The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 [Box set] [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com
These mythical, Washington, DC December dates, released for the first in this impressive six-CD compilation, are an extension of Miles Davis's fusion LP, Live-Evil. Davis’s piercing, electronically altered trumpet tones fire up of his young Turks; keyboardist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Michael Henderson , percussionist Airto Moreira, saxophonist Gary Bartz, and guitarist John McLaughlin. Davis's acoustic fans hated the adventurous and extended, jazz-rock excursions of selections like "Directions," "What I Say," and "It's About That Time," but there was no denying the complex interplay and improvisations, especially with Jarrett's rare Fender Rhodes electric piano and organ solos. Bartz's snaky, alto and soprano sax lines are equally astounding in this context, as is McLaughlin's "Hendrixsation" of the jazz guitar tradition. Davis bragged that he could "put together the greatest rock n' roll band you ever heard." He came pretty close to doing just that. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

The Cellar Door Sessions 1970,Miles Davis,Sony,Box Sets (Audio Only),Fusion,Jazz,Jazz-Rock,Pop,United States of America

Average customer rating: A most important period cellar door Miles & band at a peak Amazing! Burns Up The Mess That Is Live-Evil!

The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 Miles Davis Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945 Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings 1963-1964 The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions ASIN: B000AP2Z6C Release Date: 2005-12-20

Tracks:

1. Directions
2. Yesternow
3. What I Say
4. Improvisation #1
5. Inamorata

Tracks:

1. What I Say
2. Honky Tonk
3. It's About That Time
4. Improvisation #2
5. Inamorata
6. Sanctuary

Tracks:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say

Tracks:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say
4. Sanctuary
5. Improvisation #3
6. Inamorata

Tracks:

1. Directions
2. Honky Tonk
3. What I Say

Tracks:

1. Directions
2. Improvisation #4
3. Inamorata
4. Sanctuary
5. It's About That Time

Amazon.com

These mythical, Washington, DC December dates, released for the first in this impressive six-CD compilation, are an extension of Miles Davis's fusion LP, Live-Evil. Davis's piercing, electronically altered trumpet tones fire up of his young Turks; keyboardist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Michael Henderson , percussionist Airto Moreira, saxophonist Gary Bartz, and guitarist John McLaughlin. Davis's acoustic fans hated the adventurous and extended, jazz-rock excursions of selections like "Directions," "What I Say," and "It's About That Time," but there was no denying the complex interplay and improvisations, especially with Jarrett's rare Fender Rhodes electric piano and organ solos. Bartz's snaky, alto and soprano sax lines are equally astounding in this context, as is McLaughlin's "Hendrixsation" of the jazz guitar tradition. Davis bragged that he could "put together the greatest rock n' roll band you ever heard." He came pretty close to doing just that. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews:

A most important period.......2007-01-16

I have an unusual reason for getting this boxed set.....I was there for the recording of much of it. I was 19 at the time, and this was the first jazz, with the exception of some Jimmy Smith, that I ever seriously listened to. My roots are in R&B and Funk. Bitches Brew, Live at the Filmore, that music spoke to me, and when I heard about this gig at the Cellar Door(I grew up in the DC area) I knew that this was the best band in the world at that time. So I had to be there. And I wasn't disappointed. So for me, Live Evil and now this set are a documentation of that time, place, and moment.
What can I say? It was incredibly innovative and exciting music. It was more jazz than rock in that it's mostly improvising to funk rhythms with rock instruments in mostly a modal format. The players were playing at their peak of virtuosity and my friend and I knew that this music and the people playing it were at the pinnacle of what was happening at that time. Jazz purism was not even a consideration, it was nothing more than a joke to me, and I had no interest or time for it. For that I'm thankful. I 'm now in my late 50's and I love jazz, straight ahead, even some so-called "smooth jazz" (which is really not jazz, but instrumental R&B soul), but I still have a special place in my heart for the innovative sounds of Miles, Weather Report, the Herbie Hancock Sextet, Chick Corea's Return to Forever, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, everyone save Mahavishu I heard at that incredible club, the Cellar Door.
Thanks so much for the folks who are responsible for this CD boxed set. The comments from Keith Jarrett alone are worth the price!

