Abramorama has announced that they have acquired global theatrical distribution rights to the full-length documentary
Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision from Experience Hendrix L.L.C. Abramorama previously distributed two other Jimi Hendrix documentaries,
Electric Church and the 2022 Grammy nominated
Music, Money, Madness: Jimi Hendrix Live In Maui. An August release is planned, starting in New York City at the Quad on August 9, 2024, followed by a global roll out.
Evan Saxon, Abramorama’s President and Head of International Distribution states, “Abramorama is honored to once again collaborate with Experience Hendrix L.L.C, this time to share an insightful and never before seen documentary about one of the most famous recording studios in the world. Listen to an hour’s worth of music on your favorite playlist, DSP or radio station and odds are at least one of the songs was recorded at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios.”
Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision chronicles the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to becoming a state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. Electric Lady Studios was the first ever artist-owned commercial recording studio.
Hendrix had first envisioned creating an experiential nightclub. He was inspired by the short-lived Greenwich Village nightspot Cerebrum whose patrons donned flowing robes and were inundated by flashing lights, spectral images and swirling sound. Hendrix so enjoyed the Cerebrum experience that he asked its architect John Storyk to work with him and his manager Michael Jeffery. Hendrix and Jeffery wanted to transform what had once been the Generation Club into ‘an electric studio of participation’. Shortly after acquiring the Generation Club lease however, Hendrix was steered from building a nightclub to creating a commercial recording studio.
The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by recording engineer Eddie Kramer who was awarded an Emmy for his work on the film "Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A Comin'."
Award-winning producer / engineer and longtime Jimi Hendrix collaborator, Eddie Kramer stated, “Jimi loved jamming at The Generation night club in the Village and when it went bankrupt, he and [manager] Mike Jeffery purchased it with a view to making it a place for him and his friends to relax and possibly record their jams on an 8-track tape machine in the corner. Soon thereafter I was asked to evaluate the space. I remember walking down the stairs to a demolition site as they had started to tear stuff down to see how much bigger they could make it. I knew at once that a club would be disastrous. I remember saying something like “You guys must be out your #$%^&ing minds! Do you have any idea of what Jimi spends in studio time in a year? Let’s build the best studio in the world for him so when he walks in, he can relax and record whenever he wants. The club idea was scratched, and Electric Lady Studios was born. By June of the next year (1970) Studio A was completed and after a few test sessions Jimi came in to record in HIS studio. Man was he proud of it. He loved the way it sounded and its vibe. We recorded many tracks for a new album over the next 4 months which became Cry of Love. The legacy of what Jimi wanted endures to this day: a place where one could create without being interrupted. Every artist who comes to Electric Lady Studios feels the spirit of Jimi Hendrix, a spirit that helps them create their own music!”
Directed by John McDermott and produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood (who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio), Experience bassist Billy Cox and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by Eddie Kramer.
The documentary explains in depth that while Jimi Hendrix’s death robbed the public of so much potential music, the continued success of his recording studio provides a lasting legacy beyond his own music. John Lennon, The Clash, AC/DC, Chic, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and hundreds more made records at Electric Lady Studios, which speaks to one of Jimi’s lasting achievements in an industry that has radically changed over the course of the last half century.
Janie Hendrix reflects, “Jimi’s creative mind was always filled with next level ideas. He was never content with the ordinary but was driven by the burning desire to create something incredible that hadn’t been done before. That was the catalyst for Electric Lady Studios. The film, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, brings to light just how forward-thinking and inventive Jimi was in every aspect of his music, including production and recording. It was at Electric Lady Studios where he pushed beyond the musical limits of what was known, and he then opened the door to other musicians, allowing them the space to realize their own artistic hopes and dreams. My brother conceived something so amazing and so big that it has lived on for decades since its inception, serving as a passageway for hundreds of artists to bring their creativity to a waiting world audience. This is what Jimi envisioned when he founded the New York brainchild, and his prophecy is fulfilled through the countless, brilliant musicians who have tapped into the energy of the studio Jimi created. Legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, David Bowie, U2, Prince, Jon Batiste, Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, D’Angelo and so many others have produced their finest work in the inspired recording house. This film tells the story of how the dream of a visionary, who dared to think outside the musical box, can have a limitless reach, generation after generation. It tells Jimi’s story with his Electric Lady.”
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