San Diego Street – Scene Celebrates Founding Father Of Jam
San Diego, CA – On September 6, 1970 Jimi Hendrix made his final concert appearance at the Open Air Love and Peace Festival in Fehmarn, Germany. The weeks and months following that concert mourned the loss of, as many music gurus argue, the founder of improve as we now know it.
His magic continues to live strong over 31 years latter through the vision of Guitarists ranging from Greg Allman to Ben Harper. Although this celebration of music after life continues on a small scale, never has there been a production of this magnitude to showcase Hendrix’s music in such a mainstream setting since his own production of the BBC “Radio One Sessions” of 1967.
In one quick year the San Diego Street – Scene has moved rapidly from a public relation move to lengthen the tourist season to a respected music festival that crosses all genres and music styles.
As Jennifer Turner explains, “ As a Jamband fan, last year there was no reason to attend. It (Street Scene) wasn’t anything but “B” performers, this year there are respected musicians such as Taj Mahal and Los Lobos .”
Jam genre performers such as the John Butler Trio, Andy Summers Trio, Soulive, Los Lobos, Psydecar and others shared the stage with mainstream acts such as The Black Crowes, 311 and James Brown. Although there were a number of great performances through out this weekend of music, the highlight was no doubt the tribute performance for the late, great Mr. Jimi Hendrix.
The Hendrix Family Foundation, to continue “Jimi’s vision of music”, has established the “Red House Tour.” The Tour boasts a 50’ expandable semi-trailer with a variety of Hendrix memorabilia including guitars, records, pictures and a video booth with concert as well as rehearsal footage from the late 60s with the Experience. The Tour has blanketed the nation this past year starting in Florida and working its way to the 2001 San Diego Street – Scene.
The unique aspect of this September 8th evening was the variety of artists that joined the Tour for this historical performance. With the Band Of Gypsys’ bassist, Buddy Miles and drummer, Billy Cox providing solid rhythms; special guests tour up classic Hendrix tunes adding modern twists.
The Band of Gypsys was visited by artists such as Los Lobos, Caesar Rojas and David Hidalgo and Pearl Jam Guitarist Mike Mcready. At one point Mcready dedicated a solo to his father who apparently was influenced heavily by Hendrix in the 60’s. The cast revived tunes from the Hendrix’s repertoire such as Stone Free, Purple Haze, Hey Joe and Voodoo Chile. They played the songs as authored masterpieces which took unique improvisational twists either communicated or due to lack of preparation. Regardless of how the jams were formed they were impressive to say the least.
On the weekend of September 7th – 9th over one hundred bands and DJs and over 100 thousand people came together to celebrate 8 stages of diverse music to successfully produce one of the largest mainstream music festivals in the United States. And I; as a jam fan myself was proud to see one of our founding fathers, the creator of improv and in many ways jam theory itself, was rightfully honored at the newly respected 2001 San Diego Street – Scene.
1 Comment comments associated with this post
Raymond Spitzer
May 18, 2019 at 11:37 pmHello I performed with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox and Andy Aledort on All Along The Watchtower. I played guitar ( Smashed at the end of the song ) and sang lead vocal. Great jam with Jimi’s Band Of Gypsys! I was born up the street at Paradise Hospital and grew up in Imperial Beach! I do have photos and a recording of the show and rehearsals that day!