Miles electric period

[skeith]

I believe there was a thread about this - was it the John Szwed biographry or was it a book about the various groups in the fusion/electric jazz movement? I can't find what I thought I had read previously - maybe I dreamed it.

[JSngry]

The book by Paul Tingen is pretty good overall. Good chronology, and a not bad basic understanding of the actual music

If you really want to get into the nuts and bolts breakdowns of how it was musically put together, go on over to the Miles Ahead site and read the thing by Enrico Merlin (I gotta think that's a pseudonym for somebody...).

[Guy Berger]

Second on Tingen being worth a read.

Pluses:

1) He did his homework with interviews of musicians and other primary sources.

2) He is open-minded to this music and gives the 80s comeback era a fair shake.

3) He understands the music enough to talk about it, as Jim says above.

Minuses:

1) Tingen comes from a rock background, which is important for this kind of book, but since he is talking about "fusion" music (in the literal sense), more knowledge of jazz would have been useful.

2) He has an annoying tendency to interject his own spiritual beliefs. This is irritating and disruptive.

Quibbles:

3) He views the 73-75 band as the zenith of the electric period and this perspective colors his writing.

4) Excessive focus on official recordings.

5) He badmouths "Mademoiselle Mabry" and "Pharoah's Dance"!!!!

I would generally steer clear of the Chambers book's discussion of the electric period - the guy is 95% clueless on this music.

Guy

[JSngry]

Also, if you can find it/them, there were two late 70s articles in Down Beat by Greg Tate(?) that sort of sounded the clarion call for "critical reevaluation" of Miles' electric music. Those are well worth a read, not so much for musical analysis, but just to get a flavor as to what more and more people are coming to appreciate in the music that at one time was not generally acknowledged by the "critical community" or many "jazz fans".

Guy - I don't recall any of the author's "spiritual beliefs" in the book. What am I forgetting?

Also, I tend to agree that the 73-75 period was the zenith of the pre-retirement electric period. I still think that in many ways it's the most personal music Miles ever made.

[Guy Berger]

Tingen keeps referring to "zen", "holons", "beginner's mind", etc. I haven't read the book in a while and can't pull the quotes off the top of my head.

Guy

I'd also add that Bob Belden's commentary on this period is generally worth reading and offers a nice complement to Tingen.

[JSngry]

Oh, that Zen stuff. Yeah. Didn't bother me as I found it more generically "spiritual" than anything "religious". YMMV, of course.

Bob was one of the very, very few "jazz musicians" I knew at the time who were following Miles' music's growth & evolution and who actually got it. I'm not aware of any codified, published commentary by him other than liner notes, but the first time I read the Enrico Merlin thing, I swore it was written by him.

Of course, he denies it completely, but...

[skeith]

JSangrey and Guy,

Thanks for your helpful input and insights!!!

[JSngry]

Always happy to encourage those who want to explore this wonderful music!

[sidewinder]

'Running The Voodoo Down - The Electric Music Of Miles Davis' (Philip Freeman) is definitely worth a read (Backbeat Books).

[medjuck]

Tingen keeps referring to "zen", "holons", "beginner's mind", etc. I haven't read the book in a while and can't pull the quotes off the top of my head.

Guy

I'd also add that Bob Belden's commentary on this period is generally worth reading and offers a nice complement to Tingen.

If you're referring to the commentary in the box sets, I agree. Also he had information not available to Tingen.

[B. Clugston]

'Running The Voodoo Down - The Electric Music Of Miles Davis' (Philip Freeman) is definitely worth a read (Backbeat Books).

I stopped reading Running the Voodoo Down on page 2, where Freeman claims Sonny Fortune is on saxophone on Dark Magus. Apparently it gets worse: http://www.miles-beyond.com/freemanerrors.htm

I do recommend the Tingen book. The 73-75 band tends to get ignored (the On the Corner box had very little documentation/interviews and no track analysis compared to previous sets), but Tingen interviewed almost everyone in the band. Mtume and Reggie Lucas, in particular, have some very interesting things to say.

Chambers' book is pretty clueless on this period. He knocks Miles Davis In Concert, but so mangles the details it's as if he only listened to it once.

I'm pretty sure Enrico Merlin isn't a pseudonym.

[JSngry]

I'm pretty sure Enrico Merlin isn't a pseudonym.

Interesting. Does Mr. Merlin turn up anywhere else? I'd like to read what else he has to say, because what he wrote about Miles' use of "coded phrases" to guide and transition the band was totally spot on.

