Jimi Hendrix - Live In Maui & Music, Money, Madness Documentary.

Jimi Hendrix
Live In Maui
Music, Money, Madness.
(Legacy/Sony)

8/10

By Paul Davies

As widely chronicled down the years via various sources, Rainbow Bridge had a much-storied beginning that has gathered both myth and legend as the years have rolled by.

Birthed by a gambit of brinkmanship by controversial Hendrix manager Mike Jeffries, who brokered a deal with Warner Brothers for a $500k advance to complete the construction of Electric Lady Studios, pitched the idea to finance a film in exchange for the rights to its soundtrack of new Jimi Hendrix studio recordings.

Not a great film, in fact, not much of a film at all, Rainbow Bridge held one ace and probably the most coveted of aces in anybody’s hands, Hendrix’s soundtrack of top drawer songs including newbies Dolly Dagger and Freedom.

Filmed on the slope of a volcano to a few hundred slightly bemused and lucky witnesses, Hendrix with Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox and a glowing veneer of strong songs played almost flawlessly stands the test of time. Even more revealing is the in-depth documentary which narrates the back story of this shambling imbroglio of a film that finally comes into vibrant life with a supercharged performance, including unseen footage, by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. And it’s the full concert footage and audio that is forever the magnetic draw. Now alloyed by an insightful and, especially for all Hendrix fans, revealing first hand and anecdotal telling of this whole saga, this is the definitive Wowie Maui experience.

Rarely does music and documentary combine to such engaging effect as this as not long after this incendiary and volcanic performance, Hendrix travelled on a slight return to Europe ending in London where he tragically passed away into legend.