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Having returned from Hawaii, Jimi quickly jumped back into the studio where further progress could be made on the recordings from July. Tonight’s session included work on overdubs for “Dolly Dagger” and “Freedom.”
Back at Electric Lady Studios, Jimi once again worked on “Night Bird Flying,” “Straight Ahead,” “Astro Man,” Freedom,” and “Dolly Dagger.”
Building on the momentum of the previous night’s session the group, now joined by Juma Sultan, revisit “Astro Man” before debuting the new ballad, “Drifting.” The session also included work on “Freedom” and “Cherokee Mist.”
Back at Electric Lady Jimi records the master takes of “Night Bird Flying” and “Straight Ahead.” Joined by percussionist Juma Sultan these sessions proved to be among his most productive in the post-Electric Ladyland days. He follows these recordings with takes of “Beginnings,” “Freedom,” and a loose recording simply titled “Messing Around.”
Returning to the “Studio C” at the Record Plant, continued work on “Freedom” was the focus of the group’s attention, resulting in 19 takes of the song, of which 15 were particularly spirited, although no master resulted from these takes Hendrix moved future studio work on “Freedom” over to his own Electric Lady Studios in late June.
With Bob Hughes and Dave Ragno monitoring the control desk, Hendrix guided the band through lively renditions of “Villanova Junction Blues” including one take lasting in excess of fifteen minutes. Several extended jams were recorded on this evening including “MLK,” “Slow Time Blues,” and “Burning Desire.”
Record Plant, New York Studio Recording 1) Freedom 2) Jam 292 3) Untitled Jam 4) Horn & Piano Jam Backed by Mitch Mitchell, bassist Billy Cox, and organist Sharon Layne, Jimi recorded “Jam 292”, which was later posthumously issued as part of Jimi Hendrix :Blues.
Throughout this month, both Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox joined Hendrix at his 59 West 12th Street apartment in Greenwich Village for exploratory jam sessions. Hendrix made a number of home recordings during this period. Hendrix alternated between acoustic and electric guitar as he routined such fare as “Stepping Stone,” “Send My Love To Linda”, “Last Thursday Morning,” “Freedom,” “Bolero”, and the fleeting, twelve-string “Acoustic Demo” featured as part of the Dagger Records release Morning Symphony Ideas.