[B. Clugston]

I'm pretty sure Enrico Merlin isn't a pseudonym.

Interesting. Does Mr. Merlin turn up anywhere else? I'd like to read what else he has to say, because what he wrote about Miles' use of "coded phrases" to guide and transition the band was totally spot on.

I've seen his discographical work in a lot of liner notes. Some of it appears at the end of Miles Beyond. He's Italian. He's got an incredible grasp of the minutiae of Davis' electric period--for example, he finds little snippets here and there in songs such as "Maiysha" that were first played by Davis back in the 1950s. I do find some of his song titling confusing and I prefer Pete Losin for that.

[Mark Stryker]

A Nexis search turns up only three hits for Enrico Merlin.

One is from a St. Louis Post Dispatch story from 1996 about the second "Miles Davis and American Culture" symposium at Washington University organized by Gerald Early and Elizabeth Kellerman of the University's American Culture Studies Institute and the African and Afro-American Studies Program. Deep in the story there's this: "The European scholar/musicians Enrico Merlin and Laurent Cugny each presented a detailed lesson in active listening as they analyzed Davis' musical evolution, work that will surely contribute much to "Davisology."

The other hits are references Merlin's "Sessionography, 1967-1991" in Tingen's book, but from the web I found this: Anybody speak Italian? http://www.riminibeach.it/eventi/enrico-merlin-e-debora-lombardo-quartet

I haven't read it but the other book I'm aware of about late Miles is "The Last Miles" by George Cole. http://www.thelastmiles.com/

Edited February 2, 2011 by Mark Stryker

[B. Clugston]

Here's Merlin on youtube. In Italian:

[Guy Berger]

Dave Liebman's commentary on this band's music has also been interesting. I wouldn't mind if he decided to write a book on its music.

[Mark Stryker]

Dave Liebman's commentary on this band's music has also been interesting. I wouldn't mind if he decided to write a book on its music.

Here's an article Liebman wrote about his time with Miles.

http://www.daveliebman.com/earticles1.php?WEBYEP_DI=1

[PHILLYQ]

A Nexis search turns up only three hits for Enrico Merlin.

but from the web I found this: Anybody speak Italian? http://www.riminibeach.it/eventi/enrico-merlin-e-debora-lombardo-quartet

I haven't read it but the other book I'm aware of about late Miles is "The Last Miles" by George Cole. http://www.thelastmiles.com/

Porcy is from Rome, maybe he's willing to translate?

[J.A.W.]

A Nexis search turns up only three hits for Enrico Merlin.

but from the web I found this: Anybody speak Italian? http://www.riminibeach.it/eventi/enrico-merlin-e-debora-lombardo-quartet

I haven't read it but the other book I'm aware of about late Miles is "The Last Miles" by George Cole. http://www.thelastmiles.com/

Porcy is from Rome, maybe he's willing to translate?

This is the Google translation which I edited slightly to get rid of a few idiotic translations:

At Piacenza Jazz Fest 2010 a double date with music and literature. "The kaleidoscopic ways & worlds of Miles Davis'" Enrico Merlin presents his book "Bitches Brew" at the Library "Passerini Landi"in Piacenza Saturday, March 13 at 17:00. Debora Lombardo Quartet at the shopping center "Gothic"in Piacenza at 17.30 at the "Piazza del Gusto" in the show, "The Jazz Center"

[Mark Stryker]

A Nexis search turns up only three hits for Enrico Merlin.

but from the web I found this: Anybody speak Italian? http://www.riminibeach.it/eventi/enrico-merlin-e-debora-lombardo-quartet

I haven't read it but the other book I'm aware of about late Miles is "The Last Miles" by George Cole. http://www.thelastmiles.com/

Porcy is from Rome, maybe he's willing to translate?

This is the Google translation which I edited slightly to get rid of a few idiotic translations:

At Piacenza Jazz Fest 2010 a double date with music and literature. "The kaleidoscopic ways & worlds of Miles Davis'" Enrico Merlin presents his book "Bitches Brew" at the Library "Passerini Landi"in Piacenza Saturday, March 13 at 17:00. Debora Lombardo Quartet at the shopping center "Gothic"in Piacenza at 17.30 at the "Piazza del Gusto" in the show, "The Jazz Center"

Thanks -- scrolling down at the link there appears to be a detailed bio but perhaps too much to to deal with going through a Google translation, at least too much for me to deal with tonight ...

[J.A.W.]

