Miles Davis circa 1973-75

Is there anything else like it? I was listening to music, both released and unreleased, by Miles Davis and his touring/recording bands and the length and breadth of his musical vision is, in my opinion, still vastly underrated. I believe that it was years ahead of its time and hallmarks the full realization of Miles's musical vision and statement. To look at the retrospective flux of his music from Coltrane-era through Japan 1975 is, IMHO, unequaled anywhere in rock or jazz.

It is truly astonishing . . . .

Thanks for reading . . . .

 

That's an interesting comment. I haven't been "in touch" with these recordings in years and years - had to depart with the best of them a long time ago to make ends meet - so I would need to listen again (they're not cheap to rebuy any more!).

There is one record I still own though where I find a definitive influence, from AFA what I can remember of this stuff, and it is Santana's "Lotus", a live set from 1973 where some of the music on some of the sides taps from this source and it is very exciting!

 

It's funny, I've just this week been listening to this particular Miles Davis era and it's proving to be the gateway music that finally gets me "into" Miles Davis. While I've owned "Kind of Blue" for quite some time (and enjoyed it thoroughly), it wasn't until I heard "A Tribute to Jack Johnson" that my ears truly perked up and paid attention. Now I've gone back and listened to "Kind of Blue" and for some reason it's revealed itself to me. I'm on a hunt now for at least a few more Miles Davis albums (Bitches Brew, Sketches of Spain, In a Silent Way, and Round About Midnight to be exact).

While yes, the early 70s music is fantastic and groundbreaking, I think it's important to note that Miles himself cites many sources (for On the Corner he mentions James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, etc.) and that rock/jazz fusion had been going on already. Zappa and Soft Machine perhaps. That's not to mention early prog rock like Barrett era Pink Floyd as paving the way for some of this stuff.

That's not to say it isn't overlooked. Ahead of its time? Sure. Unequaled in jazz? Most likely. Unequaled in rock? I doubt it.

 

I saw him live in 1973. My favorite concert ever!!

 

I truly don't think there was anybody rocking heavier than MD in the mid-1970s . . . I believe if Jimi H. survived, he would have been heading in a similar path as Miles which leaves me to ponder, what if it was Miles Davis that died at 27? Imagine the loss we wouldn't have even ever known of . . .

 

By 1975 Miles had gotten further out than anyone, no one player got a whole part, many parts were used to make a whole. He had taken Stockhausen's cut up technique into real time.

He was tribal symphonic primal and avant garde all at the same time.

 

Julian Cope puts what I want to express in better terms here:

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/albumofthemonth/359

 

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/review/1824


I posted this before, but I'd love for this to be officially released: Art Jackson's Atrocity

 

I'd love to hear it someday . . . . Cope makes everything sound like must-haves.

 

YEs he does!

 

Here's Cope on Agartha:

"You love the sound of all seven CDs from the Stooges' Funhouse boxed set played simultaneously throughout the house on small inferior ghetto blasters? Then you'll adore this f*****g sound. You ever wondered how Can's "Mushroom" would sound if they were clones of each other and could all play exactly one beat ahead of the other. Well U-goddit! One-eyed soul, Mushroom head!"

and

"Dogs live dogs' lives, but one discarded scrap of cake lets them glimpse Humanity. Humans live human lives, but one brush with the eternal lets them glimpse Divinity. And, once touched, they will NEVER forget it. In 1974-75, Miles Davis did so much more than merely glimpse eternity - he actually embraced it."

Nice appraisal!!!!

 

Agreed "He loved him madly" is one of the finest cuts of the era. "Rated X" holds up as well. Both are remixed in a cool project by Bill Laswell "Panthalasa". Not sure if that one is still available but it's worth seeking out if you're a fan of the era.

Pangea is my personal favorite.

C

 

Nothing else like Miles' music of this era.

 

what is the likelihood that Columbia will be releasing any full sets of the Japan shows in 75?

 

I don't know this for sure, but there's some talk that this might be a hoax. Not the music itself, but the story behind it. Word is, it's a contemporary recording. Anyone?

 

What cd's have Miles 73-75?

 

little to none, according to various sources.

 

The Japanese CDs of Agharta and Pangaea are uncut. You get about 15/20 mins extra music between the two albums.

That said, the ltd reissue from late last year sounds (slightly) better, but replicates the cuts from the original LPs.

It's easy to find good concert recordings on the trader/torrent circuit. I have several shows from early 75 in good fidelity (for boots). The later, mid-75 US shows don't sound so good.

Has anyone here tried Love, Love by Julian Priester? He was part of Herbie's Mwandishi band, put out 2 solo LPs in the 70s. ECM reissued it (finally) a couple of years back. Side A could have been a Miles joint, a la Calypso Frelimo... the bass line is just solid.

 

... now here is a really scary thought.

... one can always hope.

 

I've raved about this on this forum a lot, it's THA BOMB !!!! this is basically the Mwandishi band without Hancock...I have the CD and LP, as well as his next ECM LP Polarization..the same band (with Hancock) plays on the 2 Eddie Henderson LPs from 1973, collected on The Caprocorn Years CD 1973 was a good years for Different Fur Studios in San Francisco's Mission District!

 

Can't imagine anyone into Warner Bros. period Herbie Hancock that wouldn't love the Julian Priester. Took 'em long enough to get it out on CD. I also like the follow-up, but it does have more of a typical ECM sound (not that there's anything wrong with that).

 

Oh, man. I love this era. Depending on my mood, Agharta is my favourite album by Miles. Love that Pete Cosey, why didn't he record more?

 

Which versions are these?

 

Man, we must have had about 10 threads on this in the last few months.

Like the usual suspects here, I could go on about this era endlessly, but I would be repeating myself.

Just to weigh in on those Julian Priester recordings, I've had both of them since they were released and although I enjoyed them I wouldn't say they're in any way close to the MD sonic onslaughts of Dark Magus and the like. They're closer to what Eddie Henderson was doing on those Capricorn records. If you dig those, you'll probably also like Norman Connors' Cobblestone recordings Dark of Light, Dance of Magic, and Love from the Sun, featuring many of the same musicians who moved through the Mwandishi and Return to Forever bands, among others.

Even though it's not a plugged in sound, I'd recommend any of a trio of McCoy Tyner records of that period. The titles are Sahara, Song for My Lady, and Enlightenment. This was an intense band that featured Sonny Fortune (of Agharta and Pangaea) and Al Mouzon (Formerly with Weather Report, and he switched bands with Weather Report's Eric Gravatt who plays on the Priester and Henderson records. Gravatt worked as a prison guard for years to support his family and recently returned to music).

For more contemporary stuff I still salute the Henry Kaiser/Wadada Leo Smith 'Yo Miles double SACD's on Cuneiform. The various reunion bands of Miles alumni have not excited me, with the exception of Joe Henderson's So Near So Far. A great sounding record with Dave Holland, John Scofield, and Al Foster but again nothing like the mind melts of 70's MD.