Twang, Tiggerlion, Junior Wells, El Hombre Malo and Mike H gather in the pod to discuss the first half of Miles Davis’s career. Berets are worn, goatees stroked and brows furrowed as the boys try to navigate the work of an artist who seemed to be having about 4 careers at once, frequently releasing multiple albums per year. Favourite albums are debated and ever switching musical companions considered, but we all agree that “Kind of blue” is definitely quite good.
The Afterword #69: The Milescast
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The team have assembled a Spotify playlist of tracks mentioned or otherwise worth a listen…
Bloody tootley nonsense, especially track 2.
…er…
Added in your honour old boy.
Great Spotify list! Well done.
Tigs has just described Someday My Prince Will Come as “quite sexy”, so I’ve had to hit pause for a cold shower.
A few deep breaths and refocus your mind….aaaand press play again. Nearly done.
It’s Tantric Tigger!
Aka Trigger!
Finally listened to this. You did a fine editing job, Twang. You made me sound almost coherent!
Some of you may be interested in this article about ex wife Betty Davis plus there’s a movie about her.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/after-40-years-betty-davis-70s-queen-of-funk-and-wife-of-miles-is-rediscovered/2018/09/11/a878104a-b486-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html?utm_term=.7d1f0413a020
Good article. She introduced Miles to the music of Sly and Jimi whose influence you can hear on those electric albums Declan describes, besides being an artist in her own right.
Good work on the podcast, Twang. Looking forward to part 2.
I remember during my “Miles obsessive” period, I was working in an office where it was decided to have background music playing (which I hate while I’m trying to work). After giving up on various radio stations and in the interests of democracy and fair play, everyone in turn who was interested had a go deciding what music was played. Initially, I chose “Kind of Blue” which went down well enough. Then when it was next my turn something from Miles’ later period which was more challenging and harmonically dissonant (Jack Johnson I think). Sadly, considerable hatred towards me and towards Miles was generated. Oh well….
Ho ho. I love the image of a bunch of desk workers with “Willie Nelson” beating away in the background.
No Willie beating in the workplace, please!
Looks like we got away with it, chaps.
Even I sound like I know what I’m talking about.
Some of the time.
Thanks, lads, that was well worth the hour, good work. I’ve been a bit churlish over on the Mini thread, blurt, about nothing really, sorry. In fact, the enthusiasm, the erudition, the sheer love of music, all came over loud and clear from all of you. Especially you, Tig, tip of the hat. If you’re lurking, Saucy, the old codgers outdid themselves (said he, viciously digging him in the ribs).
And I need to check out Ahmed Jamal and Wynton Kelly as well. But especially Miles is likely to take up quite a lot of turntable time in the immediate future; see, that’s what a decent discussion/podcast does: sends you rushing to your collection. I just counted – 42 LPs and 22 CDs, of which about 10 from your era, pre-early 60s.
My start with Miles was Bitches Brew and my mate had Jack Johnson, circa 1971. Next thing I noticed was the jazzrock stuff I loved (Mahavishnu, Cobham, Weather Report, Hancock, RTF) were all ex-Miles guys. A lot of prog/underground stuff was also pushing boundries (King Crimson, VDGG, Yes, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Can, Grateful Dead), not towards black music obviously but in terms of density: think of that great Miles Septet with Lukas (RIP, recently) and Cosey (RIP, years ago) on electric guitars. The Osaka concerts line-up, 1975, staggering band IMHO. And not a keyboard player in sight (we won’t count Miles’s own unique stabbing style). Point is, he was still showing how to do it at the highest level just before the hiatus, in his late-40s, even though racked with pain and narcotics. What a man!
One other question remains: his best albums pre 1961? Well, Kind Of Blue (natch, it’s fantastic); Someday My Prince Will Come ( a favourite song of my mother’s, knew her version long before Miles’s); and Ascenseur pour l’échafaud is, to my ears, a sensational record. Vive La France!
We only mentioned Ascenseur Pour L’Échafaud in passing. It really is a classic jazz movie soundtrack with lots of moody echo.
All those electric albums should be discussed at length in a second cast, post-Coltrane.
Tiggs, might I suggest that you delay contributing to that cast for the first 15 minutes, and then speak only in a strange squawky voice that makes everyone say, “I think the cat wants to go out”. A fitting tribute to the snakeskin-booted one.
Good thinking, Batman.
You ought to join the next one @Declan
I was thinking that! 😀
Y’know, lads, I’d love to BUT I’ve got the rather embarrassing drawback of having forgotten my Skype PIN, ages ago. Been trying to get some help from a “Mensch” but always wind up in the same old friggin’ digital loop, Maybe it’s me. If anyone has any practical suggestion for shaking up those nice paperless-office Estonians, love to hear from you.
But yeah, I’ll keep trying.
Just open a new account.
Yep, it’s done. On the bench for the next match, then?
@Twang
Def Dec