«The Fillmore is proud to welcome back some old friends with a brand new name… A Band of Gypsys!»
After the breakup of the Experience Jimi turned to old Army-buddy and fellow musician, the bass player Billy Cox. He joined Jimi in the summer of 1969 and played with Gypsy Suns and Rainbows on the Woodstock Festival. The group was disbanded after an apperance on the Dick Cavett Show. Jimi started to jam with Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles, and they agreed to help Jimi out with an old problem. Jimi had signed a contract back in 1965 with New York-promotor Ed Chalpin, that stated that Hendrix had an obligation to produce an LP of new material for Ed Chalpin. There was an agreement to do four live-shows in Bill Graham’s Fillmore East in New York City, two shows on New Years Eve of 1969, and two shows on January 1st 1970. All four shows were recorded by Wally Heider’s mobile recording unit, and Eddie Kramer was the producer. All the songs that came on the record were taken from the two shows on January 1st 1970. On the later release, Live at the Fillmore East, songs from the two shows the day before is included. For some reason the performance on January 1st is much more together than the first day.
Jimi had earlier talked about a «jam-album» that should be called «Band of Gypsys», the name probably being inspired by a hero of Jimi’s, namely the gypsy jazz-guitarist Django Reinhardt. The Band of Gypsys performance is special in many ways, also because Hendrix used the Octavia on stage for the only time during his entire career. Another «anomaly» is on the January 1st shows, in that Jerry Stickels, Jimi’s road manager, told Jimi: «I bet you can’t do an entire show witout showing off», or something to that manner. In response Jimi did the entire show just playing and not playing with his teeth etc.
Set lists from Fillmore East shows
1st show Wednesday, December 31, 1969
«Power Of Soul»
«Lover Man»
«Hear My Train A-Comin'» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Them Changes» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Izabella» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Machine Gun»
«Stop»
«Ezy Ryder»
«Bleeding Heart»
«Earth Blues»
«Burning Desire»
2nd show Wednesday, December 31, 1969
«Auld Lang Syne» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Who Knows» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Stepping Stone»
«Burning Desire»
«Fire»
«Ezy Ryder»
«Machine Gun» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Power Of Soul»
«Stone Free/Nutcracker Suite/Drum Solo/Outside Woman Blues/Cherokee Mist/Sunshine Of Your Love»
«Them Changes»
«Message Of Love»
«Stop»
«Foxy Lady»
«Voodoo Child (Slight Return)»
«Purple Haze»
1st show Thursday, January 1, 1970
«Who Knows» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970
«Machine Gun» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970
«Them Changes»
«Power of Soul» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Stepping Stone» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Foxy Lady» Band of Gypsys reissued Polydor CD 1991
«Stop» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999 and Band of Gypsys reissued Polydor CD 1991
«Hear My Train A-Comin»
«Earth Blues»
«Burning Desire» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
2nd show Thursday, January 1, 1970
«Stone Free/Little Drummer Boy» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Them Changes» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970
«Power of Soul» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970
«Message Of Love» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970
«Earth Blues» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Machine Gun» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Voodoo Child (Slight Return)» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«We Gotta Live Together» Original Band of Gypsys album 1970 and Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Wild Thing» Live At The Fillmore East CD 1999
«Hey Joe»
«Purple Haze»