戦闘員、中東からアフリカへ

イスラム国ISISは、シリアやイラクで急速に勢力を弱めた。そして、日本でも北朝鮮問題もあり、アルカイダ等過激派集団の報道は、ほとんどされなくなりつつある。そんななかで、イスラム系過激派は、トルコで武装訓練を受け、ブルキナファソ、マリ、ニジェール、リビアといったアフリカ北部西部の国に、その活動を移しつつあるという。リビアでは、カダフィ大佐が失脚し、国内の治安はいまだ回復していない。ブルキナファソ、マリ、ニジェールといった国々も国内情勢は不安定だ。スーダンはビンラディン氏が１９９０年代に潜伏したことでも有名な、過激派に寛容な土壌もある。彼らはこれらのアフリカの国々で力を貯め、その矛先を欧米に向けると言う。アメリカに盲目的に追従する日本も決して他人事ではない。

安倍首相の限界

安倍さんの限界が見えている。
外交では、北朝鮮問題の極東情勢では、完全に韓国や中国に遅れをとった。蜜月関係だったはずのトランプ大統領には、鉄鋼とアルミの関税を課す輸入制限を発表された。完全に見透かされた印象は免れない。森友と加計学園の国内問題もある。この人は、最初から能力がなかったように思える。情けない限りである。

New Jimi Hendrix Album ‘Both Sides Of The Sky’ Out March 9 2018

NEW JIMI HENDRIX ALBUM OUT MARCH 9
“BOTH SIDES OF THE SKY” COMPLETING THE TRILOGY STARTED WITH VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE AND PEOPLE, HELL AND ANGELS

On March 9, Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, proudly release Both Sides of the Sky, a dynamic new Jimi Hendrix album featuring 13 studio recordings made between 1968 and 1970—10 of which have never before been released. The album will be released on multiple formats including CD, digital, and as a numbered 180 gram audiophile vinyl 2LP.

Both Sides of the Sky is the third volume in a trilogy of albums intended to present the best and most significant unissued studio recordings remaining in the music legend’s archive. Beginning with Valleys of Neptune (2010), which earned top ten sales rankings in fifteen countries (including a top position of #4 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart), followed by People, Hell and Angels (2013) which peaked on Billboard’s Top 100 album chart at #2. Billboard’s coveted number one singles ranking went to “Somewhere,” the album’s lead track and the legendary guitarist’s highest ever US singles chart achievement. This third release is anticipated to complete the spectacular recording event in epic fashion. “Since Experience Hendrix began its restoration of the Jimi Hendrix music catalog in 1997, our goal has been to present these important recordings to Jimi’s fans in the best possible quality. We are excited about achieving that. We’ve also been intent on generating album releases which present this amazing music in its proper context,” explains John McDermott, one of the album’s co-producers, together with Janie Hendrix and Eddie Kramer.

Pre-order Both Sides of the Sky here: jimihendrix.lnk.to/bothsides

Recorded between January 1968 and February 1970, Jimi’s desire to push the boundaries of blues music can be heard throughout. Both Sides of the Sky additionally highlights Jimi’s mastery of studio production and his increasing use of these facilities as a proving ground for new sounds, material, and techniques. Many of the album’s tracks were recorded by the trio that would come to be known as Band of Gypsys: Jimi on guitar and vocals, Billy Cox on bass, and Buddy Miles on drums. For their first-ever recording session on April 22, 1969, Hendrix turned to their shared musical root, delta blues. Their previously unreleased, uptempo reworking of Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy” opens the album and sets the tempo for what follows. “Lover Man” was a favored Hendrix original and the guitarist was determined to realize a finished master. Previous attempts by the original Experience had yet to yield this for Hendrix but this December 1969 effort by the Band Of Gypsys — complete with its homage to the popular Batman theme song—was his strongest effort to date.

“Hear My Train A Comin’” features drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding from the original Jimi Hendrix Experience. This original blues composition had become a staple of Hendrix’s concerts. This previously unreleased April 1969 recording captured the furious power and dynamic tension that made the song so memorable. Previously unheard recordings of “Stepping Stone,” “Jungle,” “Cherokee Mist” (which features Hendrix on both electric guitar and sitar) as well as the January 1968 recording of “Sweet Angel” provide further highlights.

Both Sides of the Sky also features an assortment of notable guest musicians. Stephen Stills befriended Hendrix at the June 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. In September of 1969 Stills was invited to a Hendrix session at the Record Plant in New York. Stills burst into the session with a song Joni Mitchell had recently composed, titled “Woodstock.” Joined by Hendrix and Buddy Miles, the trio recorded this version first–months before Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released their popular rendition of Mitchell’s song. Stills would also contribute $20 Fine, an original song that featured Hendrix on multiple guitars, Mitchell on drums, Stills on organ and lead vocals and Duane Hitchings (Buddy Miles Express) on piano.

Another of the album’s unique band creations sees Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter on guitar, backed by Billy Cox and drummer Dallas Taylor of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. An excerpt of their rendition of Guitar Slim’s “Things I Used To Do” was initially heard as part of a 1990 nationally syndicated radio program and accompanying box set, but here it is presented in full, newly mixed by Eddie Kramer for Both Sides of The Sky. On “Georgia Blues,” Jimi is reunited with his old bandmate Lonnie Youngblood (vocals/sax) from his pre-fame days in Curtis Knight & The Squires. Briefly issued as part of the 2008 Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues series but out of print for nearly a decade, this special recording is once more available to Hendrix fans throughout the world on all audio formats.

Both Sides of the Sky was produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott, and Eddie Kramer. Kramer served as recording engineer on every Jimi Hendrix album made during the artist’s life. In order to preserve the integrity and continuity of the Hendrix legacy, this same team has produced every Jimi Hendrix audio and visual release since 1996.