Thanks -- scrolling down at the link there appears to be a detailed bio but perhaps too much to to deal with going through a Google translation, at least too much for me to deal with tonight ...

Hadn't seen it. Here's the Google translation, "as is" - haven't checked it for weird and idiotic translations:

Enrico Merlin, musician and music historian of the 900, has conducted several studies on Miles Davis, presented in numerous international conferences and has become one of his studies textbook for a course in Harvard University. " He has worked with the heirs of Miles Davis (the first official discography), the Oscar-winning documentarian Murray Lerner (for the DVD "Miles at Isle of Wight) and with various publishers. E 'was also editor of two multimedia exhibits at Davis. As a guitarist and composer worked on various projects in ensemble and solo, traditional jazz (Tiger Dixie Band) to the contemporary. He has collaborated with among others Lee Konitz, Maria Schneider, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Markus Stockhausen, Paolo Fresu, Claudio Fasoli. It 'the author of soundtracks for documentaries, films and plays. E 'artistic director of the "Learning Center MusicaTeatroDanza" in Rovereto (TN) and "NonSoleJazz Festival" (TN).

At Piacenza Merlin will lead the audience on a fascinating journey through the "turning power" of one of the most charismatic figures of the culture of 900, through guided listening, anecdotes and stories. A popular presentation of the literary work of Henry and fluid Veniero Rizzardi Merlin and "Bitches Brew - Miles Davis masterpiece of Genesis" (published by Basic Books, 2009), which examines in meticulous and detailed one of the great masterpieces of music on disc , Bitches Brew, recorded in August 1969 in Studio B of the "Columbia" was released in 1970, considered a cornerstone of contemporary music, for several reasons. Bitches Brew was something completely new, in fact, Miles Davis brought the studio an 'orchestra' unprecedented 13 solo, with a rhythm section and enlarged with some notes on paper, after only one night of testing, in three days and nine hours of recording an album was born whose historical significance was immediately clear. It was also the first album "gold" in the history of jazz with 400,000 copies sold in two years, redefined the field of contemporary music and influenced generations of musicians and listeners. Finally, it was labeled as the progenitor of a musical genre that combines the subtleties of jazz improvisation with the energy of rock. But the true, unheard, new proportions was in the same breath formal unusually extended to twenty-plus minutes, the result of a wise post-production work, which has often talked about, but the book is first examined in every aspect. Bitches Brew, the finish of the modal testing and springboard for new trials side of improvisation, the organization of musical materials and innovative methods of study, is the result of a long and complex "negotiations" between business needs and strategies artistic visionary. Psychedelic and designed as a musical innovation, but at the same time planned as a big commercial success, was in fact the result of a series of experiments lasted several years, during which the insights and the artistic vision of Miles entered a fruitful tension with the interests of its publisher, but Davis could always count thin on the mediation of the composer-producer Teo Macero, who with great wisdom and transfigured composition assembled the recorded material, with a superb job of editing, so as to be genuine co-author next to Miles.

Consulting for the first time a substantial archive material and original tapes of the sessions of study (owned by Sony), in addition to numerous papers gathered by Teo Macero (preserved at the "Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York) through an accurate and complete record of the preparation, registration and post-production, and Enrico Merlin Veniero Rizzardi reconstruct the genesis of the album, from everything that happened before Bitches Brew, for the reader to understand artistic and human quest'inarrivabile led Miles to reach the finish line. The story of a disc becomes music history: the story goes from 1968 to 1970, the years in which the music of Davis met perhaps the most interesting evolution of his entire career and developed since the last months of life of the historic Miles quintet with whom he worked during the sixties, ending with the triumph in the temple of the rock era, "the Fillmore East in New York.

At 17.30, near the "Piazza del Gusto" Shopping Centre "Gothic" in Piacenza, Via Emilia Parmense 151, as part of "The Jazz Center" side to the festival and organized in close collaboration with the Directorate Centre's "Gothic", is scheduled concert Debora Lombardo Quartet: Debora Lombardo, voice, will be joined on stage by Mario Zara piano, bass and Michael Mazzoni Luca Mezzadri on drums (admission free). During the concert, the mall will offer a drink to all visitors to enrich the musical moments with an extra touch of friendliness.

