South Saturn Delta

Infobox Album
Name = South Saturn Delta
Type = compilation
Artist = Jimi Hendrix


Released = October 7, 1997
Recorded = 1967–1970
Genre = Rock, Acid Rock, Hard rock, Blues-rock, Hard rock, Funk rock
Length = 65:47
Label = MCA
Producer =
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:qng9kext0q7b link]
*Pitchfork Media (7.6/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/18444-south-saturn-delta link]
*"Rolling Stone" [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jimihendrix/albums/album/127252/review/5941256/south_saturn_delta link]
Last album = "First Rays of the New Rising Sun" (1997)
This album = "South Saturn Delta" (1997)
Next album = "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 "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 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 four-CD box set entitled "The Jimi Hendrix Experience". "Here He Comes (Lover Man)" is a song that Hendrix chose not to include to any of his albums. Despite this, it has a long, energetic and fiery solo, with excellent backing musicianship. The song was also performed on stage several times. "South Saturn Delta" is Hendrix's effort to create jazz-rock and features a horn section. "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"), and the playing style found on it has been compared to that of Carlos Santana's. "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.

Track listing

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

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