Jimi Hendrix on the cover of his new album.
Step-sister Janie Hendrix has been overseeing the project through Experience Hendrix, the company founded to manage the star’s estate.
“This new album is very important for all his fans as it really showcases his creativity and a different side to him,” she told Reuters news agency.
The album’s songs were recorded in 1968 and 1969, at a time when Hendrix was seeking to broaden his musical style beyond his band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, which included himself, drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding.
He was at the height of his career following the success of the double album, Electric Ladyland in 1968, which was in itself a departure from his music with the Experience.
He expanded the range by adding on various tracks Stephen Stills, Traffic’s Dave Mason, Chris Wood and Steve Winwood, drummer Buddy Miles, saxophonist Lonnie Youngblood and bassist Billy Cox.
The music he wrote would have become his follow up album to “Electric Ladyland,” but the famed guitarist died in Sept 1970 from a drug overdose. The recordings laid in a vault for the next four decades until Janie Hendrix unearthed them to create People, Hell and Angels.
The album will include 12 unreleased tracks from the studio sessions. His estate also plans to release new vinyl editions of early Hendrix albums Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love.
“What we wanted to do with this new album is provide what we all felt are really compelling examples of Jimi’s artistry and also his often overlooked role as a producer,” John McDermott, a Hendrix historian who works with Experience Hendrix, told Reuters.
Among the tracks, some of which have been released in different versions, “Somewhere,” features Miles on drums and Stills on bass. “Hear My Train A Comin’,” Elmore James cover “Bleeding Heart” and “Villanova Junction Blues” were recorded with Miles and Cox.
Saxophonist Youngblood shows up on “Let Me Move You,” giving the track extra punch. The album will be released Tuesday, Mar. 5. You can buy it at a discount from amazon.com below or by clicking the link above.