CJ Shearn

7/4, the recent Blu Ray "Invitation to Illumination" of Carlos' with McLaughlin is worth it too. John revisits "Vashkar" and "Vuelta Abajo" in a quartet with Benny Rietveld, David K. Matthews on organ, and Cindy Blackman, and it's smoking. They pretty much cover the entire "Love, Devotion, Surrender" album too. It's the first concert I've seen on video, where Santana hasn't been cut to ribbons by another guitarist, like Buddy Guy, or McLaughlin himself on the "Hymns for Peace" video.

Whoa........... "Matador" caught my attention too, and I'm one of those who don't find the McMaster too bad. I don't really feel like doubling up on "Oblique" b/c the RVG has always sounded fine to me, so maybe I'll grab "Matador" and "Blue John" for, but since that batch drops after my birthday, the Herbie Columbia box is still a priority for me.

I love Hello Kitty and have some McDonald's toys, and my favorite, a plush nurse Hello Kitty which was made after 311 to support relief efforts. One of my friends brought me a cosmetic purse directly from Japan, it's so cool and pretty!

Hey everyone, I started a kick starter like thing last night because eventually, I would like to live and work in Japan. I've never been open about it here in all my years as a member of this family, but as a disabled person it seems it is my duty to blaze paths for other people. While in Japan, which I hope to visit by year's end or next, for this gigantic undertaking for my life, along with my friends there, I want to document my experience as a disabled foreigner, by blogging or possibly film. Please take a look http://www.gofundme.com/8e7698

RIP, such a great player, familiar with him thru Santana, gotta check out the other stuff

RIP...... just reported this on the my NYJW blog twitter

I would have loved to hear everything in that conversation!

Same here, to grab anything I didn't have.

Listened to a bit of "Sweet Science Suite", killing stuff!

Damn....... I was not familiar with his music, but after reading this, what an incredible life. As someone with a small bit of Asian ancestry in my family, I appreciate his contribution greatly.

Sonny is doing a chat with Bret Primack May 5th at noon. If I want to ask him about something, not sure it'd be about music.

"Live at Smalls" is killing, and of course "Saudades", which has always been one of my favorite albums since it was released.

Will check this out, sounds interesting!!

It sure is! When did I ditch the 2 disc reissue? a few years ago...... I think?. it came out when I was in high school, I remember the ads in Downbeat for the 1997 double disc sets, I wasn't ready for them then, but this new reissue just presents the music in so much detail that I really love how it sounds. The At Fillmore 2 disc reissue was definitely a lot "hotter" with the original mix, I like the expanded dynamic range in this complete presentation, too. The section with Jack launching into swing time behind Keith from June 18th makes a lot more sense IMO then it did on the original album. Killing stuff! I am thankful for the bonus tracks as well. Sure, they sound less than stellar but the soloing and interaction on "Paraphernalia" (one of my fav. Wayne tunes ever) and "Footprints" is just too good to even care.

Funny, the SQ of the bonus tracks doesn't bother me a whole lot, and I'm still glad they're there (the interest factor definitely trumps the SQ issues for me). I mean, "Footprints" in 1970, are you kidding me??!!! Never in a billion years did I expect to hear one of Miles' 70's bands playing "Footprints". Right, those two tracks at the end of disc 1 are great performances. The reviews at Amazon complaining about the sound of the remixed set are interesting. We all have different ears and preferences, but for me this music unedited and remixed (as I'm spinning disc 2 now) sheds a picture I really enjoy. To say that this new box sucks and purely a money grab (as one Amazon buyer wrote) represents more of an issue with the listener than what's actually here. I consider Lon's point about the reasons around the edits, but the murk of the mix and the constant jump cuts, never did anything for me on the original double album, which I had as the 1997 reissue previously.

The studio album is great too. The connection to Louie makes total sense on that one, and the Tama drums on the cover are a dead giveaway. Is he listed on the OJC? I only listened on Spotify, but I recall from seeing reviews due to contractual obligations he's referred to as "the drummer". .

Spinning disc 1. Absolutely wonderful to hear Keith and Chick's interplay in it's unedited context. I always would find those splices so frustrating.

Just received my set. Looking forward to hearing the whole enchilada, Lon. Thanks so much for putting a new perspective on the original 2 LP which is something I wouldn't have thought, intended to highlight the wildest moments. Still, I don't prefer the original album, but that viewpoint was great, thank you.

RIP

Agreed.

Right, then there started to be serious critical reappraisal of the 1969-75 music once the boxes were released. And then, the Montreux box plus many other live releases show that live, there was way more to the 80's stuff. It's only been the past decade I've been into electric Miles, I still gotta check out the Cellar Door set through Pangaea/Agharta, but I love "Black Beauty", "It's About that Time", the Isle of Wight stuff and the Bootleg vol. 2 material very much.

I no longer have the blue border CJM version of that set (replaced them in 2005 with the single disc) I remember that passage though, it's disgusting.

I agree 100% Lon. Airto taught me everything I need to know about percussion, even just listening to him on CTI albums when I was growing up......... but the work with Miles is even more eye opening to hear around the same period, since it isn't in just the role of a session player. Look forward to hearing him play drums on this set.

Well, I ordered it. sampled "Directions" in the Cloud player from June 17th, sounds great. The interplay between Chick and Keith has always been astounding on this set of gigs. I will wait for the set to come to give it a proper listen, but it's such a relief to hear it outside of the original "At Fillmore" album.

Cobham plays the tradition as well as anything, though it's not what most know him for obviously. I heard bits of those albums with Ron Carter and Kenny Barron, (I think) and "Cherry" by Stanley Turrentine, if all you think of Cobham is speed, there is so much taste, swing and groove on that one.