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Acoustic, electronic, as part of a quintet, an octet - hard bop and true fusion - Miles Davis went through the second half of the 20th century as his own worst critic, constantly reinventing himself and questioning the norms. Here's a playlist that offers up a little taste of each unique period in a glittering career in Jazz music.Photo © Richard Rot...
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Miles Davis, Composer, Trumpet, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenny Clarke, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pierre Michelot, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Barney Wilen, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - René Urtreger, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Marcel Romano, Producer
℗ 1958 Decca Records France, Mit freundlicher Genehmigung der Universal Music International
Jimmy Cobb, Drums - Bill Evans, Piano - Irving Townsend, Producer - Paul Chambers, Bass - John Coltrane, Tenor Saxophone - Julian Cannonball Adderley, Alto Saxophone - Miles Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Miles Davis, Lyricist -
Originally released 1959. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Miles Davis, Trumpet - Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Alto Saxophone - John Coltrane, Tenor Saxophone - Red Garland, Piano - Paul Chambers, Bass - "Philly" Joe Jones, Drum - Written by Miles Davis - George Avakian, Record Producer - Bob Belden, Record Producer - Michael Cuscuna, Producer - Harold Chapman, Recording Engineer - Mark Wilder, Mixing Engineer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mixer
Originally released 1958. All rights reserved by SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Frank E. Churchill, Composer - Frank E. Churchill, Lyricist - Frank Laico, Recording Engineer - Hank Mobley, Tenor Saxophone - Jimmy Cobb, Bass - Larry Morey, Composer - Larry Morey, Lyricist - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Paul Chambers, Bass - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer - Teo Macero, Producer - Wynton Kelly, Piano
Originally recorded 1961. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
BILL SCHNEE, Mixer - Tommy Lipuma, ExecutiveProducer - Eric Calvi, Engineer - Miles Davis, Trumpet, MainArtist - Jason Miles, Synthesizer Programmer - MARCUS MILLER, Producer, Arranger, Writer, Synthesizer Programmer, All Additional Instruments - Paulinho Da Costa, Percussion - Erik Zobler, Engineer - ADAM HOLZMAN, Synthesizer Programmer - PETER DOELL, Engineer
© 1986 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1986 Warner Records Inc.
Miles Davis, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - M. Davis, Composer - J. FISHEL, Producer - J. MCEWEN, Producer - S. TONKEL, Producer
(P) 1981 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Al Foster, Drums - Badal Roy, Tabla - Billy Hart, Drums - Bob Belden, Re-Issue Producer - Colin Walcott, Sitar - David Leiberman, Soprano Saxophone - Harold "Ivory" Williams, Organ - Harold "Ivory" Williams, Synthesizer - Herbie Hancock, Synthesizer - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - John McLaughlin, Guitar - M. Davis, Composer - M. Davis, Lyricist - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Michael Henderson, Bass - Miles Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Russ Payne, Engineer - Stan Tonkel, Engineer - Teo Macero, Producer
(P) 1972 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Miles Davis, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Teo Macero, Producer - Elvin Jones, Percussion - Manuel de Falla, Composer, Lyricist - Phil Schaap, Mastering Engineer - Jose Mangual, Percussion - Jimmy Cobb, Drums - Tom ''Curly'' Ruff, Engineer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Fred Plaut, Recording Engineer - Paul Chambers, Bass - Janet Putman, Harp - Al Block, Flute - Harold Feldman, Flute - Romeo Penque, Oboe - Jack Knitzer, Bassoon - Danny Bank, Bass Clarinet - Ernie Royal, Trumpet - Bernie Glow, Trumpet - Louis Mucci, Trumpet - Johnny Coles, Trumpet - Jimmy Buffington, French Horn - Joe Singer, French Horn - Tony Miranda, French Horn - Dick Hixon, Trombone - Frank Rehak, Trombone
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
George Coleman, Tenor Saxophone - Herbie Hancock, Piano - L. Hart, Composer - L. Hart, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - R. Rodgers, Composer - R. Rodgers, Lyricist - Ron Carter, Bass - Teo Macero, Producer - Tony Williams, Drums
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Attala Zane Giles, Composer, Producer, Arranger, VocalArranger - Miles Davis, Composer, Arranger, Keyboards, Trumpet, Horns Arranger, Synthesizer, MainArtist - Erin Davis, Producer - Randy Hall, Composer, Producer, Arranger, Horns Arranger, Rhythm Guitar - ADAM HOLZMAN, Programming - Felton Crews, Bass Guitar - Michael Paulo, Solo Flute, Alto Saxophone - Vince Wilburn Jr., Producer, ExecutiveProducer - Vince Wilburn, Jr., Drum Programmer - Cheryl Davis, ExecutiveProducer - Glenn Burris, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone - Darryl Porter, ExecutiveProducer
© 2019 Warner Records. All rights reserved. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2019 Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
Miles Davis, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - John Coltrane, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Chambers, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Philly Joe Jones, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Dizzy Gillespie, ComposerLyricist - Kenny Clarke, ComposerLyricist - Red Garland, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Weinstock, Producer - The Miles Davis Quintet, MainArtist
℗ 2007 Prestige Records/Fantasy, Inc.
