I'm not sure where I heard my favourite Jimi Hendrix story, so I'm not positive about its veracity, but here it is anyway: When Hendrix was nine or so, he was evaluated by one of his school's counselors and when the report was filed, it said that the fact that he didn't have a guitar was damaging him psychologically. Well, as I mentioned, I'm not sure that this actually happened, but I do know that he eventually did get a guitar, and learned how to play it. His first album, Are You Experienced, was released in 1967, and for a rock trio record, it still hasn't been surpassed. "Purple Haze", the first song, might be the greatest opening track ever. The thrillingly dramatic intro opens up into a groove that features Hendrix' mastery of implied guitar rhythms - something he must have learned in the highly disciplined musical world of sixties professional rhythm and blues - but here adapted to an entirely new purpose. Another characteristic of the album is the astonishing variety of the soloing - it's almost compositional in nature. Hendrix seems to have had the ability to think way ahead in the song's form when improvising - an attribute often associated with Charlie Parker and other great jazz musicians. On "Manic Depression", for example, he plays against the beat to create powerful tension, on "The Wind Cries Mary", he plays a solo that seems to bring in elements of both country and blues - wait a minute, that's the formula for rock and roll itself - and gets the mix just right: it's one of the best solos I've ever heard. The songwriting throughout is quite simply beautiful: "Love or Confusion", "May This Be Love", "I Don't Live Today" and the title track (which uses a question mark, unlike the album title) are sophisticated, surprising, and yet natural, compositionally-speaking. There isn't a weak cut on the album.

A few words on the rest of the band: They are great. Mitch Mitchell on drums seems to have been influenced both stylistically and in terms of touch by the most important jazz drummer of the era, Elvin Jones. He uses variation more than most rock drummers do, for one thing. His interplay with Hendrix is fascinating throughout the record, and particularly on the instrumental, "Third Stone from the Sun". Noel Redding on bass, had more experience as a guitarist than most bassists do, which may have helped him to think along with Hendrix. His decision-making is uncanny - his groove, too. To sum it up: When listening to the album, keep in mind that this was their debut recording. Man.