By the late '90s, former
Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist
Noel Redding had not issued a solo studio album for decades. But that didn't mean that
Redding had retired from the music biz entirely, as he was spotted doing sporadic live appearances worldwide -- hence, the 2004 release
West Cork Tuning by
Redding backed by the San Francisco quintet
3:05 AM. Comprised of highlights from performances during 1998 and 1999 in both San Francisco and Los Angeles,
West Cork Tuning features a covers-only set list, including
Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away,"
the Beatles' "Rain," and
Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me," among others. And as expected, a few
Jimi Hendrix covers find their way onto the album, including "Can You See Me" and "Stone Free." That said, it's a bit puzzling why
Redding wouldn't have also included renditions of the tracks he penned for
the Experience, "She's So Fine" and "Little Miss Strange" -- after all, since this was a
Redding show, it certainly would have made sense. Although not a groundbreaking live effort, it's good to know that
Redding was playing in front of audiences right toward the very end (
Redding passed away four years after the last recording on this set took place).
–
Greg Prato, Rovi