Herbie Hancock, Piano - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Ronald Carter, Bass - Teo Macero, Producer - Tony Williams, Drums - Wayne Shorter, Composer - Wayne Shorter, Lyricist - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone
Originally released 1967. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Easy Mo Bee, Producer, Writer - Miles Davis, Writer, MainArtist - MATT PIERSON, AssociateProducer - GORDON MELTZER, AssociateProducer
© 1992 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1992 Warner Records Inc.
Miles Davis, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Trumpet, Associated Performer, Trumpet - Teo Macero, Producer - Tony Williams, Drums - M. Davis, Composer, Lyricist - Herbie Hancock, Piano - Mike Berniker, Producer - Tim Geelan, Re-Mixer - Ron Carter, Bass - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Miles Davis, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Trumpet, Associated Performer, Trumpet - T. Monk, Composer - B. Hanighen, Composer - Philly Joe Jones, Drums - C. Williams, Composer - Red Garland, Piano - Paul Chambers, Bass - John Coltrane, Tenor Saxophone - George Avakian, Producer
Originally released 1957. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Bennie Maupin, Bass Clarinet - Dave Holland, Bass - John McLaughlin, Guitar - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Chick Corea, Piano - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mixer - Harvey Brooks, Acoustic Bass - Wayne Shorter, Soprano Saxophone - Bob Beldon, Re-Issue Producer - Michael Cuscuna, Executive Producer - Joe Zawinul, Piano - Don Alias, Congas - Stan Tonkel, Recording Engineer - Miles Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Teo Macero, Producer - Lenny White, Drums - Jumma Santos (Jim Riley), Shaker - Frank Laico, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 Saland Publishing (P) 2009 Saland Publishing
Miles Davis, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Producer, Trumpet, Associated Performer, Producer, Trumpet - John Scofield, Guitar - R. IRVING III, Composer - Robert Irving III, Arranger, Co-Producer, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer - Darryl "The Munch" Jones, Bass Guitar - Mino Cinelu, Percussion - Vince Wilburn Jr., Co-Producer - George, Dr. Butler, Executive Producer - Al Foster, Drums - Tom Swift, Assistant Engineer, Editor - Ronald F. Lorman, Engineer, Re-Mixer - Branford Marsalis, Soprano Saxophone - Bob Ludwig, Mastering Engineer
(P) 1984 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Al Foster, Drums - Teo Macero, Producer - Mike Stern, Guitar - Don Pulse, Re-Mixer - Bill Evans, Soprano Saxophone - M. Davis, Lyricist - M. Davis, Composer - Ted Brosnan, 2nd Engineer - Nancy Byers, 2nd Engineer - Miles Davis, Arranger - Miles Davis, Performer - Sammy Figueroa, Percussion - Marcus Miller, Bass - Stanley Tonkel, Engineer - Joe Gastwirt, Mastering Engineer - G. Butler, Executive Producer -
(P) 1981 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Herbie Hancock, Piano - Ron Carter, Bass - Wayne Shorter, Composer - Wayne Shorter, Lyricist - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone - Teo Macero, Producer - Tony Williams, Drums - Miles Davis & His Orchestra, Trumpet - Miles Davis, Performer -
(P) 1976 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Miles Davis & His Orchestra, Trumpet - Al Foster, Drums - Bob Berg, Tenor Saxophone - ROBERT IRVING III, Producer - R. Hyman, Composer - R. Hyman, Lyricist - Steve Thornton, Percussion - Miles Davis, Producer - Miles Davis, Performer - Vince Wilburn Jr., Co-Producer - Robert Irving III, Keyboards - Darryl Jones, Bass -
(P) 1985 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Ahmad Jamal, ComposerLyricist - The Miles Davis Quintet, MainArtist
℗ 2016 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Herbie Hancock, Piano - Wayne Shorter, Composer - Wayne Shorter, Lyricist - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone - Teo Macero, Producer - Ronald Carter, Bass - Tony Williams, Drums - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet -
(P) Originally released 1967. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
John Guerriere, Re-Mixer - Miles Davis & His Orchestra, Organ - Miles Davis & His Orchestra, Trumpet - Al Foster, Drums - Stan Weiss, Re-Mixer - Stan Tonkel, Recording Engineer - Pete Cosey, Guitar - Reggie Lucas, Guitar - Mtume Mtume, Percussion - Teo Macero, Producer - Sonny Fortune, Flute - Michael Henderson, Acoustic Bass - Miles Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Performer - Dominique Gaumont, Guitar -
(P) 1974 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Thelonious Monk, Composer - The Miles Davis Quintet, MainArtist
℗ 2007 Prestige Records/Fantasy, Inc.
