Doug Jerebine Channels Hendrix, Drops Out..

.. and nigh on 40 years since his original recordings were made, Drag City puts out his album on vinyl and download. OK, that’s the much abridged version.

There is also the long and intriguing story but to trim that down a little for you, premier Maori guitar and sitar exponent Jerebine left New Zealand for London at the tail end of the swinging 60s in thrall to the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and Steve Winwood. Notably, he played some bass in the Jeff Beck Group, but more importantly laid down a collection of tracks for a mind-blowing psychedelic rock album, pretty much unassisted, under the name of Jesse Harper.

Atlantic Records were interested, EMI too, but Jerebine, disillusioned with the business of making music, was already on a higher path. Spiritual needs meant he headed off to India, the Krishna movement and many years of study, discipline, mastering the native languages and translating scripture.

Half a lifetime on, hear the sounds created before making that life changing decision – download Ashes & Matches courtesy of Drag City, and stream the rest of the album on their site. Jerebine sightings have become a little more frequent in the past few years – support slots for Kyuss and The Damned the most eye-opening -  but this official re-release justifiably raises his profile as one of the finest of New Zealand’s musical exports.

Turn on, tune in and freak out.