Janie Hendrix, President and CEO of Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. commented, “We have a growing commitment to preserve the legacy of Jimi and also to continue to give the worldwide family of Jimi fans quality releases. That’s what Both Sides of The Sky reflects…our ongoing commitment. In a deeper sense, it’s the keeping of a promise. Jimi and I once made a promise to each other. He said he would take care of me and I told him I would take care him. Through his music and our preservation of his work, my brother and I honor one another. We are now in our third decade of watching over Jimi’s creative works and our resolve to maintain the integrity of what he left us has only grown stronger with time.”

That is also the purpose for Eddie Kramer’s involvement and his devotion to the project. He remarked, “Jimi’s true home was the studio, that’s where the music and the magic happened. He loved everything about recording and it’s been my distinct pleasure and an honor to play a part in that process both then and now.”

Both Sides of the Sky tracklist:

1)    Mannish Boy*
2)    Lover Man*
3)    Hear My Train A Comin’*
4)    Stepping Stone*
5)    $20 Fine*+
6)  Power Of Soul^
7)    Jungle*
8)    Things I Used to Do#
9)  Georgia Blues++
10) Sweet Angel*
11) Woodstock*+
12) Send My Love To Linda*
13) Cherokee Mist*

*Previously unreleased
^ Previously unavailable extended version
+Featuring Stephen Stills
#Featuring Johnny Winter
++Featuring Lonnie Youngblood

Produced by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott for Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.

ABOUT LEGACY RECORDINGS
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is home to the world’s foremost library of historically significant commercial recordings, a peerless collection of works by the most significant musical artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Across a variety of platforms, the label has revolutionized the catalog market, offering contemporary music fans access to thousands of meticulously restored and remastered archival titles representing virtually every musical genre including popular, rock, jazz, blues, R&B, folk, country, gospel, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, rap/hip-hop, world music, classical, comedy and more.

ABOUT EXPERIENCE HENDRIX, L.L.C.
Founded by James ‘Al’ Hendrix, Jimi’s father, in 1995, Experience Hendrix has been run, since its inception, by the family members handpicked by Al during his tenure as Chairman. It is the official family company charged with managing the music, name, image and likeness of Jimi Hendrix. As a part of their daily operations, Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix oversee Jimi’s timeless legacy on a worldwide basis.

http://www.jimihendrix.com
http://www.legacyrecordings.com

ジェンキンス氏死亡

北朝鮮による、拉致被害者の一人、曽我ひとみさんの夫チャールズ・ジェンキンス氏が11日午後8時52分に致死性不整脈で、新潟県佐渡市で死亡した。77才だった。同日、体調が急変し搬送先の病院で死亡が確認された。生前、各国の拉致事件を暴露した本を日本で出版した。佐渡市の物産店で土産物の饅頭などを売り、観光客と写真に収まったりしたが、日本語が分からず、愛想は悪かったという。当初は店に出ていたが、しばらくしたら、張りぼてを作ってもらい、その張りぼてに出場を代行してもらうことも多くなったという。アメリカの兵士にも拘わらず、その任務のきつさに耐えられず、北朝鮮に亡命した。アメリカ合衆国の法律では、脱走の罪で起訴されたが重大な罪にも拘わらず、1週間程度で放免されている。また日本ではジェンキンス氏がジェンキン寿司に聞こえるところから、寿司の職人又はすし店、ジェンキン寿司でも知られる。

トランプ氏エルサレムを首都に

とうとう、やってしまったかという印象だ。今年1月の当ブログでも紹介したこの問題。評論家の佐藤優氏の指摘が不気味だ。アメリカは、9.11以上のテロを覚悟しなければならないし、イスラム教徒の多い国、中東やアジア、マレーシアなどの反発や混乱が予想される。更には、米国の同盟国である日本やNATO諸国にもテロの危険性が懸念される。トランプ氏はまさに米国史上始まって以来の愚かな大統領と言えるかもしれない。

速報 大谷選手エンゼルスと合意

ポスティングシステムを利用して、大リーグ移籍を目指していた大谷翔平選手（２３）が、アナハイムに本拠地を置く、ロサンゼルス・エンゼルスと合意したことが、8日分かった。意外な球団との印象が強いが、大谷選手にとっては、２刀流を貫くには絶好の球団だったのであろう。大谷の型破りな戦略には恐れ入るが、勝負は来年以降に委ねられた。果たしてどれだけ活躍できるのだろうか？米メジャーリーグは、日本とボールや生活環境が違うからだ。その環境を制したならば活躍は素質が十分あるだけに活躍が期待できる。

大谷翔平選手がヤンキースやレッドソックスと交渉せず NOHTANI??? LOL(:**:)

ポスティングシステムで米メジャーリーグ移籍を目指す日本ハムの大谷翔平選手が、東球団の人気球団のヤンキースやレッドソックスなどの球団と交渉しない事が明らかになった。候補から外れた地元NYの新聞は、"What a chicken!!" NOHTANI"などと驚きと共に失望をもって皮肉った。候補は、西海岸を中心に7球団に絞ったようだ。それにしても大谷は既成概念に捕らわれない、型破りな選手だ。日本時代の二当流も散々批判されたが、見事に結果を出している。日本人の大型選手がメジャーを目指すときは、契約金がずば抜けて多く、日本でも一番有名なヤンキースもしくは、松坂選手の最初に行った、レッドソックスが予想されたが、ここでも大谷選手は、自分流を貫いているようである。
個人的には、ラブコールを送って大谷選手の環境を考えているように報道されているシアトルマリナーズが優位な気がするが、果たして？