Lee Konitz, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Miles Davis, Trumpet, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Pete Rugolo, Producer - J.J. Johnson, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - John Lewis, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Gerry Mulligan, Baritone Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Gunther Schuller, French Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Max Roach, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Carisi, ComposerLyricist - Al McKibbon, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - John Barber, Tuba, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 1998 Blue Note Records(C) 1998 Blue Note Records ℗ 1954 Blue Note Records
Herbie Hancock, Piano - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mixer - Miles Davis, Composer - Miles Davis, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Rob Schwarz, Mastering Engineer - Ronald Carter, Acoustic Bass - Teo Macero & His Orchestra, Producer - Tony Williams, Drums - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Herbie Hancock, Piano - Irving Townsend, Producer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Miles Davis Quintet, Performer - Ronald Carter, Bass - Tony Williams, Drums - Wayne Shorter, Composer - Wayne Shorter, Lyricist - Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Tony Williams, Drums - J. Kozma, Composer - J. Kozma, Lyricist - Teo Macero, Producer - George Coleman, Tenor Saxophone - Herbie Hancock, Piano - J. Mercer, Composer - J. Mercer, Lyricist - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Miles Davis, Performer - J. Prevert, Composer - J. Prevert, Lyricist - Ron Carter, Bass -
Originally Released 1964 Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Attala Zane Giles, Composer, Producer, Arranger, VocalArranger - Ledisi, Background Vocals, FeaturedArtist - Miles Davis, Composer, Trumpet, MainArtist - Erin Davis, ExecutiveProducer - Randy Hall, Composer, Producer, Arranger, Guitar, VocalArranger - King Errison, Congas - Vince Wilburn Jr., Producer - Vince Wilburn, Jr., Composer, Arranger, Percussion, ExecutiveProducer - Cheryl Davis, ExecutiveProducer - Arthur Haynes, Composer, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Upright Bass, Programming - Anthony "Mac Nass" Loffman, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Samples, Programming - Anthony Loffman, Composer - Darryl Porter, ExecutiveProducer
© 2019 Warner Records. All rights reserved. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2019 Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
About Playlist
Acoustic, electronic, as part of a quintet, an octet - hard bop and true fusion - Miles Davis went through the second half of the 20th century as his own worst critic, constantly reinventing himself and questioning the norms. Here's a playlist that offers up a little taste of each unique period in a glittering career in Jazz music.
Photo © Richard Rothman
Miles Davis in 10 Albums
by Marc Zisman
Thirty years after his death, Miles Davis is still one of the most important musicians of his time. The trumpeter's impressive discography perfectly sums up his perpetually questioning, probing attitude; and also shows how his influence reaches out beyond the world of jazz. These ten albums, selected subjectively from among a sea of revolutionary works, prove it.
