Jimmy James and the Blue Flames

Jimmy James and the Blue Flames
Also known as	The Blue Flames, the Rain Flowers, the Blue Flame
Origin	New York City
Genres	Rock, blues, R&B
Years active	1966
Associated acts	The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Spirit
Past members	Jimi Hendrix Randy California Randy Palmer Danny Casey

Jimmy James and the Blue Flames was a short-lived American rock group that was fronted by Jimi Hendrix, who was then going by the name "Jimmy James". The band was Hendrix's first extended foray into the 1966 Greenwich Village music scene and included future Spirit guitarist Randy California. At various New York clubs, they played a mix of rock, blues, and rhythm and blues songs as well as early versions of songs that became part of the Jimi Hendrix Experience repertoire. It was at such a performance that Animals' bassist Chas Chandler first heard their rendition of "Hey Joe" and decided to invite Hendrix to England and become his producer.

After his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1962, Jimi Hendrix toured and recorded with several well-known R&B artists, including the Isley Brothers and Little Richard. By 1965, he had become more or less established in New York's Harlem neighborhood and performed with local R&B outfits Curtis Knight and the Squires and King Curtis. However, by mid-1966, Hendrix became disillusioned with the confines of the R&B scene and barely subsistence-level wages. Following the advice of folk singer and guitarist Richie Havens, he began exploring New York's Greenwich Village, a bohemian-style enclave of Manhattan.

At the time, the Village had a vibrant and diverse music scene and Hendrix was able to land a gig at the Cafe Wha? backed by the house band. Soon he attracted other musicians and settled on the name Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, although he would later sometimes refer to the band as "the Rain Flowers", "the Blue Flames", and "the Blue Flame". According to Randy California, "All I remember was that it was being called Jimmy James & the Blue Flames. Maybe it was changed for one night ... just for fun". Hendrix chose "the Blue Flames" as a nod to Memphis blues singer Junior Parker's backup band (with the accomplished guitarists Pat Hare, succeeded by Wayne Bennett and Mel Brown) and because it rhymed with his stage name, Jimmy James.

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