Something for all you jazz-heads out there

Just wondering what the good people of the org think about 1980-1991 "comeback" era of Miles Davis?

I think this is one of his most controversial and debated periods of his long career. There really is a divide of opinion among fans. You get the die-hard "old-school" fans who insist that it was just a total sell-out, and then you get the younger fans who consider Tutu to be just as important as Kind Of Blue.

So where do you stand?

(I'll give me opinion after a few posts, so to not afflict any bias )
[Edited 1/8/07 5:49am]

I'm not sure... but I have a Miles Davis related question if anyone would be so kind as to help?

I've not heard any of his music (that I'm aware of anyway, I'm betting I have but just not known it) ...what should I listen to first of his?

Ya know, I have most of his work from '49-'76, but not a single thing from after that.

Natisse said:

Gosh, that's a tough question. In my opinion, his music never reaches out and grabs you on first listen. It's an aquired taste. It takes a while to get a 'feel' for each era, but once you 'get it', like Prince's music, it's intoxicating!

I guess your best best is to start with the main albums from each period, and work your way through that:

The Birth Of The Cool (1950)
Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet (1956) (Miles's first great Quintet)
Kind Of Blue (1959) (probably his most consistantly praised album)
Sketches Of Spain (1960) (awesome collaboration with classical/jazz composer Gil Evans)
Miles Smiles (1966) (Miles's second great Quintet)
In A Silent Way (1968)
Bitches Brew (1969)
On The Corner (1972) (some crazy shit on this album!)
Tutu (1986) (probably the album most similar to Prince's stuff)
[Edited 1/8/07 6:17am]

toejam said:

awesome... thank you

Nah - I struggle with the comeback stuff nowadays, although I remember liking it back in the day. I think his tone is just not what it once was, and Marcus Miller's keyboards and synths just sound really dated. Agree with Toejam - Tutu is probably the most consistent of the bunch....

As for what to listen to from the peak period - again Toejam is pretty much spot on, but in truth you can't go badly wrong with anything in the period up until 1970 and so long as you have an open mind then pretty much everything between 1970 and 1972 is awesome too.

In addition to those mentioned by Toejam, some personal fave tracks to check out would include 'Someday My Prince Will Come' (includes the most amazing Coltrane solo you will ever hear), 'Summertime' (from the Porgy & Bess album, simply stunning), and most of the ESP and Nefertitti albums.

The one album I have a real soft spot for is Filles de Kilimanjaro - a transition between the classic quintet and the electric years. It's unlike anything else I have ever heard - I always end up going back to this one time and time again. An under-rated and little known classic.

toejam said:

I love the final decade (and change).

The albums to get are:

Tutu
Live Around TheWorld
We Want Miles
Doo Bop
You're Under Arrest
Siesta
Dingo

And check this out for a great list of definitive Miles 80s tracks:

http://www.thelastmiles.c...les_CD.php

toejam said:

Honestly it's difficult to say.

I'm a great fan of the Electric Miles Davis and obviously if I look at the 1980-1991 MD production in comparison to the 1968-1975... simply there's no comparison.

That said, I can stand the 1980-1991 MD records and I think they're good achievement for what Miles was looking for at the time (certainly not total sell-out).
I really enjoy "Decoy", "Tutu" and "Siesta", but the best of all is "Aura", that I think is really gorgeous and one of the best MD releases of all-time.

Just my opinion.

With a few exceptions, I don't really care for Miles' 80's studio albums (the exceptions being AURA, STAR ON CECILY and DECOY. AMANDLA is ok, but TUTU is kind of middlin' to me and I'm not too interested in what DOO-BOP has to offer. However his live concerts from this period were spectacular. Miles used the studio as a lab, but took things to that "other place" when he hit the stage.



Unfortunately, at more than $120, the box set of 20 discs LIVE AT MONTREUx is more than a casual fan should spend. I suggest you search for the dvds


LIVE IN MONTREAL

and

LIVE IN MUNICH.

Taken from entirely different periods in Miles' post-unretirement, they feature differnt bands with some similarities in setlists. The first features Darryl Jones on bass, John Scofield on guitar and Bob Berg on sax and keyboards. The other has Benny Reitveld on bass, Kenny Garrett on sax & flute and Foley on lead bass (which is a bass tuned like a guitar, but with only 4 strings). This is probably the most economic way forthe curious and uninformed to find out.

The pure joy of the MONTREUX box is it is unedited and showcases tunes that were recorded, but not released (or delayed pending the proper authorizations from Prince). Both the Montreal and Munich shows have some deleted tunes, but still stand strongly on their own.

i love me some Siesta

Generally I like the era, though most of it sounds horrible dated (and sometimes it is difficult to bear).

Recently I re-discovered Doo-Bop, an album that often got slaughtered, and I was surprised at how much I liked it again. It is one of my most listened albums at the moment.

I do like You're Under Arrest and Tutu, since Tutu has Portia, Never Lose Your Mind and Backyard Ritual, and YAUA has Mrs. Morrsine. Aura is interesting, but I did not listen to it in ages. Amandla was a bit disappointing for me - I had expected more after hearing very positive comments.

An album that I really disliked (and I disliked so much I gave it away, which means a lot in my case), was We Want Miles. I never could get into it.

There is a very good and informative website about the late miles: www.thelastmiles.com -> check it out!

2 questions i have, too:
What do you people think about"Star People"? I only know the tune U 'n' I, which is great! Never saw that album anywhere. And: Have You Are Under Arrest & Decoy been remastered already?
[Edited 1/8/07 8:58am]

Aura is worth picking up, IMHO. I've always liked it.

SenseOfDoubt said:

I misspoke and praised STAR PEOPLE as (the cut) "Star on Cecily".


It's a thoroughly solid album as is DECOY



Though I found YUA


entirely too techno and laden with the "guest-stars" formula, the live extended treatments of "Ms Morrisine" and "Something's On Your Mind" are head-noddin' funk.

I think WE WANT MILES is excellent. It shows Miles getting his tone back as in his first few concerts he wasn't in the best of health. Though I've also got the unedited Japanese pressing...