Showing posts with label Bitches Brew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bitches Brew. Show all posts

Wednesday 1 May 2019

#LikeNoOther #10 Bitches Brew - Miles Davis


The least couple of days I've been walking in I thought I would listen to "The Essential Miles Davis" , I didn't last long ( too jazz club / lounge jazz)  and then I switched to "Bitches Brew", which I was sure I had enjoyed when I listend in the past.

I was not wrong.

While a lot of this sounds like free jazz improvisations it's like wandering in a swirling waterpool of sound, the first piece "Pharoah's Dance" (written by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report) clocking in at over twenty minutes although because you are so lost in the sound it is over before you know it. You cannot dance to this, and most people would probably switch off after a minute or two, but I find it absorbing and while hardly being a jazz afficianodo (prefer rockier type stuff as opposed to purist stuff and I tend to hate "smooth", "lounge2 or jazz club type stuff.

The title track is even better though mainly anchored on a seven note bass motiff  which for the most part uses only three actual notes, though the bassist does vary this after about twenty minutes while still maintaining the rhythm. "Bitches Brew" clocks in at almost half an hour but again for me seems to fly by.

"Spanish Key" and "john McLaughlin" (I assume named after the Yorkshire Jazz guitarist who plays on the album)  "MIles Runs The Voodoo Down" and "Sanctuary" (a Wayne Shorter or Weather Report piece) comprise the second vinyl disc or the original release and while lacking the full intensity of the first two sides is just more excellent quality.

Even though you may not like jazz or challenging music this is something you should try at least once. It is exceptional.

The wiki entry is here with details of personel for each piece, and the bands are big, so it's no wonder that the sound is so rich and listenable.