The electric Miles legacy

[jazzbo]

Also. . .I don't expect it to follow conventions of jazz, rock, funk, world, etc. It seems its own thing, a sort of fever dream chronicling of 'what it is'. . . .

[JSngry]

. . .I don't expect it to follow conventions of jazz, rock, funk, world, etc. It seems its own thing, a sort of fever dream chronicling of 'what it is'. . . .

Exactly. It takes and returns, but in betwen... all bets (and paradigms) are off.

[fasstrack]

Just watched the documentary "Miles Electric," which looks at Miles Davis' quick transformation to his early electric period. A little uneven, but a nice chunk of footage of his band at Isle of Wight. Pretty amazing. Comments from the likes of Crouch, Santana (a lot of Santana, which seemed odd at first but kind of makes sense), Holland, Corea, Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Airto Moreira, DeJohnette.

Interesting music, although not something I'm really drawn to. Like pretty much everything that happened late 60s, early 70s, very much of the period; saturated with early 70s hipness that doesn't translate all that well beyond the period. For me, anyways.

But I have no doubt the music was real. There's no way that music was contrived. It was new and uncharted, for the band members themselves. Keith Jarrett said he wasn't really interested in playing an organ, and felt he brought nothing "musical" to the band. What he brought, he said, was energy. Moreira was amazing. I hadn't realized how much he brought to that middle part of the music that was referred to earlier. And the look on Holland's face as they played at Isle of Wight was one of "I'm having the time of my life." They all looked that way, really. Except for Miles -- super cool.

btw, Crouch said in the documentary that listening to Bitches Brew was like have a nail pounded into his hand with every note Miles Davis played, sort of an oblique crucifixion reference, I guess.

Good movie. saw it first run. They had a panel discussion with Leibman and Airto and others in the theater. Someone should've taped it. A guy from the audience either slammed or deified Chick Corea, I forget now. But one of the musicians made the point that if you're thinking of this music as jazz and judging itaccordingly you are up the wrong tree. Miles himself commented that his 'new music' (talking about a later band) was closer to the spirit of jazz than a lot of what 'jazz' players were doing then.

Miles has as much to say dead as alive, seemingly, so I guess this 'circus' will go on and on (like This Love of Mine)

[fasstrack]

Just watched the documentary "Miles Electric," which looks at Miles Davis' quick transformation to his early electric period. A little uneven, but a nice chunk of footage of his band at Isle of Wight. Pretty amazing. Comments from the likes of Crouch, Santana (a lot of Santana, which seemed odd at first but kind of makes sense), Holland, Corea, Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Airto Moreira, DeJohnette.

Interesting music, although not something I'm really drawn to. Like pretty much everything that happened late 60s, early 70s, very much of the period; saturated with early 70s hipness that doesn't translate all that well beyond the period. For me, anyways.

But I have no doubt the music was real. There's no way that music was contrived. It was new and uncharted, for the band members themselves. Keith Jarrett said he wasn't really interested in playing an organ, and felt he brought nothing "musical" to the band. What he brought, he said, was energy. Moreira was amazing. I hadn't realized how much he brought to that middle part of the music that was referred to earlier. And the look on Holland's face as they played at Isle of Wight was one of "I'm having the time of my life." They all looked that way, really. Except for Miles -- super cool.

btw, Crouch said in the documentary that listening to Bitches Brew was like have a nail pounded into his hand with every note Miles Davis played, sort of an oblique crucifixion reference, I guess.

Good movie. saw it first run. They had a panel discussion with Leibman and Airto and others in the theater. Someone should've taped it. A guy from the audience either slammed or deified Chick Corea, I forget now. But one of the musicians made the point that if you're thinking of this music as jazz and judging itaccordingly you are up the wrong tree. Miles himself commented that his 'new music' (talking about a later band) was closer to the spirit of jazz than a lot of what 'jazz' players were doing then.

Miles has as much to say dead as alive, seemingly, so I guess this 'circus' will go on and on (like This Love of Mine)

[BruceH]

never said he shouldn't have done it - more power to him - just said I did not think, in general, that the music was very good.

I tend to agree.

[Joe]

A couple of possibly oddball recommendations which I think will nevertheless have so appeal for those inclined (vocals are involved)...

Burnt Sugar [Greg Tate's ensemble], MAKING LOVE TO THE DARK AGES

Jandek, MANHATTAN TUESDAY

The Corwood representative on Korg synths, set / tuned to evoke Miles' GET UP WITH IT organ (I think), plus Loren Connors on guitar, Matt Heyner on bass, and Chris Corsano on drums. A bit of a stretch, but, IMO, descended at least in mood and tone from Miles' darkest 70s work.

[clifford_thornton]

Also:

Arnie Cheatham's Thing, reissued on Porter.

And one that should be reissued:

Leo Jones - Fire Engine & Crossover - (Mirrosonic)

[Joe]

And LOVE CRY WANT too, of course.

[JSngry]

Bill Barton mentioned an obvious choice in another thread - the Hagans/Belden Animation/Imagination, a group that took its inspiration from drum'n'bass taking some of its inspiration from Miles.

[jazzbo]

Yeah Animation and the Belden Bitches Brew recreation, etc. Definitely good stuff.

[david weiss]

You know, coming from a rock backround and other varied influences before I got into Jazz, hearing all the electric Miles stuff wasn't that big of a leap for me and I loved most of it upon first listen especially On The Corner, Big Fun, Get Up With It and Live Evil. Perhaps the only ones I didn't absolutely love were Agartha and Pangea. I wasn't really influenced by all the world influences in this much but loved the grooves and of course Miles' playing on top of them. The "Lost Quintet" of 1969 is the music that has had the strongest impact on me though. The energy they bought to the music is some of the most intense playing I've probably ever heard from any band rooted in Jazz and this is the energy I'm going for in my new group. The music itself might not be as strong of an influence but the power and impact of how this music is presented is how I want to my stuff to come off. We don't seem to be in an era where most are trying to bring it like this and I miss that.

I do have to admit that some of Belden's projects come the closet I've heard to this (not Miles in India though) but while Tim Hagans is an amazing trumpet player, I never thought he was right for this (but maybe no trumpet player is, big shoes to fill)