Ari Joshua – Voodoo Chile (2025)
Originality, authenticity and genuine innovation – this is what singer-songwriter Ari Joshua is all about. With his genre-diverse style, he has sent us on heady journeys through funk, folk, jazz, and different designs of rock; however, his enigmatic presence and sounds continue to astound no matter how many Ari Joshua singles we come across. Known for poetic lyricism and individuality, the US-based singer-songwriter sprinkles magical kaleidoscopic glitter across our ears with his music. Today, we’re taking a gander at one of his cover singles – Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Chile’.
Following his collaborative singles ‘Naima’ and ‘The Simian’, ‘Voodoo Chile’ draws together the musical talent of Ari Joshua (guitar and vocals), Ray Paczkowski (keys) and Russ Lawton (drums) in sonic whirlpool of classic rock with flutters of blues and psychedelic rock clinging to the tune. Recorded and produced with Ben Collette (tracking engineer), Jonathan Plum (mixing) and Joe Lambert (mastering), ‘Voodoo Chile’ is both sophisticated mastery and a bit of a rag-tag mishmash of hard-hitting grittiness and raw, vulnerable passion.
Truthfully, while I know of Jimi Hendrix, I was entirely oblivious to the track ‘Voodoo Chile’; so, of course, I needed to listen to the original. An astounding blast of psychedelic rock burst from my speakers. Now, I know the original, it’s time to tackle the cover. Truly paying dues to Hendrix, Joshua’s soaring guitar entwines with Lawton’s crashing drums, while Paczkowski travels along with his soul-stirring keyboard. Yes, you hear this combination in modern-day rock tunes, but there is something about the lads, this style, and the infusion of their instruments that transcends time with kaleidoscopic flair.
Recorded as one take – which might explain the raw passion and heart – the trio dug into the core of Hendrix, swam about, and paid tribute to this Hendrix and the track. Joshua explains:
“You don’t just cover Hendrix – you summon his spirit. This track has an aura, a weight to it, we didn’t pre-meditate it, this was one take. We wanted to tap into that OG 1960s electricity while bringing our own spirit to the table.”
Find out more about Ari Joshua on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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