Michael Brecker 1949-2007 R.I.P.

cellar door.......2007-01-10

the cd arrived in a timely fashion and the whole thing was just great. took it to spain as a gift for a host mother of our college age daughter and she loved it. something she had not heard about

Miles & band at a peak.......2006-10-25

I saw Miles Davis in Venice at the old Fenice theater in 1971, a year after this was recorded. Jack deJohnette was replaced by Leon (later Ndugu) Chancler, John McLaughlin was "replaced" by Pete Cosey, and Airto was replaced by Mtume and Don Alias. But Gary Bartz and Keith Jarrett were still there, and it was one of the most intense hour-long sets I have ever heard. Afterwards I went home and listened to the Jack Johnson LP, and realized what was missing - the cohesion the band exhibits on both that album and these Cellar Door Sessions. This was a magic time, in my opinion, for pre-fusion jazz. The right things were happening, and a sort of dark cloud of new inner discovery had descended on musicians both here in the U.S. and overseas, where I was at the time. The Nam war figured heavily in everybody's mind, though we felt that it was reaching its end, and we had somehow helped achieve that. It was almost like that terrible time had sparked a certain creativity in musicians, more adventurous, more "in your face" than jazz or rock had ever been before, in terms of artistic horizons. By the time I saw Miles for the first time in '71, music was already becoming more corporate, although it would be a few years before the complete annihilation of creative expression via music became a reality. Enjoy these discs as snapshots from a much braver, more fearless sonic expeditionary time.

Amazing!.......2006-10-08

It's shame this didn't come out when it was recorded. The music's stunning, especially discs 2 and 4. The last great Miles band.

Burns Up The Mess That Is Live-Evil!.......2006-10-05

I got this for my birthday and I'm still in the process of listening through the entire 6 discs yet again! The review can be summed up in a few short words: This band is SMOKIN' HOT!

Listening to Yesternow on Disc 1, right around the 14:50 mark Jarrett is playing incredibly fast chromatic runs, but in a laid back fashion. If you listen very closely (I was wearing headphones) you can hear Miles off mic tell Henderson and DeJohnette to quiet down with a "sssshhhhhhhh" and seconds later, in a very pleased, awe-struck, raspy whisper Miles says "Jesus, that's nice". And nice it is! Jarrett is otherworldly in his playing here. Moments like that aren't even unusual on this release, it all simply incredible. This has to be my favorite electric Miles line-up, hands-down.

Parts of Live-Evil were really great and parts of it were not so great (see my Live-Evil review). One of the nice things that the Cellar Door Sessions does is show us that Airto doesn't really play continuously - one of my criticisms of Live-Evil. With respect to Live-Evil, Airto's playing is placed in context more than any other player here. On Live-Evil it sounds like he doesn't realize it's ok not to play once in a while. On Cellar Sessions we find that perception is the result of Teo's scissors and tape and Airto is actually adding much where it is appropriate and laying low when it isn't appropriate to play. After hearing this, Live-Evil is irrelevant.

Of all the discs I believe 5 and 6 are actually my least favorite (though they all rock!). McLaughlin does sound something like a third wheel when you hear all of the discs. My criticism of his playing in my Live-Evil review stands. Much of McLaughlin's playing just sounds like a fairly thoughtless barrage of notes played as quickly as possible and somewhat sloppily played in places. Some of it is really good but the band does sound tighter without him in my opinion.

Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnnette really are what is propelling this band to its critical mass. Both musicians are simply astonishing from the start of disc one through the end of disc six. Henderson provides a good even "bottom" to the sound but its Keith and Jack who are really making this performances happen.

Miles's playing is furious, punishing and this may be the last time he sounded this incredibly good with that horn to his lips.

Gary Bartz is mostly fantastic, there are one or two places where his solos start of somewhat timid, perhaps too thoughtful, the antithesis of McLaughlin's playing. Bartz's playing is superb but at times it sounds as though he's trying to get his footing and playing with caution.

Finally, the booklet that comes with this collection is EXQUISITE. It is loaded with pics, essays by the players, and full of information - enough such that some of the Miles biographies will have to be updated. I love Jack DeJohnettes comments about drummer Buddy Miles from the Band of Gypsies.

I don't think I would ever pay the $90.00 Amazon is asking for this collection (for any collection for that matter) but this is great, great stuff and worth your hard-earned dough! It really is the missing link between Bitches Brew and Miles at the Philharmonic. Maybe you should join the club and purchase at the discount price?

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