If you’re a fan of Jimi Hendrix, great guitarists, amazing musicians, or just like good rock and blues music, then you must experience, Experience Hendrix. These special concerts feature legendary artists who join together to pay tribute to the late great Jimi Hendrix.
Artists during this particular show at Harrah’s Casino and Resort in Funner, CA included, Billy Cox, original bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, the legendary bluesman, Taj Mahal, Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Ana Popovic, Dweezil Zappa, Doyle Bramhall II, The Slide Brothers (Calvin Cooke and Chuck Campbell), Eric Johnson, Doug Pinnick of King’s X, Kevin McCormick, drummers Kenny Aronoff and Chris Layton and vocalist Henri Brown. Also doing some back-up vocals was CEO of Experience Hendrix, Janie L. Hendrix. Janie is Jimi’s step-sister. All together they played 23 classic songs during the almost 2 ½ hour set.
The show opened with Billy Cox, Dweezil Zappa , Chris Layton and Henri Brown performing “Freedom,” followed by “Stone Free’ and the crowd was already riveted to the excellence coming from the stage.
The artists took turns coming on stage, sometimes as the featured performer and sometimes to play with one of the others. Zappa joined Eric Johnson on stage for “Love or Confusion” and “Bold As Love,” Eric Johnson was featured on “Are You Experienced.” Jonny joined Eric onstage for “All Along the Watchtower” and “Wind Cries Mary” and then Jonny performed “Fire.”
Doyle Bramhall was the featured player on “Hear My Train A Comin’,” “Angel” and “Izabella.” He was then joined on stage by The Slide Brothers and Taj Mahal to play a fantastic “Killing Floor.” After which Taj, Calvin and Chuck performed a stellar “Catfish Blues”. It was one powerhouse performance after another.
Next up was Ana Popovic who rocked “Red House” along with The Slide Brothers and Billy Cox back on bass. Ana was replaced on stage by Jonny Lang who kicked it for “Them Changes.”
Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick and Kenny Aronoff finished off the night with “Crosstown Traffic,” “I Don’t Live Today,” “If 6 was 9” and finally the Jimi Hendrix classic, “Voodoo Child”; each song achieving wave after wave of excitement and brilliance.
Kevin McCormick played smoking’ bass on everything but the first two songs and the last six. Henri sang lead on “Freedom,” “Stone Free,” “Power of Soul,” “Them Changes” and “Crosstown Traffic.”
Jimi Hendrix, who died at the young age of 27, left a legacy of great music that lives on through these legendary performers and Experience Hendrix.