Friday, June 8, 2012

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC - CHAPTER 42 - JIMI HENDRIX in SYRACUSE

Jim Hendrix first played in Syracuse at the Casa Lorenzo (Club A Go Go) with the band Joey Dee and the Starliters (Peppermint Twist fame) December 2-11, 1965. With Joey Dee he played bass and filled in on guitar . This is different than biographers have written, they state he only played guitar. But I heard it from the man himself.

Jimi Hendrix's next Syracuse performance came on Sunday May 4, 1969 at the War Memorial with the Jimi Hendrix Experience (with Noel Redding & Mitch Mitchell). This show attended by 5,000+ fans was sponsored by Cora Productions and WOLF Radio. WOLF's Don Bombard (now heard on New York's WABC FM  as Bob Shannon) served as MC of this historic musical event. Don and I were delighted to meet, speak and have photos taken with Hendrix that night. I do remember Jimi saying to us "I heard you guys had a lot of fun with Janus Joplin the other night." He was referring to Joplin Syracuse concert two night before Friday May 2, 1969. All I will say is....that's another classic story. One memory was that after the Hendrix concert I couldn't hear any high sounds for about a week even though I watch the great guitarist from backstage.

Other artists performing with Hendix that Sunday evening were Cat Mother and the All -Night Newsboys and opening act  "The Pulse of Brent Lewis." Ticket prices were $4, $5, $6.

Hendrix opened the show by playing "Fire"followed by Hear My Train A Comin, Spanish Castle Magic- 3rd Stone From The Sun- Little Miss Lover, Red House, Foxy Lady, Room Full of Mirrors-Crash Landing- Keep on Grooving- Gypsy Eyes, Purple Haze and ending with Voodoo Child..

Don and I were first inrtoduced to Jimi Hendrix via his 45 rpm single "Hey Joe." The song "Hey Joe" was a very popular song in Syracuse that we first heard performed by Arthur Lee & Love  on WOLF Radio by the great nighttime deejay Dale Dorman. Love had  national hits with "My Little Red Book" & "Seven And Seven Is" and Dale projected that there version of "Hey Joe" would follow. Instead along came as version by The Leaves that became popular on the national charts, but not in Syracuse. The real monster Top 10 version of "Hey Joe" was released by Tim Rose on Columbia Record a short while later.

 I remember his manager being Chas Chandler (former bassist of the Animals) and early industry buzz surrounding Jimi coming from out of England from the likes of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Brian Jones, Pete Townsend and The Stones. Well along came Monteray Pop & Woodstock Festivals that elevated Jimi Hendrix playing to legendary status..

In my 48 years of covering our Syracuse Music History one of the Top 10 questions asked is about the Jimi Hendrix performance in Syracuse back in 1969.

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