Blue Wild Angel, Jimi Hendrix Live at the Isle of Wight (From Warrington Guardian)

Blue Wild Angel, Jimi Hendrix Live at the Isle of Wight

The tumultuous career of Jimi Hendrix lasted a mere four years. Incredibly, a large chunk of that career was spent on this side of the pond where, armed with his legendary England-based band, he tirelessly trekked through the country. (He even played Stockport ... twice!).

Given a Tardis, many of us would travel back to one of those small town gigs. How would it feel, to catch such a gargantuan talent in such a small space?

Given that the advent of time travel seems unlikely, the closest we will get is a one DVD/two-CD set such as this where, through the intimacy of tight camera work, we are given a close-up of the man who was, without question, the most astonishing guitarist who ever lived.

There is a moment, during the 12-bar blues of Red House, that seems to sum up the Hendrix phenomenon. I am well acquainted with the audio, having owned a bootleg of the performance for the past 20 years. Until catching this DVD however, I had never realised that the guitar solo that has remained so emblazoned on my heart, was played on the Stratocaster neck, while his other arm was berating a hapless roadie.

For those new to the Hendrix Experience, this might make a rather bewildering spectacle. Here you will find two fine musicians - Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding - pushed to the very limits of their free form capacity, hurtling this way and that as their esteemed leader powers through instantaneous surges of direction. The only parallel one could possible make with Hendrix, would be jazz legend John Coltrane, whose ability to guide his Soprano into an area of spirituality was all but unprecedented. Like Coltrane - with whom the Hendrix muse was well acquainted - his very existence seemed proof of some kind of higher force.

It wasn't all so perfect. God Save the Queen provides a trite parallel here with his more familiar, Stateside rendition of Star Spangle Banner, a far superior tune. Equally, I have never fully understood Hendrix's unbecoming fixation with the Beatles overrated Sgt Pepper. What's more, one has to get past these two curios to the find the master surging into three of the most astonishing performances you could ever wish to see. A ferocious Freedom is followed by the aforementioned favourite Red House and a funked up, jazzed down Foxey Lady.

"Somewhere down the road, somebody plays...Purple Haze', muttered Dylan within the context of The Travelling Wilbury's. He was voicing the hope that somewhere, in another world, we may meet his like again.

But it will never happen in this world.