what are the essential Miles Davis records?
finelikewine
"ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
Dude's catalogue is huge an he must have been one of the most prolific musicians ever. The listimg ofl his releases take 3 pages on discogs.
I'm wondering what his most essential records are, beside "bitches brew" and "in a silent way".
Any recommendations?
I'm wondering what his most essential records are, beside "bitches brew" and "in a silent way".
Any recommendations?
Comments
its hard but you gotta boil it down to two. maybe three.
one straight ahead jazz record and one electric one.
I almost prefer it to the bitches brew album. :bug:
Kind of Blue
Relaxin'
Workin'
Steamin'
On the Corner
Quiet Nights
Get Up With It
Birth of the Cool
I wouldnt give On The Corner to a martian if they asked for Davis top three albums to take back to Neptune.
I can separate my personal favs for closer examples.
I Absolutely agree. I think On The Corner gets so much attention because of its Corky McCoy artwork on the cover. As far as his electric stuff goes I think Live at The Fillmore is the essential one (besides the obvious Bitches Brew). What's your personal favs?
I dont think this is about MY personal favs. I think its about boiling down his catalog for someone else.
While omitting In A Slient Way and Bitches Brew.
Folks who ive spoken with over the years whose taste i respect have said Sketches Of Spain as the ONE.
I dont think there is anything wrong w/ owning Kind Of Blue.
Dark Magus is my favorite of the live electric jams.
Blue Moods is an overlooked masterpiece from his early period.
Live In Stockholm (2xLp on Swedish Dragon label) is an overlooked gem from his work with Coltrane.
relaxin
silent way
sketches of spain
i gotta agree, not really even a personal fave although the griper in me was quite happy when i finally found it at a record show last year for a cheap price. i mentioned "Miles In The Sky", which seems to be known as a lesser record but a personal fave for me. its kind of pre fusion and has an awesome cover. i also like "Circle in the Round" as it was the first Miles i heard as i kid, i didnt really understand it but knew it was like nothing i'd ever heard before, total private mind garden but i think with Miles thats how it is for everyone.
You need at least one Prestige LP...either Smokin', Steamin', or Workin'
You need at least one of the 2nd quintet (Hancock, Williams, Carter, etc) either My Funny Valentine, Live in Tokyo, ESP
Electric-wise either In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew , He Loved Him Madly or Dark Magus
Three from those eras will give you his essential phases
Kind of blue is good, but might seem underwhelming hearing it with 2012 ears for the first time
My 3 would be :
'58 Sessions
Four & More
Tutu
I own/have owned about 90% of his (non-bootleg output) and these are the ones I can listen to most. I think "On The Corner" is the turdliest. Unlistenable for me. Mentally he was in a bad way at the time and got nothing from it.
I think "Four & More" with George Coleman instead of Shorter >> any of the Shorter sets. They aren't bad sets, but they do a lot of Shorter tunes and I am... meh on them.
Tutu isn't just a Marcus Miller jam feat. Miles. I think conctractually Miles couldn't put his name to publishing in latter years, but I am sure the input was not all from Miller. I just like the sound on this set and I think the tunes really suit Miles tone.
I mean it's either this, or getting like 30 records. I like this.
And personally, I'm not a fan of the Fillmore set for some reason at all.
Electric period Miles is exhilarating - Dark Magus with that crazy Pete Cosey nosebleed guitar is far out. But the Isle Of Wight set featured in the documentary Another Kind Of Blue is most amazing for me. Gary Bartz, Airto, Chick Corea on ring mod keys and Keith Jarrett for the last time on electric piano.. Dave Holland in a headband and Jack deJohnette grinning throughout.. it's a winner. Groovy and experimental. Think it got issued on vinyl and cd recently too.
Oh, the Jack Johnson (wicked rock album itself) box set has a beautiful version of 'Konda' on it with lovely Rhodes and guitar.
Argh. Too much music to sum up in one post.
But I think people are spot one w/ their suggestions (Porgy, Sketches, Kind of Blue, Birth of Cool) with one notable absence
Someday My Prince Will Come
The personnel are outstanding (John Coltrane, Hank Mobly, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, & Paul Chambers). The album is so beautiful through and through. Also that's Davis' wife on the cover...
i see another thread coming lol
It was Billy Hart not me.
He must like Gil Evans more than he likes Miles.
Kind Of Blue*
Sketches Of Spain*
Someday My Prince Will Come
Relaxin'
Sorcerer*
In A Silent Way*
Miles In The Sky
Bitches Brew*
Quiet Nights
Milestones
Porgy And Bess
Filles De Kilamanjaro
Round About Midnight
The rest are lightweight purgatory-status - at some point they'll get deep-filed or deep-sixed, but most of them are happy on the shelves for now. Miles is a really important artist to me and so I have always afforded myself a lot of time to study his shit, let it sink in, decide.
I don't cut for the electric period too tough anymore. Jettisoned Water Babies, Big Fun, and On The Corner years back. Cool if you're just getting hip, limited replay value IMO.
I need a nice copy of Jack Johnson.
Water Babies, IIRC, was actually pre-electric. But people think it was from his rock/funk era because it came out in the mid-70s and has the same funky "streetlife" graphics as In Concert and On The Corner.
Electric or acoustic, I wasn't too knocked out by it.