452 Electric, eclectic Miles Davis
How do you like your Jazz? Chaotic, energetic, exhausting, inspiring, intense, innovative, improvised, psychedelic and totally out there? (A bit like Sex?) Here’s an electric, eclectic Miles Davis in a 1970 concert with Chick Corea and the amazing Jack DeJohnette on drums. It's optional to look at the Psychedelic Sex illustration while listening, but don't miss watching Dave Holland's bass solo at about 18:00 ... this is music from a different age, totally free and uninhibited, unlike anything today (apologies for the start of the recording, it cuts in somewhat abruptly; bear with it ... give it a minute to get into the groove; these 45min are a trip to times past).
From Dangerous Minds
MUSIC MEANT FOR THE COSMOS:
WATCH AN INTENSE MILES DAVIS CONCERT
FROM THE ‘BITCHES BREW’ ERA
God, is this great.
Here we have the incredible Miles Davis performance from the Tanglewood music
festival, held in Lenox, Massachusetts, during August 1970. Earlier in the
year, Miles released his landmark double album, Bitches
Brew, and though the fusion of jazz and rock heard in the grooves was
controversial amongst jazz purists, it was a big hit in the rock world. Thus,
Davis found himself playing for a new and expanded audience, with the
Tanglewood gig being one of the biggest shows he had played yet. The
professionally shot video was recently uploaded to YouTube by the good folks at Music Vault, who own the rights.
Here’s an excerpt
from the notes on the event:
"Other than his
appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival later this same month, the Tanglewood
performance was possibly the largest audience that Miles Davis had encountered
up to this point. His extraordinary band, containing many soon to be legendary
musicians, was all deeply immersed in the early experiments into electric
instrumentation. This incendiary performance captures Miles embracing a rock
dynamic in his music that was more electric, more funky, more rhythmic, and
simply more “out there” than anything that had proceeded it.
"Much of the
material performed this night derives from Miles’ studio sessions during the
groundbreaking In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew album
sessions. Because the performance remains one long continuous suite, it allows
one to follow the flow and logic of the music over an extended period of time.
This continual flow, devoid of announcements identifying the songs, often left
critics and some listeners confused, but focused listening reveals that
distinct changes are taking place. Miles is thoroughly in control of the
musical direction at all times, whether he is in the forefront or not. Miles
guides the music back to particular vamps or themes, continually bringing focus
to the group improvisations. The swift and agile response of the musicians to
Miles’ cues and coded phrases is truly remarkable and is a primary reason for
the relentless intensity of this music.
"Miles and his group
were opening for Santana that night, as Carlos Santana had hand-selected Davis
for the slot. Years later, Carlos had this to say about the performance: “The
played music meant for the cosmos. It was out, it was in, it was unreal, and it
was oh so glorious.”
The band:
Miles Davis -
trumpet
Gary Bartz - soprano and alto sax
Chick Corea - electric piano
Keith
Jarrett - organ, electric piano
Dave Holland - electric and acoustic bass
Jack
DeJohnette - drums
Airto Moriera – percussion