monkboughtlunch Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) I was suspicious of the sound quality of the new series of Monterey Jazz Festival discs distributed by Concord. After all, these are previously unreleased. So I was suspecting these to be crude private recordings. The new discs include Monk, Miles, Armstrong etc. http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/MJFR-30310/ So, tonight I picked up the Miles to check it out. I popped the cd into my car stereo and I was beaming. Warm rich bass, with a great analog sound. No distortion. It's in stereo and sounds very good for a 1963 location recording. So I opened up the book to view the credits and.... This bad boy was recorded by none other than the legendary Wally Heider. To give you an idea of his credentials, he recorded the outstanding Wes Montgomery "Full House" date as well as Bill Evans at Shelley's Manne Hole. Even more impressive is that this Sept. 1963 recording finds Miles with his new band playing in a soulful groove mode, with and undercurrent of modernism. It's just perfect. The following year, Davis began pushing things "out" and altered his conception with a more aggressive "angrier" sound. That's not to knock later Davis, but it's the best way I can describe what happens several months after this disc. In short, this is knockout Davis recording, which will appeal to all Davis fans--it's acoustic and not too "out," while at the same time it has a modernistic undertow with Miles obviously inspired by his new band, which includes Hancock and Coleman. Highly recommended. Based on the quality of this, I'm going to pick up the Monk. Not sure if Heider recorded the other dates in the series. Anyone know? Edited September 6, 2007 by monkboughtlunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Not the Dizzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 In short, this is knockout Davis recording, which will appeal to all Davis fans--it's acoustic and not too "out," while at the same time it has a modernistic undertow with Miles obviously inspired by his new band, which includes Hancock and Coleman. How would you compare it to Agartha? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 You won't get the same sound quality from the Monk set. It sounds grainy and kinda nasty, like someone NoNoised it to excess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkboughtlunch Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 anyone have the louis armstrong? how is the sound on that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Sound quality on the Armstrong is nice, greatly superior to the Monk set. But the performance is VERY subpar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) I like the Miles disc a lot, but I don't think the sound quality deserves that much praise. For a recording that wasn't meant to be released commercially it's very good, but it's not outstanding. The stereo perspective is vague and there is not much treble extension. I think it sounds inferior to all the official Columbia live recordings from the late 50s early 60's I have heard (Miles, Monk, Duke, etc), with the exception of the Miles@Juan-les-Pins stuff, which was recorded by french radio, and of course the Miles& Gil concert.. Edited September 6, 2007 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Pete Cosey plays standing up at this time & still had a process... a process! Miles was not pleased & this, their first union, was short-lived. Later, Pete joined The Revolution & shit was cool. & he still came into the shop for shape ups. elder don clementine, barber to the stars Looks like his half brother, Pete Covay, to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 I'll recommend this this one too. Great music and more than acceptable sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) I initially read the title of this thread as... Miles Davis - Monterey 1968 CD - it's a Wally Heider Recording! ...and about had a heart attack (with excitement), only to come crashing back to earth seconds later after I clicked on the thread. (Better than a shot of espresso for the adrenaline, I will say that! ) How would you compare it to Agartha? Edited September 6, 2007 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 Strolled into Borders the other day and found this one on sale for $9.99. Bought it and love it! Reminds me of a precursor to the Plugged Nickel sessions a couple years later. Miles has terrific chops on this one, and George Coleman is terrific. Glad I got this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Amusing bit of trivia I found in Losin: The Davis Quintet was booked for three weeks at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco (September 3-22), but the show was closed down on the 18th: the owner was charged with "employing a minor" -- Tony Williams! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 (Laughs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete C Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 The Library of Congress has a bunch of unreleased Heider recordings. I listened to several when I was there ostensibly for other research ca. '95. http://orlabs.oclc.org/identities/lccn-n92-9311/ Amusing bit of trivia I found in Losin: The Davis Quintet was booked for three weeks at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco (September 3-22), but the show was closed down on the 18th: the owner was charged with "employing a minor" -- Tony Williams! A friend of mine caught Miles in S.F. when Tony was a minor and he remembers that no alcohol was served during the group's engagement. I can't remember if he said it was the JW or Both/And. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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