ALBUM REVIEW

JIMI HENDRIX

“Woodstock”

MCA

* * * 1/2

More than Hendrix the space bluesman or rock song performer, “Woodstock” spotlights Jimi the jammer, and his seemingly infinite inventiveness in the loosely structured format far outweighs the occasional slack moments. Of the previously unreleased material, “Red House” is taut and powerful while “Jam Back at the House” alternates between spellbinding sections and forced transitions. “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” launches a nonstop, half-hour flow through “The Star-Spangled Banner/Purple Haze,” five minutes of dazzling solo guitar improvisation and the bitter-sweet gem “Villanova Junction Blues.”

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).