When you think about Jimi Hendrix, the word “great” probably comes to mind.
He was one of the greatest American rock guitarists. After a few previous versions of “Hey Joe,” the Hendrix recorded a version that became a hit. It was the last song he performed at the Woodstock Festival, and it was also the final song of the Festival. Is it an easy task to perform this song? Definitely not.
Even so, this trio decided to take it on themselves.
German guitarist Joscho Stephan decided to try it out anyway, and he gathered his friends to do so!
Though it was a challenge, this trio made it a whole new song. This cover will have you waiting with bated breath for the next notes!
Stephan found his inspiration and the biggest influence in the late Django Reinhardt and his music.
For those who don’t know, Reinhadty was a German jazz guitarist who mainly played modern jazz. Following in that mold, this trio used some of the same techniques to turn “Hey Joe” acoustic.
From the very beginning, Stephan set the tones perfectly.
His talent is astonishing and the results are fantastic. Stephan’s friends, Sven Jungbeck and Stefan Berger, joined him on stage giving some rhythm and cello sounds to the whole thing. Dressed in black, focused and devoted, they give out a classy vibe. The whole performance deserves a ten out of ten.
Whenever a so-called pentatonic lick appears during a performance, you’re reminded of some of the greatest musicians and their impressive techniques.
We can’t imagine the hours of practice that went into this, and it’s a huge motivation to anyone who recently picked up a guitar and wants to see the amazing things guitarists can do. The rhythm guitar is on point and the trio sounds like a perfectly tuned, tiny orchestra. The bass player is awesome as well, and the three of them have some incredible fingers and rare skills.
You know the song is “Hey Joe” but it still sounds different—in the best possible way.
The arrangement is totally different, and the fact that these talented musicians achieved the familiar sound using three acoustic instruments is worth admiring.
There are some projects out there that make a world a better place, and this cover is a great example!
We can definitely say that these gentlemen pulled it off!
If Hendrix heard this, we’re guessing he would be nodding along and saying how much he digs it. Stephan and his friends deserve a lot of respect for making such a fascinating cover within their own genre, and it’s a beautiful inspiration. This cover manages to create a feeling of two legends combined, as if Django and Jimi had jammed for a while.
As it turns out, Stephan is actively engaged in extending jazz boundaries.
A talented German guitarist performed on numerous important European festivals, in Slovenia, Italy, France, Poland, and the UK.
Acoustic Guitar magazine wrote that Joscho Stephan represents the future of the Gypsy jazz guitar tradition. He posts video lessons online to teach the world jazz music, and as he says, he aims to “keep the fire in his creativity.” Since it was posted, his three-year-old “Hey Joe” cover got two million views. After hearing some of Stephan’s work, we’re hoping to see more and more of him in the future!
Check out the full performance in the link below:
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