Fionn Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Wow!!! I heard Bitches Brew for the first time ever today. Both records, loud, through nice speakers, whilst I should have been concentrating on work. I became lost in it really. What I found most absorbing were the prevailing hypnotic grooves which are interlaced throughout the radical and sometimes (borderline) chaotic course of the two records. They are most often very subtle, sometimes almost buried. This is superlative musicianship on every level. It totally blew my mind. Is it co-incidence that this record was concieved during the psychedelic revolution? It's been a while since I've heard anything which is at once so utterly engaging, challenging, and stimulating. That said, It's not shagging music, and your girlfriend will probably hate it It wont sound at best on youtube, but here's a link if you're interested ... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-vFIh7GP-Q"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-vFIh7GP-Q[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Listened to this before but couldn't quite get my foot in the door. Been exposed to a lot of jazz lately and find I'm being drawn back to this type of thing more and more. I will revisit this over the next few days. Thanks for the refresher and insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Landmark recording...love this era of Miles's work. I like to drift off to sleep listening to this and "in a silent way" on my headphones. Jazz fueled dreams man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I've loved this album for over 40 years. As someone has said it was a landmark album which some critics loved and some hated. Some thought it was the dawn of a new music and some though it was the death of another. If you like this though there's lots more to discover with numerous Miles Davis live recordings of this period and the albums that came later. You see i'm really excited writing this and know what's coming. Imagine how exciting it's going to be if you don't know what the next album brings. Essential listening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I started learning trumpet last year and obviously been listening to a fair bit of Miles, although I'm avoiding studying him too much as I'm sure every trumpet player does that and I want to find my own voice. Doesn't stop me trying out new stuff of his though, I'll give this a listen as there's a few of his classic albums I've not tried out and this is one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrene Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1380652784' post='2228557'] If you like this though there's lots more to discover with numerous Miles Davis live recordings of this period and the albums that came later. You see i'm really excited writing this and know what's coming. Imagine how exciting it's going to be if you don't know what the next album brings. Essential listening! [/quote] I'm excited for you too! Miles' golden period for me was long; from the new quintet (with Coleman then Shorter) right through to Pangaea. Never a dull moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Never really worked for me. Iconic and profoundly influential but not on my listening list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_da_man Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I heard this for the first time five years ago - still finding new things on each listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ticktock Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I got this played to me as a young man. Took the top of my head clean off. Love it. Have a listen to King B by Erik Truffaz. Similar stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) I love this album too . It's such a great - sounding recording for a start, as anyone who has experienced the pleasure of hearing it on a good system will attest to . I think the music on this L.P is so captivating because it is at once more accessible to a rock audience than most post-bebop jazz up to that point because of its' overall attitude and instrumentation , but it is unfamiliar and esoteric at the same time due to Miles Davis ' uncompromising obtuseness and steadfast refusal to dumb down the music in any way . He may have made a crossover album , but he certainly had no intention of selling out his jazz credentials to do so. Edited October 1, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1380655434' post='2228603'] Never really worked for me. Iconic and profoundly influential but not on my listening list. [/quote] I liked everything from the Birth Of The Cool onwards but especially loved the classic mid 60s Quintet with Shorter, Hancock, Carter & Williams. I'm sure that a lot traditionalists are still getting over Bitches Brew even now but i always thought it was simply Miles moving on musically. He was never was one to stand still for long so it seemed a natural progression to me. Miles was clever in surrounding himself with younger musicians and hence picking up new ideas and the electric Miles fitted in with the times perfectly. I find Michael Henderson pounding out a funky Detroit bass line just as enjoyable as listening to the great Paul Chambers or Ron Carter playing with Miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneandfive Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I discovered Bitches Brew this year. It's an elusive beast, without a doubt. It's the kind of record which, though utterly absorbing, leaves precious little to remember it by once it's finished. Which means that every time I hear it, it's like listening to it for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Didn't really get it on the first couple of listens. Much prefer In A Silent Way, which blew my mind when I first heard it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Remember hearing this in a friend's house not long after it came out, and it really blew me away. The producer Teo Macero deserves some credit here, as it was he who knitted together short sections of music, into the tapestry we so love today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1380659534' post='2228685'] The producer Teo Macero deserves some credit here, as it was he who knitted together short sections of music, into the tapestry we so love today. [/quote] Yes, Teo Macero certainly produced some fine albums. