The Greatest Album Nobody Knows Of  By Jeff Recorded live at the Fillmore East in New York on New Year's Eve 1969-1970, Band of Gypsys is without a doubt the greatest live performance of Hendrix's all-too short career.  Accompanying Hendrix on the stage was long-time friends Buddy Miles on drums and backup vocals (who sadly recently passed away), and Billy Cox on electric bass.  Together, these three musicians successfully molded blues, funk, fusion, and rock in a way that nobody had heard previously. The performance begins with "Who Knows," which immediately draws the audience into Hendrix's world as he conjures up a slow groove and then improvises like an uncoiling piece of string around that melody, creating an incredibly varied array of musical color and tones. The vocals are handled by both Hendrix and Miles here, at one point using an amusing call-and-response technique. About halfway in, the song descends into a peaceful bridge that allows Miles the … [Read more...]