Mitch Mitchell

John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 1947 – 12 November 2008) was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Before joining the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Mitchell gained considerable musical experience touring and playing as a session musician. He also had an acting background, and had starred in a children's television programme, Jennings and Derbyshire, when he was a teenager. He became a musician through working for Jim Marshall at his drum shop on Saturdays while still at school. Pre-Experience bands included Frankie Reid and the Casuals (1962), Johnny Harris and the Shades, The Pretty Things, Bill Knight & The Sceptres, The Riot Squad, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and The Who as a session drummer while the band was deciding on a replacement for Doug Sandom. (The band's eventual choice was Keith Moon). Mitchell auditioned for Hendrix's band in October 1966, beating out many other British drummers, including Aynsley Dunbar (who, according to Hendrix's manager Chas Chandler, was their other final choice. Mitch won the job on the flip of a coin).

Mitchell was praised for his work with the Jimi Hendrix Experience on songs such as "Manic Depression", "Stepping Stone", "Little Miss Strange", "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", "Fire" and "Third Stone from the Sun". Mitchell came from a jazz background and like many of his drummer contemporaries was strongly influenced by the work of Elvin Jones, Max Roach, and Joe Morello.
Mitchell played in Hendrix's Experience trio from October 1966 to mid-1969, in his Woodstock band of August 1969, and also with the later incarnation of the Experience in 1970 with Billy Cox on bass, known posthumously as the "Cry of Love" band. Hendrix would often record tracks in the studio with only Mitchell, which would enhance on-stage chemistry.

In December 1968, Mitchell played in the band The Dirty Mac assembled for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968. Other members included John Lennon as vocalist and rhythm guitarist "Winston Leg-Thigh"; Yoko Ono providing improvised primal screams; Eric Clapton as guitarist, and Keith Richards as bassist. The group recorded a cover of "Yer Blues" as well as a jam called "Whole Lotta Yoko".
Another noteworthy musical collaboration in the late 1960s was with the Jack Bruce and Friends band featuring Mitchell along with ex-Cream bassist and vocalist Jack Bruce, keyboardist Mike Mandel and jazz-fusion guitarist and future The Eleventh House frontman Larry Coryell. Mitchell played in this band during late 1969 and early 1970, when Hendrix was working with the Band of Gypsys.
Mitchell also took part in some of Miles Davis' demo sessions for Miles' 1969 album Bitches Brew, but does not appear on the final album.

His last days were spent celebrating Hendrix's music on the 2008 Experience Hendrix Tour. For nearly four weeks the tour travelled coast to coast in an 18-city tour in the US, finishing in Portland, Oregon.[5] The tour also featured Billy Cox, Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Cesar Rosas, David Hidalgo, Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, Hubert Sumlin, Chris Layton as well as Eric Gales and Mato Nanji. Five days after the tour ended Mitchell was found dead at about 3am on November 12, in his room at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland. Following medical tests, it was revealed by the Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office that Mitchell had died in his sleep of what was thought to be natural causes (it should however be noted that Mitchell had alcohol-related problems for decades). He was the last surviving member of the original Experience. Mitchell had planned to leave Portland that day to return to his home in England. Mitch Mitchell was buried in Seattle, Washington.



Mitch Mitchell, (n. 9 de julio de 1947 en Ealing, Middlesex, Inglaterra - 12 de noviembre de 2008 en Portland, Oregon) fue un baterista inglés reconocido principalmente por su trabajo en la banda The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Fue un influyente batería de entre finales de los años 60 y comienzo de los años 70.
Se consagró por su trabajo en canciones como Manic Depression y Third Stone From the Sun. Mitch fue muy influido por el jazz y fue fuertemente inspirado por su labor con Elvin Jones. Mitch comenzó una forma de tocar que sería llamada más tarde fusión, En 1966, este innovador estilo de tocar era nuevo en el Rock.
En 1968 participa en el especial de televisión "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus" como batería de The Dirty Mac, un grupo formado por John Lennon, Eric Clapton y Keith Richards, donde interpretan la canción Yer Blues.

Mitch era un importante colaborador musical de Jimi Hendrix, tocando en el trío The Jimi Hendrix Experience desde Octubre de 1966, hasta 1969. Siendo esta su banda en el festival de Woodstock en agosto de 1969. También trabajó con la banda Cry of Love, en 1970.
Después de la muerte de Jimi Hendrix, Mitch (junto con el ingeniero Eddie Kramer), finalizó varias grabaciones incompletas de Jimi Hendrix, dando lugar al álbum lanzado con el nombre de Cry of Love y Rainbow Bridge.

En 1972, se unió a dos guitarristas, April Lawton y Mike Pinera para formar Ramatam. Grabaron un álbum con el que abrirán el espectáculo para ELP en varios conciertos. Irónicamente, Mitch había sido invitado a tocar en ELP, en 1970, pero declinó en favor a tocar con Jimi Hendrix. Mitch también hizo algunos trabajos con Terry Reid, Jack Bruce y Jeff Beck (sustituyendo a Cozy Powell, ya que estaba enfermo).
A finales de los años 70 y hasta los años 90, Mitch sobresalió poco, haciendo trabajos eventuales (como el álbum Long Walk Home, de Junior Brown) y también participando en varios vídeos y entrevistas relacionadas con Jimi Hendrix.
Formó parte de la banda Gypsy Sun Experience, junto con el antiguo bajista de Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cox y el guitarrista Gary Serkin.
Falleció el 12 de noviembre del 2008 a los 61 años por causas naturales,de esta manera,la banda The Jimi Hendrix Experience pierde a su último miembro sobreviviente.