I just picked this up and am listening to it for the first time...


All you jazz pros out there fill me in with your opinions of this classic...

I don't think it's one of his best, Bitches Brew is better, but the live stuff on Live-Evil is pretty damn good.

I think when listening to anything Miles did (and there sure is a hell of a lot of it!) you have to take into account that he is not the greatest virtuoso player, but what made him so unique was his enthusiasm for the music he was into at the time. When he decided to go electric, it wasn't just a novelty like so many Jazz artists at the time (Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarret etc who have now all resorted back to older styles), but Miles "lived" it, and never turned back. Same can be said for all the styles he invented/participated.

My Miles top 6 that you must listen to (if you havn't already):

Birth Of The Cool (1948-50)
Relaxin' (1955)
Kind Of Blue (1958)
Sorcerer (1967)
Bitches Brew (1969)
Miles In Munich (DVD) (1988)

LOVE THEM ALL!

i love miles and have tons of his cds. the early-mid 70's period is my least favorite. i can only groove on that era recordings infrequently and in certain moods. however, with that and all of his work, there are always moments of brilliance.

i frequently see those poll type questions of what are your 10 favorite cds, and i don't think i could even narrow down my 10 favorite miles cds.

the list above is good (one selection from different eras, nice touch), but i'd have to include:

'58 sessions
workin'
steamin'
someday my prince will come
sketches of spain
nefertiti
seven steps to heaven
tutu

.
[This message was edited Tue Mar 25 16:19:07 PST 2003 by medoc2003]

I'm slowly collecting Miles, having started about 6 months ago seriously. I just listened to Live-Evil for the first time a week ago, and I really like it, except for the narration at the end.

Can anyone suggest the best of the other electric live sets?

Bill Laswell put out a great compilation
called Black Beauty.
I love this spaced out dark voodoofunk era of his career.
Black Satin on On the corner has been sampled
over & over.
/peace Manki

I've been recently getting into Miles and I really like what he did in the late 80's. Heroin or whatever, the man was way ahead of his time.

'Live Evil' is good, but 'Live at Fillmore East (March 7 1970) is way better!!

It was recorded several months before the 'Live Evil' stuff, and Miles and the band just 'kill' on it. Fierce!

For fans of 'Live Evil', Columbia are releasing a series of 2 CD sets of more stuff from the 'Live Evil' sessions, starting (I think) late this year.

Other excellent Miles live sets from this period would be 'Agharta' and 'Pangaea', 2 Cd sets recorded live in Japan in early 1975 on the same day ('Agharta' was the afternoon show while 'Pangaea' was the night gig)!

These two and 'Live at Fillmore East (March 7 1970)' are probably the best live albums of this period IMHO.

avatar says it all!!!

I got all if His 70's Stuff plus Live Stuff&I Prefer "Live at Fillmore&Black Beauty the Best.He is a Very Addictive Artist if you are willing to give His Adventures into Music Serious Listening?

Wow , thanks for all the input guys.

Ive been slowly collecting Miles music over the past couple of years .Columbia is doing an excellent job on his re-releases.I particularly like the "Complete In A Silent Way Sessions" set.

I'd also include

aura - beautiful music, paints a picture .
ESP - very relaxing...

and yes Bitches brew is absolutely a masterpiece...

MrTation said:

if you like the complete in a silent way sessions..definitely check out 'big fun'...suprisingly beautiful..and long!!!