Mitch Mitchell, drummer in The Jimi Hendrix Experience, died on Wednesday, shortly after completing the 18-date Experience Hendrix Tour. He survived his friend by 38 years – 10 years longer than Hendrix’s entire life! One of the factors contributing to the free feel of that epic trio was the influence on Mitchell of poly-rhythmic jazz drummers such as Max Roach and Elvin Jones.

Further reading – obituaries in The Times, The Telegraph & Drummerworld.

Here he is in action in Sweden in 1969:[kml_flashembed movie="http://uk.youtube.com/v/jiMu_ZSbKn4" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]