There weren’t many guitar heroes who ever played with the same amount of passion, exuberance and expertise as James Marshall Hendrix. One of the few who enters the conversation is Buddy Guy. The Chicago blues legend was an inspiration to Hendrix who eventually became a peer, and then in the wake of his death, turned into a full-blown admirer, regularly taking part in the Experience Hendrix traveling show.
Last night, Guy had the chance to honor the guitarist’s memory once again, busting out a flaming hot version of Jimi’s immortal blues classic “Red House.” Even more incredible, he was joined onstage by bassist Billy Cox, Jimi’s old army pal and a member of three of the guitarists groups; Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, the Band of Gypsys and after original bassist Noel Redding split, the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
To get a measure of Cox’s impact on Jimi’s sound, especially later in life, it’s certainly worth checking out the guitarist’s most recent posthumous release Both Sides Of The Sky, in which he figures quite prominently. The album’s producer, Eddie Kramer said Both Sides, “Reflects him trying out new sounds and new directions.” Adding, “He was experimenting more with the R&B, pop, funky kind of mode…Out of the 13 songs on this record, exactly 10 of them have never been heard before.”
You can watch Buddy and Billy’s explosive take on “Red House” in the video above.
