On Bass and Lead Vocals, Derrick Grayson has been keeping Jimi‘s flame alive for over 32 years and brings a renewed soulfulness and sincerity to the haunting lyrics of Jimi’s own compositions and to the vocals of tunes by other authors that Jimi covered during his career. He has wooed audiences with the music of Jimi in High School, the US Navy and the Streets of Atlanta GA, a passion not just for money, but to keep the soul and spirit of Jimi burning for others to see and hear. Rainbow Bridge was the first Hendrix Tribute Band founded by Derrick in 1983 to express the music. The Axis Experience born 2006, is the last and his Best. Derrick also plays and writes not only original rock songs, but some very good rocking gospel music as well. His latest gospel band is called Contradiction.
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On Lead Guitar, Michael Jamsmith, with his award winning group "The Flame", could be found churning out high energy performances in the Florida club circuit. Of course the highlight of the evening was always his Hendrix renditions complete with wild feedback coaxed out his vintage Plexi Marshall and Strat - playing behind his back, and picking with his teeth. In the 90s, Jamsmith moved to Atlanta and played in the Rap-Metal outfit Psycho Pimps. He took time off to compose and record an number of fusion songs. Itching to get back out on the stage, he started seeking out other musicians to perform his new works. In the process, he stumbled upon a recording of a performance by Derrick Grayson's "Rainbow Bridge" and inquired about seeing the band play live. Derrick informed him that he did not currently have a guitar player. Jamsmith decided it was high time he - literally - paid tribute to the Master who influenced him so much.
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On Drums, Michael Davis comes from a nearly life-long pursuit of musical endeavors, including full-time pop bands, funk and jazz bands, and labor-of-love fusion bands. One of the earliest rock bands that influenced his play was the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi's drummer, Mitch Mitchell brought talent and "chops" to Jimi's sessions that were extremely rare in the rock genre. Other drummers of the period, like Ginger Baker, BJ Wilson and Bill Kreutzman lent their influences as well. Michael recreates the percussive artistry of Mitch Mitchell, one of the most influential drummers in all of rock history, fusing jazz and rock sensibilities to energize this unique Axis Experience.
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Influences
Jimi Hendrix
Prince
The Time
Parliment / Funkadelics
The Eagles
Eric Clapton
38 Special
Heart
Queen
Stevie Ray Vaunghn
ZZ Top
Led Zepplin
Mothers Finest
Rolling Stones
Bad Company
AC/DC
Eric Johnson
Van Halen
We provide the following Set Types: 1. Classic and Authentic Live Hendrixian
Performances
2. UnHeard Before...Hendrix - Unplugged Acoustic Renditions
3. Live Backup for Rappers (i.e. Aerosmith & RUN DMC: Walk This Way).
We
are a Green Band...
All of Our Promotional
Material is Online.
The Axis Experience is unique among other Hendrix tribute acts. The others we have seen are grounded in the single focus of a singer/vocalist. Unfortunately, the talent of Jimi Hendrix as a performer makes it extremely difficult to find a person who has both his extreme guitar skill and magic vocal delivery.
The Axis Experience has a singer who can deliver the range of Jimi's vocal expression and a guitarist who is extremely focused on presenting all the guitar skill that Hendrix embodied. Completing the trio is a drummer who captures the beat of both Mitch and Buddy from ratamacue rolls to funky 4/4. The result is a dynamic performance that meets the expectations of the Hendrix fan base and excites the casual concert attendee.
No club, concert, or event, public or private, can go wrong with a performance by The Axis Experience. You get mature seasoned musicians, some of the greatest songs ever written, and most of all, you get the best "experience" of the magic of a live Jimi Hendrix performance without having to take that one-way trip to Rock and Roll Heaven.
We
are a Green Band... 
