South Saturn Delta

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South Saturn Delta
Compilation album by Jimi Hendrix
Released	1997
Recorded	1966 / 1970
Genre	Rock
Length	1:05:57
Label	MCA Records
Producer(s)	N/A
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Jimi Hendrix chronology
Blues (1994)	South Saturn Delta (1997)	BBC Sessions (1998)

South Saturn Delta is a posthumous Jimi Hendrix album made that consists of leftover material such as demo tapes, unfinished takes, alternative takes or rejected material.

When the Hendrix family acquired the rights for Jimi's catalog in 1995, they signed a contract with MCA for releasing compilations of rare material. The first album that resulted of this contract was released in 1997. First Rays of the New Rising Sun was an attempt to rebuild Hendrix's never finished album. South Saturn Delta followed it some months later. This is a collection of unreleased material. The track list includes some tracks from Rainbow Bridge Concert and War Heroes ("Tax Free", "Midnight", "Pali Gap") and new mixes of many different songs, such as "South Saturn Delta" and "All Along the Watchtower".

"Look Over Yonder" is a finished song that Hendrix chose not to include to any of his albums. "Little Wing" is a demo tape performed solely by Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell. Though this track is musically identical to "Angel", it is incorrectly tagged as "Little Wing". An accurate instrumental version of "Little Wing" is available on the 4CD Box Set. "Here He Comes (Lover Man)" is a song that Hendrix chose not to include to any of his albums. This version is recorded in studio, though it has quite a long solo. The song was also performed on stage several times. "South Saturn Delta" is Hendrix's effort to create jazz-rock. It features a horn section (Hendrix's solo is not based on jazz scales, though - he was not a jazz guitarist). "Power of Soul" is a studio version of the track selected for live album Band of Gypsys "Message to the Universe (Message to Love)" is also a studio version of the track selected for Band of Gypsys album. This version is performed by Hendrix's Woodstock band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows. "Tax Free" is a studio version of Swedish instrumental song that Hendrix played occasionally on stage. "All Along the Watchtower" is exactly the same take that appears on Electric Ladyland album but in different mix with improved sound quality. "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice" is the B-side of "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" single. It is an experimental chaotic track and was not included on any studio album. "Midnight" is an instrumental song based on Noel Redding's riff. "Sweet Angel" is an early demo version of song "Angel". It features metronome and the beginning of the tape is blurred. "Bleeding Heart" is a jam based on the old blues song that appears on Blues album. "Pali Gap" is an instrumental song that many consider as classic (it was already released on second posthumous album, Rainbow Bridge). "Drifter's Escape" is a Dylan cover that was planned to be included to unfinished album but was later rejected. "Midnight Lightning" is a demo tape of Hendrix's delta blues song featuring Hendrix alone. It is one of the few tracks that Hendrix has played on an acoustic guitar, and is the only one on this album.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Look Over Yonder" (Hendrix) – 3:25
2. "Little Wing" (Hendrix) – 2:44
3. "Here He Comes (Lover Man)" (Hendrix) – 6:33
4. "South Saturn Delta" (Hendrix) – 4:07
5. "Power of Soul" (Hendrix) – 5:20
6. "Message to the Universe (Message to Love)" (Hendrix) – 6:19
7. "Tax Free" (Hansson) – 4:58
8. "All Along the Watchtower" (Dylan) – 4:01
9. "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice" (Hendrix) – 4:20
10. "Midnight" (Hendrix) – 5:32
11. "Sweet Angel (Angel)" (Hendrix) – 3:55
12. "Bleeding Heart" (James) – 3:15
13. "Pali Gap" (Hendrix) – 5:08
14. "Drifter's Escape" (Dylan) – 3:05
15. "Midnight Lightning" (Hendrix) – 3:07