Recording of a jam session that took place in Woodstock, New York on August 10, 1969; five days before the legendary Woodstock Festival.
Venue: Tinker Street Cinema (aka Upstate Films), 132 Tinker Street Woodstock, NY - 12498.
With the exception of the electric bass and Hendrix’s guitar on “The Star Spangled Banner”, everything is off microphone and the sound quality on the source link is punk.
Jimi Hendrix – guitar
Plausibly a 2nd guitarist at least on first number (“The Dance)
Juma Sultan – electric bass (not Juma’s finest effort; possibly out on “The Star Bangled Banner”
Earl Cross – trumpet or cornet on the first two numbers (“The Dance” and “Sundance”) Cross’ playing is more precise on “The Dance”, sloppier on “Sundance”. It’s the same player on both numbers and I hear nothing to deny that it is Earl Cross blowing.
Unknown, tenor sax – this player solos on “Sundance”
Unknown., flute (plausibly recorder) – this player solos on “Sundance”
The tenor sax and flute could be the same player; regardless, there are as many as five horns in the background and no fewer than three.
While horns conceivably try to (briefly) join in “The Star Spangled Banner” they can be listed as absent on both “Earth Blues” and “The Star Spangled Banner”.
Randy Kaye - drums (information from the posting – there is someone playing the American Jazz drum kit throughout and he is heard warming up before “The Dance”
Michael Carabello (from Santana) – congas (information from the posting)
José Areas (Santana) – percussion (information from the posting)
Michael Shrieve was Santana’s at that time. I know him and last spoke with him at Elvin Jones’ Funeral. I went to school with Michael’s brother. I have no idea why Randy Kaye is listed or why Shrieve isn’t the drummer. I can’t parse the identity by ear and accept the posting.
“THE DANCE”
“SUNDANCE”
These first two tunes are more than similar. The horns play ensemble at the end of “The Dance”. There is applause after the number.
The horns are not heard on the last two tunes and by “The Star Spangled Banner” some of the percussion and maybe the bass seem inaudible.
“EARTH BLUES”
“THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER”
These last to tunes are Hendrix features and he dominates completely “The Star Spangled Banner”
“The Star Spangled Banner” is without the 1814 lyrics by Francis Scott Key from Key’s poem “The Defense of Fort McHenry” that applied to John Stafford Simon’s music to the 1770 ditty, “To Anacreon In Heaven” (aka The Anacreontic Song, a drinking theme song with words by Ralph Tomlinson) became the USA’s National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”.
There is some distant conversation heard in the last 20 seconds on the source. One could claim that Jimi Hendrix’ voice is audible, but it is more than difficult to make out what is said.
-Phil Schaap
