Gary Moore: Blues for Jimi

Belfast-born blues-rocker Gary Moore performs his favorite Jimi Hendrix selections in this 12-song set at London's Hippodrome from October 2007 that offers few surprises. Just as Hendrix formed a trio with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, two sidemen here join Moore: Darrin Mooney (Primal Scream) on drums and Dave Bronze (Eric Clapton, Art of Noise) on bass. The players are as adept as their leader, though Mooney's playing on the fast-paced "Fire" seems a little sluggish. As a singer, Moore lacks a voice that is as distinctive as Hendrix's (or even fellow Irishman Phil Lynott, with whom Moore played in Thin Lizzy), but there's nothing too painful here. That said, Moore handles the rockers better than ballads like "My Angel," which would have benefited from a more gentle touch (for this track, he also switches from a Fender Stratocaster to a Gibson Flying V). During three of the last four numbers, Moore brings Mitchell and Billy Cox from Hendrix's Band of Gypsys onstage to join him, handing the microphone to Cox for "Red House" and "Stone Free," while the show ends with an expansive take on "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" with the first line-up. Blues for Jimi essentially serves as a showcase for Moore's prowess on electric guitar, which should please his devoted following. Sadly, both Moore (1952-2011) and Mitchell (1947-2008) have since passed away. Presented in DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)