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JIMI HENDRIX Band Of Gypsies (Universal) The date was New Years Eve 1969, the place Fillmore East, and this became one of the best live performances of Jimi's recording career. For this super-session Jimi brought on board his old Army buddy bassist Billy Cox, and ex-Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles, and named this unit the Band Of Gypsies. Band Of Gypsies opened with the powerhouse intro of 'Who Knows?', that got the capacity audience worked up. Then Jimi gives a dialogue on what the next song is about: 'Machine Gun'. A protest song about the killings across America and of course the Vietnam war. Jimi really pulls out the wah-wah pedal and sustain on this one. It's not all gimics either. At times his dexterority really climbs to blinding speed. And the outro of 'Machine Gun' features Jimi's guitar interpretations of sirens, mortar fire and machine guns. Awesome! Then Buddy Miles whips into his classic 'Changes', that has become a funk-anthem. 'Power To Love', 'Message To Love' and 'We Gotta Live Together' are all saying the same thing, but it is during the finale of 'We Gotta Live Together' that the Band Of Gypsies absolutely fly. Everyone is so connected, tight and syncopated. Damn I wish I had been there! 
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