User:Laszlo Panaflex/sandbox/Miles

Late Era Miles

There were stages in the Second Quintet era (65-68), then again during the fusion and acid funk periods (68-74).

Here are three albums to listen to if you are interested in going beyond In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. There are more hardcore albums during these eras, but I think you would enjoy these (recording dates):

• Water Babies (1967/68) [YT]: mostly Shorter compositions, during the transition from the Second Quintet to fusion
• Big Fun (69-72) [YT]: post-Bitches Brew but primarily the same group
• Get Up With It (72-74) [YT]: transition to acid funk

65-68

The Second Quintet canon includes E.S.P. through Filles de Kilimanjaro. Silent Way and Bitches Brew were the next released albums, but beginning in 1967 there were many outtakes spread over later releases, and additions to the band.

E.S.P. (1965) and Miles Smiles (1966) are the first two of the new quintet. With both, Miles composed a couple songs, but most are from the rest of the group. Add in Shorter’s albums from the same period, JuJu, Speak No Evil, and Adam’s Apple, and your deserted island post-bop folder is shaping up nicely.

The next two Miles albums are Sorcerer (May 1967) and Nefertiti (June/July 1967), which are mostly Shorter and Williams compositions. They are along the same lines, but change is becoming evident. The song Circle in the Round is an outtake from these recordings, as are the first three songs from Water Babies (June 1967).

Miles in the Sky (May 1968) and Filles de Kilimanjaro (June/Sept 1968) are still Quintet albums, though with George Benson on part of the first, and Chick Corea on the second. The frog is getting a good steam by this point.

In the last three songs on Water Babies (Nov 1968) the evolution becomes complete. In A Silent Way was recorded Feb 1969 and Bitches Brew in Aug 1969.

Big Fun

The album Directions (1960/67-70) has several songs from 67/68 and early 1970, and the soundtrack Jack Johnson (Feb/Apr 1970) is especially interesting. These continue the theme, heavy on Zawinul and McLaughlin. Live Evil has more from these sessions, and from the Cellar Door (Dec 1970) live shows, which is pretty hardcore (I like the studio cuts but the live stuff is a bit heavy on Corea). Another live album, Black Beauty (Apr 1970), is even heavier.

The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions includes the extended version of Guinevere and the album Big Fun (69-72), which was pretty much the follow up to Bitches Brew. Mostly the same group, long spacy jams, really tasty stuff.

Get Up With It

On the Corner (1972) was the first of the funk era, with a lot of the old band mixed in. During this time there were three guitarists. One was Reggie Lucas, who died recently; reading his obit I learned he wrote and produced a bunch of Madonna’s early hits.

Get Up With It (70-74) has some overlap but the key pieces are from 74. He Loved Him Madly was recorded shortly after Duke Ellington died, and Calypso Frelimo is another highlight.

There are more live albums from 74-75 that are very heavy, for instance Dark Magus (1974). After that Miles went on hiatus for about the same period as John Lennon.