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qHRDlI7s7E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Impossible to do anything else when listening to Bitches Brew - the opposite of background music! (Foreground music!?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1380651154' post='2228526'] Wow!!! I heard Bitches Brew for the first time ever today. Both records, loud, through nice speakers, whilst I should have been concentrating on work. I became lost in it really. What I found most absorbing were the prevailing hypnotic grooves which are interlaced throughout the radical and sometimes (borderline) chaotic course of the two records. They are most often very subtle, sometimes almost buried. This is superlative musicianship on every level. It totally blew my mind. Is it co-incidence that this record was concieved during the psychedelic revolution? It's been a while since I've heard anything which is at once so utterly engaging, challenging, and stimulating. That said, It's not shagging music, and your girlfriend will probably hate it It wont sound at best on youtube, but here's a link if you're interested ... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-vFIh7GP-Q[/media] [/quote] I'm with your girlfriend. I f***ing hate it as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Great stuff. Back to the 70's, I say. Heralding in all sorts of wonders (Weather Report, King Crimson...), a true ground breaker. There was a world before, and a universe afterwards. One doesn't have to like it, I suppose, but at least appreciate the effect it had on his contemporaries. Where would we be without him..? I shudder to think. Thanks for the reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowender Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) That was the beginning of the end of Miles. There's some very cool stuff but it misses more than it hits and the years have not been kind. Miles loved Sly and the Family Stone and wanted to do a funky, atmospheric psychedelic thing with jazz improvisation. One of the bass players on the album is Harvey Brook who worked with The Doors. It sorts worked in spots. But as Miles continued in that direction it became a lot of meandering, noisy w***ing. Edited October 2, 2013 by Lowender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raslee Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I used to get stoned with friends and listen to this in the 90's, although great it's worth checking out Agharta and also Pangea. Also Live Evil is great. Definitely cleared some parties back in the day with this stuff...apart from fellow crazy muso types Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I always preferred "In A Silent Way" myself. But BB is still a great record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrene Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1380676989' post='2228909'] That was the beginning of the end of Miles. There's some very cool stuff but it misses more than it hits and the years have not been kind. Miles loved Sly and the Family Stone and wanted to do a funky, atmospheric psychedelic thing with jazz improvisation. One of the bass players on the album is Harvey Brook who worked with The Doors. It sorts worked in spots. But as Miles continued in that direction it became a lot of meandering, noisy w***ing. [/quote] But of course it wasn't all about trying to emulate Sly and the burgeoning funk scene, and 'missing'; Miles was increasingly preoccupied with the work of Stockhausen and Varese. In terms of incorporating those dense textures and breaks from the compositional atructures people had been used to with jazz and rock, he pretty much nailed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedmanzie Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I bought this in my 20s but didn't really get it so it sat on the shelf. 20 years later I had another go and this time it sounded amazing. I must have needed those years to widen my mind! Amazing era-defining piece of art. In my opinion it was all downhill for jazz not long after this was released! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 First heard this about 20 years ago. Loved it then, love it now....'directions in music' indeed. It's a real 'desert island' album in the sense you could listen to everyday for the rest of your life, and still be finding new elements you didn't hear before. Late 60's onward is when I think Miles was on fire (until the mid-70's retirement) - every time I listen to anything from that entire period - it's simply breathtaking. He released lots of live stuff as well, all equally awesome. +1 on the mention of Teo as well. He was the genius who put it all together. I remember a quote from the great man at the time of the release of the 'complete' box sets (BB, On The Corner, etc.) - he was against the release as they simply "put all the crap back in"! BTW - for the OP, there's a great release from a few years back, 'Bitches Brew Live', super live stuff from that period. So here's 'Spanish Key' in all of it's Isle Of Wighty glory.... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPNDYL8CxX8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPNDYL8CxX8[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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