Log #56 - 3 Miles Out - a Classic, a Not Sure, and a Duffer

1. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
2. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew CD1
3. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew CD2
4. Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain
5. Tangerine Dream - The Essential
6. Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

Miles Davis was a notable absentee from last year's logs. In fact he won top prize for most notable absentee in last year's awards. But he makes an overdue comeback in this log with 3 classic albums.

Actually what alerted me this weekend was watching the brilliant (albeit shocking) Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary currently airing on BBC. Aside from the amazing photographs and footage there is also a superb soundtrack - Miles Davis's Kind of Blue beginning episode 2.

I would say (on current listening, and of course tastes can change especially with familiarity) Kind of Blue is the best of this selection, and for many not only his best ever album, but one of the best ever jazz albums from anyone.

It's difficult to compare of course. Davis's career spanned multiple decades and styles. Kind of Blue (1959) is melodic old style easy listening jazz, languid trumpet and lounge piano, immediately accessible.  It is very interesting how the first two tracks start out with the same refrain, and when I play this album I often wonder why they were separated.

I suspect jazz traditionalists were probably pretty miffed with this new direction rather as Dylan's fans were when he went electric a few year's earlier.

Bitches Brew (1970) on the other hand is not easy listening. It is jazz/rock/fusion consisting of extended jams featuring jazz rock guitarist John McLauglin - in fact it does sound a lot like McLauglin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. It's pretty random. There are grooves but Davis honks a lot of avant garde noises over the top. But it is a classic and was revolutionary in its time so I'm sure I need to play it a lot more to fully appreciate, and I will. The most demanding music is often the most satisfying in the long run. I suspect jazz traditionalists were probably pretty miffed with this new direction rather as Dylan's fans were when he went electric a few years earlier. Keeping up with the times or shaping the times?

Miles Davis's Sketches of Spain just doesn't work.

As for Sketches of Spain (1960) I must say I'm not a fan. The centre piece is an interpretation of the orchestral piece Concierto de Aranjuez - an established classic in the guitar repertoire. I just don't think it works. The original (which I'm very familiar with) is much better. If this wasn't Miles Davis it would probably be dismissed as commercial pap.

Miles Davis fronting his fusion band in the early 70s

My excellent affair with Tangerine Dream continues this week. If you want a good compilation to cover many of the best bases go for The Essential collection. If you want to dive straight into getting one or two original albums there is no better place to start than Phaedra.