This unreleased demo of "Izabella / Machine Gun" was recorded during Band Of Gypsys rehearsals at Baggy Studios in New York City in late December 1969. As the new trio featuring Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles (drums) and Billy Cox (bass) prepared for their four historic shows at the Fillmore East on New Years Eve/Day, the group retreated to Baggy's to prepare.

In 2002, Dagger Records debuted the collection, Jimi Hendrix: The Baggy's Rehearsal Sessions, that presents 12 songs from those rehearsals. Not included in that collection is this bonus track "Who Knows" which documents the trio working their way through this classic track.  

Jimi Hendrix: The Baggy’s Rehearsal Sessions represents the fifth release by Dagger Records, the official bootleg label created by Experience Hendrix. This edition offers the fruits of the guitarist’s spirited rehearsals fronting the Band Of Gypsys as they prepared for their four unforgettable Fillmore East concerts.

These unpolished, direct to two-track recordings were made over the course of two long December 1969 evenings.  Hendrix had just returned from Toronto, Canada where he had been acquitted in a jury trial for narcotic possession. The verdict had lifted an enormous burden from the guitarist’s shoulders.  With the court case and all of its possible ramifications now behind him, Hendrix redirected his energy toward preparations for the recording of a live album at the Fillmore East with bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles.

“We rehearsed at a place called Baggy’s in New York,” explains Cox.  “It was located down by Chinatown.  We were there prior to Christmas and then a little after, practicing and rehearsing.  We were working up a set with the songs we were going to perform for the [Fillmore East] concert.  Then we realized that we had to do four shows and we used quite a few of those numbers in each of the shows.”

To learn more and preview the album, head here.