Jimi Hendrix / Super Concert '70 Deutschlandhalle, Berlin (1CDR)

01. Straight Ahead
02. Spanish Castle Magic
03. Sunshine Of Your Love
04. Hey Baby
05. Message To Love
06. Machine Gun
07. Purple Haze
08. Red House
09. Foxy Lady
10. Ezy Rider
11. Hey Joe
12. Power Of Soul
13. Lover Man (fade out)

This recording captures a performance from the "Super Concert '70" in Berlin—part of the final tour undertaken by Jimi Hendrix before his mysterious death on September 18, 1970 (a death attributed to drug use). While the "Love and Peace Festival" in Berlin on September 6, 1970, is officially recognized as his final concert, this recording dates to September 4—just two days prior to that last show. The period leading up to his death was a time of great instability for the band; following the Isle of Wight performance (released officially), Hendrix had been forced to cancel tour dates due to health issues—again, linked to drug use—and performed only five shows in September 1970, a month that seemed to foreshadow the end. Musically, this era was characterized by the blues-heavy influence of the *Band of Gypsys* phase. However, for this specific performance, the lineup featured Mitch Mitchell (from the Experience era) on drums and Billy Cox (who had played at Woodstock) on bass. The arrangements lean toward the uptempo style heard at Woodstock, delivering a performance that epitomizes the classic Jimi Hendrix sound. Above all, the standout feature of this release is its sound quality. While there are countless Hendrix bootlegs, most—with few exceptions—suffer from the muffled, "audience-recording" characteristics typical of older-generation tapes. In contrast, this Berlin recording is astonishingly clear; although there is slight instability in the sound during the latter half, the performance can be enjoyed fully without interference from crowd noise. It is a historic recording capturing Hendrix just two weeks before his death. This is likely a recording that has hardly ever circulated, even on the bootleg market, isn't it?