If you listen to Meciful and Pali Gap back to back you will find more then just an inspiration.

Jesse has never been subtle about the Hendrix influence. Bare My Naked Soul was completely dedicated to making Jesse the new Hendrix. During some gigs supporting that album, he covered Up From The Skies. Some track son that album are almost blatant rips of Hendrix. It is a classic record and I own 3 copies - too bad Verbal Penetration doesnt come close to it. (Man, what a horrible title for an album).

But it is good album Verbal Penetration have some kind of quality
that urges you
to come back and listen more

I like Verbal Penetration. Great album. I wish Prince could do an album that good nowadays. I disagree on Bare My Naked Soul as being a copy of Hendrix. That is my favorite Jesse album and I don't hear Hendrix in that at all. I guess its because he's black and a guitar player? as to why he's compared to Hendrix? The styles are not the same in my opinion. Jesse plays SO MANY different styles on that album. Anyway, please keep making new music Jesse. We need MORE!!

I really dig Verbal but the Prince comparisons are quite weak. Listen 2 verbal, most of the songs are structured around solid loops with Jessie playing lead over the top. Prince does not really play 2 looped music.

Graycap23 said:

When Doves Cry

funksterr said:

That was 26 years ago. That is your example?

dandeeland said:

Seriously? Ummm... Seriously?

Graycap23 said:

The 90's

Why did I think that said Jesse JACKSON instead of JOHNSON? I was like when the hell did Jesse Jackson work with Prince?

Jesse loves so much Jimi that it was said that (when Bare my naked soul came out ) he planned a tour only in places Jimi played back in the days...
And it is not an insult to compare Jesse to Jimi, I'm sure he would be really proud of it !

But that's the BEAUTY of this thread.....Jesse NEVER shied away from the Hendrix comparisons. He ALWAYS gives it up 2 Hendrix, Eddie Hazel, Ernie Isley and more recently Curtis Mayfield. Whereas P RAN AWAY from those comparisons, stating Carlos Santana as his PRIMARY influence. COME ON SON!!!!! Then Janie Hendrix let him change "Red House" to "Purple House"?????
COME ON SON!!!!!
I love Prince, but Jesse is the REAL DEAL!!!!!

sorry i dont hear it. I play about three fourths of Hendrix's music on guitar in a band and Jesse is not anything like him. TOTALLY different styles. i like them both though

Wondering if I should open my big mouth and jump in this thread

Rhastus said:

Be my guest !!!!

woogiebear said:

If you listen to his guitar playing, Prince does favor Santana far more than Hendrix. What his cover of Red House has to do with anything is not clear.

I am sure I will get lynched possibly banned from this site by saying this but I think Jesse absolutely DESTROYS Prince when it comes to guitar playing. I just wish Jesse would do more as far as albums, tours etc. Keep it going Jesse!! Its a shame nobody know who he is outside the Prince world.

dandeeland said:

U might be correct....but he does not have the material 2 back up his playing.

dandeeland said:

You're right. I've seen both of them live. Prince is good, but Jesse is just in another ballpark

No he does not.Prince made blue print .
Prince compose his solos much better then Jesse ,thats why he is better then Jesse.
but i wouldn't say better
i would say Different

thebanishedone said:

frankly- and I am not a guitar player-but I can tell where Princes solos will end up going almost every time. Jesse, not so much. that doesn't mean I don't think Prince is good - I just think his real and exceptional talent is rhythm guitar. Jesse is definitely more of a solo guy from a pure chops standpoint imo. But Prince would kill him on piano

thebanishedone said:

Whatever

you can say" whatever "but the truth is
a better guitar player between these two is the one that suits your personal preference better.

BlaqueKnight said:

thebanishedone said:

I wouldn't say different. I'd say better. Have you listened to this new record? Price doesn't play like that and if he could, he would have by now because Prince has been trying to get his fanbase to rationalize him from good to great on guitar for more than half his career. Not gonna happen. Prince is a good guitarist. Jesse is a better guitarist. Neither one of them are on the level of guys like Greg Howe.

thebanishedone said:

Bull. If you're going to go by that only, then Eric Clapton is a MUCH better guitarist than Prince. Plus, I disagree that Prince's guitar solos are constructed better. Prince does a lot of tricks - like following his guitar parts with a synth line playing the same or playing a counter-melody. He constructs music around his solos to make them sound better. That's different from having better solos.
Prince's finger dexterity has hit a ceiling. Jesse's ceiling is higher.
[Edited 5/6/10 11:39am]

Sorry, (but as a die-hard Jimi devotee) I hear a LOT of Jimi on "Naked Soul". "Jupiter Landing" is so reminiscent of "E.X.P" off of "Axis". And "I Miss", "Cry Like The Skies", and "Saturn" have the Uni-Vibe drenched chordal stuff Jimi did all over "Rainbow Bridge".

Jesse is his own man and has always been a guitar hero in my book, but he knows the Jimi schoolbook well. And "Naked Soul" features a lot of it.

You are right Blackknight .But what i heard Prince play on London Power Trio
kicks the shit of everything Jesse ever did.
Prince showcased amazing vocabulary of how to play guitar
in a Hendrix zone
without being boring.

Have you heard Prince's guitar solos from that night?
Amazing Jimi Hendrix like playing on Chaos and Disorder
or the frenetic guitar solo on I like it There?

I want to say that most of the time Prince relies
on the sound and isn't about look at me i kick ass on guitar,
Prince is more look at me i feel so cool when
i play this,but when Prince wants to show off he do it great.
So he did on that London Indigo aftershow.
Maybe you should revisit that concert.

on the other hand Jesse wants to show off a lot more.
Jesse like to show how great he is in every guitar solo.

For me the best guitar solo by Jesse is in the
song I'm just Wanting you.
Guitar solo in it drips with emotion.

Don't get me wrong bro this is just my opinion
both Jesse and Prince are top 6 favorite guitar players
along with Hendrix ,Santana,Eddie Hazel,Ernie Isley.

If i say that Prince don't play better composed ,more intelligent and morememorable guitar solos then Jesse then i wouldn't be fair to myself .
And the structure of the solo is what makes a "better "guitar player

Prince have better constructed and more memorable guitar solos even if some of those are simple
here are the studio examples:
My Love is Forever (For you)
Why You Wanna threat me so Bad
Bambi
Ronnie Talk to Russia
Computer Blue
When Doves Cry
I Could Never take the place of your man
Get it Up
777-9311... many many more

these are the examples of earlier Prince's solos
that are better constructed then most of the Jesse studio solos which relies more on improvisation.

I always felt that Prince was more about the sound textures
guitar was just the element of the bigger picture,you said that on some songs Prince plays unis with keyboards,so what.maybe he wanted to accent that part?
that don't means he did it because of the lack of his composing skills.
To me Prince was always a better composer
then Jesse even when it comes to guitar solos