Much of Hendrix's footage is in black and white

In drummer Miles and bassist Cox, Hendrix found a tighter, funkier sound which served to refresh his music.

The group played at the New York's Fillmore East theatre on 31 December 1969 and 1 January 1970, performances which form the basis of the 130-minute DVD.

But it is the accompanying documentary material - featuring interviews with musicians and former colleagues, including both Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding , the other two-thirds of Hendrix's Experience - that is most fascinating.

There is archive footage of Hendrix's appearance on Dick Cavett's American TV show, too - showing a sly and witty Hendrix who seems to betray a slight disbelief at his own stardom.

Hendrix's music is analysed in some detail, tracks broken down on a mixing desk by engineer Eddie Kramer to show the over-dubbing required to produce the thick guitar textures of his records.

This, then, is less a concert DVD than a documentary about Hendrix's last couple of years, and it has to be said that the concert footage is mostly in black and white, and unimaginatively lit.

But any footage of Hendrix is worth having, if only to take the measure of the giant shadow he still casts over the rock artists who came after him.

Band of Gypsies - Live At Fillmore East is available from Universal Music