrix more authentically.
“In the end, the pressure of pulling everything together quickly in front of an audience, and being worry-free about endless guitar jamming, may actually have brought me closer to Hendrix’s spirit than if I had planned everything while sitting in a chair,” he said.
Music Theories Recordings/Artone also released Gilbert’s most recent all-new album, WROC, with ‘Keep Your Feet Firm And Even’ the most recent single from that one. The number was inspired by George Washington’s Rules of Civility, numbers 10 and 19: “When you Sit down, Keep your Feet firm and Even, without putting one on the other or Crossing them” and “Let your Countenance be pleasant but in Serious Matters Somewhat grave.”
Talking about the song, Gilbert said: “Decades ago, when I first came across the Washington Rules of Civility on my bookshelf, I read the introduction and thought, ‘I am a civil person. I bet I can follow all these rules easily!’ As I read further, I realised that some of the rules might be more challenging than I had anticipated. As I am typing this now, I am in fact putting one foot on the other and crossing them while I sit (breaking a Washington rule).”
Read more about Paul Gilbert at RAMzine.
