HENDRIX, JIMI the genius of jimi hendrix TLP-9523

Stepping back into the hazy world of Jimi Hendrix’s pre-fame discography, we find this interesting 1974 compilation, The Genius Of Jimi Hendrix. Released in the US on the budget label TRIP with the catalog number TLP-9523, this specific copy features the yellow label variation.

This album belongs to the vast and complex category of recordings made just before Hendrix exploded onto the world stage. Recorded around 1966 at Abtone Studios in New York, these tracks capture Hendrix in his role as a session guitarist and sideman, working within the R&B and Soul scenes.

While the cover boldly credits Hendrix with vocals, many of these tracks actually feature the vocals of R&B saxophonist and singer Lonnie Youngblood, with Hendrix providing the searing guitar work that would soon define a generation. Produced by John Brantley and Lee Moses, the album offers a raw, gritty look at Hendrix’s roots.

The tracklist includes titles like Red House (not to be confused with his famous blues standard of the same name found on Are You Experienced), Sweet Thang, and Lime Lime. For collectors, TLP-9523 is a fascinating piece of the puzzle, stripping away the psychedelic production of the Experience era to reveal the blues and soul foundations of a guitar genius.