The vocalist Debora Lombardo Rimini is a strong voice from the "pop" more refined, but his passion for singing jazz makes an interpreter of absolute skill, able to reinterpret standard songs and "lighter" with skill and pathos. Light lyric soprano, began her vocal studies at age 17 with Maestro Roberto Coviello, renowned in opera and luminary of the school Rodolfo Celletti. He continued his musical studies at Pavia and later ones as a private voice under the guidance of Maestro Vincenzo Spatola, Baritone and internationally renowned teacher. The Lombard has active collaboration with the conductor and arranger and trumpeter Gabriele Comeglio Emilio Soana (with whom he had the opportunity to perform in some reviews Jazz, including Jazz Voghera, Bergamo Jazz, "Jazz at the college in Pavia) and with Ad Majora Group, Fabrizio Sforzini, Beatrice Baccarini, Ivano Maggi, Stefano Rogledi, Claudia Prada, Stefano Bertolotti, Fabio Franceschetti, Mario Zara, Stefano Bagnoli, Riccardo Fioravanti, Giulio Visibelli, Marco Ricci, Tullio Ricci Azzaro Gianni, Michele Tacchi, Claudio Guide, Fabio De March, Max Bell, Philip Rodolfi Mangialajo Titus, James, Lampugnani, Marco Testa, Dionigi Turcinovic, Alex Carrera, Simone Lysine, BB Band, Loris Tarantino, Piero Orsini, Riccardo Bianchi, Massimiliano Alloisio, Loris Stefanuto Rossolatino, Gendrickson Mena. She is currently working artistically with various jazz groups: The "Quartet Debora Lombardo", the "Trio" and "BB Band" (six items), in which a repertoire that ranges from classic swing standards to contemporary songs and accredited general. E 'solo' Ticinum Gospel Choir and pianist Mario Zara has made the recording project "Through The Rain" (Ultrasound Records, distributed by Catfish), where there are new songs written together by the two artists, in addition to standard arranged in an original way.

On the occasion of the exhibition "The Jazz Center" at the Mall "Gothic" will be exhibited for a few days a part of the photographic exhibition Fermoimmagine - Shots from the previous Jazz Fest: images that capture a bit of creativity or relaxation of many artists occurred in the six previous editions of Piacenza Jazz Fest, taken by official photographers of the event. The photographs are part of a "Daily Show" set up in many other parts of the city.

The official program of Piacenza Jazz Fest, with the particulars of the contacts, tickets and pre-sales, is published on the site "www.piacenzajazzfest.it"

[Peter Johnson]

Just chiming in to say that if that's what autotranslation is up to these days, well, DAMN. Not too shabby. Don't really want to be a one language society, however.

[sidewinder]

I stopped reading Running the Voodoo Down on page 2, where Freeman claims Sonny Fortune is on saxophone on Dark Magus. Apparently it gets worse: http://www.miles-beyond.com/freemanerrors.htm

Intertesting ! Certainly found it an enjoyable read though, irrespective of the level of accuracy.

Edited February 3, 2011 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

I really enjoyed the Tingen - in fact it got me exploring the electric music more fully a few years back.

I too found I had to suspend my disbelief during the spiritual stuff. Says on the dust jacket he is based in Scotland and California. Think the latter has got him.

Wonder what it would have been like if he'd had allowed John Knox to be his spiritual guide?

Good book though.

[skeith]

I am reading Tingen's book now, and I have to say I am underwhelmed.

First of all, as someone who champions this era of Miles's work, it is amazing how many of the recordings he doesn't like. For example, "Go Ahead John" ... a track he thinks is not good. Interesting, I thought that was one of the better tracks. Another example, he refers to the tracks "Nem Un Talvez""Little Church" and "Selim" as "these three ear-grating tracks" and ok while these are hardly representative of the electric period, my god that judgment seems harsh. Whole albums such as "Black Beauty" and "At the Fillmore" are pretty much dismissed. Even a lot of the tracks he praises, he qualifies by saying "it goes on too long"... wish I had a dollar for every time he says that.

As for his discussion of zen and holons etc, it is thankfully confined mostly to one chapter so this didn't bother me much. And in that chapter he discusses why Miles didn't choose free jazz (a genre Tingen pretty much dismisses) and concludes because he is basically a blues player - maybe - but one of his key examples of free players- Ornette Coleman - was a pretty mean blues player.

He spends way too much time discussing whether Miles's forays into rock and funk were "sellouts" and wisely concludes no, but I say who cares if the music is good and I think most of his readers would have that attitude also. It somewhat undercuts his conclusion by many references to what he calls Miles's desire to reach a broader audience or a blacker audience as if the audience was dictating the music's direction, not Miles. For many that is the definition of sellout.

I am not sorry many here suggested it to me, but I don't get the excitement for it.

Edited April 27, 2011 by skeith