Artist: JIMI HENDRIX
Album: SOUTH SATURN DELTA (CD)

Year: 1997
Media type: CD

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 First Rays of the New Rising Sun, which was released in 1997 and was an attempt to rebuild the album left unfinished at Hendrix's death. South Saturn Delta followed it some months later and 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 on 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 four-CD box set entitled The Jimi Hendrix Experience. "Here He Comes (Lover Man)" is a well known Hendrix concert staple song that never made it to any of his albums despite featuring a long, energetic solo with excellent backing. "South Saturn Delta" is a horn-laden funk-jazz outing while "Power of Soul" and "Message to the Universe (Message to Love)" are studio versions of two Band of Gypsys tracks, the latter performed by Hendrix's Woodstock band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows. "Tax Free" is a studio recording of the song written by the Swedish instrumental duo Hansson och Carlsson, occasionally played on stage by Hendrix. "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 the "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" single, an experimental track never before included on a studio album. "Midnight" is an instrumental song based on a Noel Redding riff. "Sweet Angel" is an early demo version of the song "Angel" featuring metronome and an intro with tape blur. "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 a classic; being previously released on the second posthumous Hendrix album Rainbow Bridge in 1972, it has been likened to Carlos Santana's playing style. "Drifter's Escape" is a Bob 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.

All songs were written by Jimi Hendrix, except where noted.

TRACKLIST:

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