Jimi Hendrix is to be the subject of a documentary from the director of Be Water and The Greatest Night in Pop.
If “We are the world” is checked The best night in Paupthe Monterey International Pop Festival can easily be considered one of the greatest weekends in rock history. Yes, Otis Redding gave the performance of his life and Ravi Shankar secured his legendary status, but it was Jimi Hendrix who went down in history as fireculminating in his guitar catching fire during a transcendental performance of “Wild Thing.” The evening will no doubt be part of an upcoming documentary about the life, times and events of Jimi Hendrix.
Director Bao Nguyen, who was also behind the Bruce Lee documentary Be Water – said about his approach to the film about Jimi Hendrix, “Telling the story of Jimi Hendrix during his pivotal years in London is both a huge privilege and a unique responsibility. London has always been a city that has inspired me. Living there, I felt a deep connection to its creative energy, as did Jimi when his work reached extraordinary heights.” The film has been approved by the estate of Jimi Hendrix.
It's a more limited scope than some might expect, but focusing on the core years of Jimi Hendrix's life may be a wise choice. According to The Hollywood ReporterNguyen's documentary wouldn't be released on Monterey Pop until 1967. Hendrix died on September 18, 1970, becoming one of the most famous figures among the so-called 27 Club, a group of musicians who died prematurely at age 27. No matter how Nguyen chooses to centralize the film, it's definitely one to keep an eye on. Andre 3000 previously played Hendrix in 2013 Jimmy: All is on my side.
Jimi Hendrix was obviously guitar virtuoso But he never gets enough credit for his vocals. Sure, who doesn’t love the shredding on “Voodoo Child” and “Machine Gun,” but it never seemed fair to ignore the emotion and depth he brings to “The Wind Cries Mary” and “Little Wing.” Sophisticated? Hardly. But it was always right for the music.
Are you a fan of Jimi Hendrix? Which of his songs do you consider to be the best?