The rhythmic work on In a Silent Way had laid the foundations for a new era. But everything really changed in the summer of that same year 1969 when Miles Davis locked himself away with twelve musicians to record what would become the iconic double album Bitches Brew, released in April 1970. The collision between jazz, rhythm'n'blues, funk and rock'n'roll was violent. This was like nothing audiences had ever heard before. It was a 90-minute magic trick in which the trumpeter demonstrated his mastery of Hendrix, funk, rock, blues and a good part of jazz history. Despite this openness, he didn't succeed with the majority of his younger audience, who were not yet mature enough for the complexity of his electric discourse. Purists on the other hand thought that Miles had sold his soul to the devil: some accused him of lapsing into commercialism. The pure ramblings of this extreme and extremist music were a long way from the standard fare of American radio stations: it was hazardous for curious eardrums. Once again, Miles and his accomplices spent hours in the studio improvising around simple motifs and chord progressions, without any prior arrangement. “It was like an orchestra", explained drummer Lenny White, "and Miles was our conductor. We wore headphones. We had to be able to hear each other. There were no guests at that session. No photos allowed. All live recording, no overdubs. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for three days”. The master of ceremonies was giving his sidemen carte blanche, but you can sometimes hear him in the distance giving out a few instructions on the record. Even his usually cool playing is much more incisive and even aggressive here. In addition to the faithful Wayne Shorter on saxophone, Dave Holland on bass, Chick Corea on electric piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums, the six themes of Bitches Brew feature Joe Zawinul, John McLaughlin, Larry Young, Lenny White, Don Alias, Juma Santos and Bennie Maupin. The other central character is the recording studio itself. Loops, effects, echo chambers and dozens of collages: Miles and his producer Teo Macero spent hours sculpting this electric blowout. The work was excessive: 'Pharoah’s Dance' was made up of 19 different elements! A pianist and a drummer on the right channel. Another pianist and another drummer in the left. Bitches Brew is about bringing in everything that's possible. It's a far cry from the good old jazz jam session captured in a single take... The result, dark and bewitching, is neither purely rock, nor purely funk, nor purely jazz for that matter. It's... something else!
On the Corner (Columbia – 1972)
On the Corner is the Miles Davis album most in tune with the canon of funk. And not just for the groovy cover by cartoonist Corky McCoy... For the first time, the trumpeter is in the studio with more than fifteen musicians! Its robust cast list is representative of all the effervescence of the music recorded in New York in the summer of 1972. The backbone is the hypnotic bass of Michael Henderson, an ex-Motown stakhanovite. All around him, layers of sound are thrown in by a Miles we don't hear from very often: murderous white noise (he has kitted out his trumpet with a wah wah), percussion with exotic flavours, marathon funk drumming (James Brown's 'Cold Sweat' is quoted here and there by Billy Hart and Jack DeJohnette on the drums); there is a total implosion of the rules of composition, with harmony and melody shunted into second place. This record is a veritable treasure trove of golden sounds, like the famed filtered wah wah effect created when Henderson plugs his bass into a Mu-Tron pedal on 'One And One'. In his autobiography, Miles points out that in addition to the influences of James Brown and Sly Stone (introduced to him by his then-wife, the funk artist Betty Davis), he was affected by those of Ornette Coleman and above all the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, from whom he says he learned the use of addition and deletion as a method of musical creation. This was a major component in Davis's art, both in front of the microphones and behind the console. A commercial and critical flop, On the Corner and its hypnotic, repetitive motifs would unfortunately find little traction upon release in October 1972. As ever, Miles was ahead of his time...
Tutu (Warner – 1986)
Although the late stage of Miles Davis' career was neither the most fruitful nor the most artistically astounding, it nevertheless coincided with the peak of his fame. Whatever he did, the trumpeter, who certainly had nothing left to prove, had become an untouchable and adored figure who played to full houses all over the world. From the comeback track The Man With the Horn in 1981 to his death on 28 September 1991 at the age of 65, his recordings - which were very electric - always sought to be rooted in their times and to showcase younger musicians. With its magnificent cover (a black and white portrait signed by photographer Irving Penn), the very funky Tutu is one of the highlights of his final decade. In 1986, Miles left Columbia, his (almost) lifelong home, to join Warner. This was the occasion for another musical departure: yet another jazz-funk fusion project. Tutu was the result. This album was also the fruit of collaboration with another musician: Marcus Miller. This electric bassist, a worthy heir to Jaco Pastorius and Larry Graham, concocted for the trumpeter a modern musical backdrop that would propel Miles back to centre stage. It was a stunning return of the synthesiser, which naturally had a very 80s sound. "My first meeting with Miles was in 1981", the bassist recounted 20 years later. "I had spent two years in his group, it was a huge blessing. My aim was to be able to do it all: writing, playing producing. In 1986, Miles did his sessions with Prince, but that didn't satisfy his new label. So I was writing and thinking of him. He listened to my demos and said OK right away. In the studio, I was too overawed to direct him. ‘You've GOT to tell me how you want me to play,’ he yelled. And I did what he said"... In addition to these two men, Tutu brought together veterans and long-time studio sharks, who were always happy to come and do a stint for Miles. Featuring George Duke, Omar Hakim, Bernard Wright, Michał Urbaniak, Jason Miles, Paulinho da Costa, Adam Holzman, Steve Reid and Billy Hart, Tutu was the perfect soundtrack for the mid-80s, when synths ruled and suits were worn two sizes too big. In the midst of this highly stylised, very Miami Vice setting, Miles' phrasing remained as airy, poetic and timeless as ever.
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