Miles Ahead [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com
These 1957 recordings were the first of Miles Davis's collaborations with arranger Gil Evans for Columbia, renewing a relationship that had begun with the Birth of the Cool sessions in 1949. It was perhaps the most important relationship ever forged between a jazz soloist and an arranger, for Evans excelled at finding fresh material (like Delibes's "The Maids of Cadiz") and then adding subtle voicings and blending unusual instruments to highlight Davis's central voice. Everything Evans does enhances the trumpeter's keen sense of space and his evocative sound. He could construct complex arrangements and make them fly (as on the opening "Springsville," by John Carisi), contrast Davis's voice with tuba or bass clarinet, or create the longing, Spanish-inflected "Blues for Pablo," a precursor to their later Sketches of Spain. --Stuart Broomer

Miles Ahead,Miles Davis,Sony,Cool,Experimental Big Band,Jazz,Jazz Music,Modern Creative,Orchestral Jazz,Pop,United States of America

Average customer rating: Another Miles Davis masterpiece! Truly "miles ahead"! Great Music LOUSY sound Third version is the best Finally hearing what was meant to be heard.

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sketches of Spain Milestones Porgy and Bess 'Round About Midnight Birth of the Cool ASIN: B000002AGM Release Date: 1997-09-23

Tracks:

1. Springsville
2. The Maids Of Cadiz
3. The Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues For Pablo
7. New Rhumba
8. The Meaning Of The Blues
9. Lament
10. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)
11. Springsville (Remake Take 7)
12. Blues For Pablo (Take 1)
13. Medley (Rehearsal): The Meaning Of The Blues/Lament
14. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)

Amazon.com

These 1957 recordings were the first of Miles Davis's collaborations with arranger Gil Evans for Columbia, renewing a relationship that had begun with the Birth of the Cool sessions in 1949. It was perhaps the most important relationship ever forged between a jazz soloist and an arranger, for Evans excelled at finding fresh material (like Delibes's "The Maids of Cadiz") and then adding subtle voicings and blending unusual instruments to highlight Davis's central voice. Everything Evans does enhances the trumpeter's keen sense of space and his evocative sound. He could construct complex arrangements and make them fly (as on the opening "Springsville," by John Carisi), contrast Davis's voice with tuba or bass clarinet, or create the longing, Spanish-inflected "Blues for Pablo," a precursor to their later Sketches of Spain. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Another Miles Davis masterpiece!.......2007-05-26

It doesn't get much better than this. Recorded in 1957, this suite of ten songs (with four bonus tracks) has Miles Davis playing the much mellower sounding flugelhorn with spellbinding orchestration by Gil Evans. I was amazed to realise that the 19-piece orchestra in question is made up of horns only. Even Wynton Kelly's piano can only be heard on take 7 of the remake of "Springsville", one of the bonus tracks. There's not a violin or cello in sight but the sound is still full, lush and warm. It's incredible fun to listen to.

This was the first of four Columbia collaborations between Davis and Evans. I already have another - the excellent Sketches of Spain - but can't wait to find out what the other two are and get my hands on them. Davis' lyricsm and attention to detail almost literally jumps out of the speakers.

Listened to as a suite, (a continuous blend of ten independent but related pieces of music, I'm told, in the very informative and comprehensive inner-sleeve notes), this is one beautiful body of work but I can still pick out a few favourite parts: "Springsville" (both versions), "The Maids of Cadiz", "My Ship", "Miles Ahead", "Blues for Pablo", "New Rhumba" (that tune makes me beam from ear to ear every time I hear it. I'd rhumba but I don't know how) and "Lament".

Another Miles Davis masterpiece, no question.

Truly "miles ahead"!.......2007-05-13

Both musician and jazz buff can appreciate this one. Collaboration of Miles and Gil Evans evidentally not just "another jazz thing" to me.

Great Music LOUSY sound.......2007-05-12

The tape hiss is SO loud on this issue that it nearly obscures the brushes of the drum kit. And the horns are terribly brassy and unnatural, "screaching" comes to mind.

It's great music but this CD is a techical mess.

Third version is the best.......2007-04-25

Take a step back in time, fifty years to be exact and hear what was going on in the evolution of Miles Davis 's musical life. I'm not a fan of big band jazz but I love Miles and this is the exception to the rule. That coupled with the arrangements of Gil Evans makes for one of the most interesting albums Miles recorded. I can't overemphasize the beautiful job done by Gil Evans in the arrangements. The orchestra is sublime; it is flawless. One of the more interesting aspects of this disc is the hint of things to come in the collaboration between Miles and Evans. "The Maids of Cadiz" is a warm bluesy number that is a precursor to the classic album "Sketches of Spain," as is the Spanish inspired "New Rhumba" and "Blues for Pablo." It is worth noting that "Blues For Pablo" was recorded in chunks during rehersal and pieced togehther from seven different segments but no one would be the wiser without the fine liner notes. This is a masterpiece recording taht sounds spectacular on a good stereo system or with high quality headphones. The music is mellow, laid back and unlike some of the more adventurous recordings of Miles Davis. The fact that he is playing flugelhorn helps in Miles dispensing a kinder mellower sound, softer than his bop days and more refined than his fusion period. The music on "Miles Ahead" is different and best appreciated as one continium as a suite. Sit back , close your eyes and let the music take you away, back fifty years when life was simpler and Miles was cool. Recommended for jazz fans . This is the third version recorded of this LP, the alternate takes and remastering make it the best available. This is a classic.

Finally hearing what was meant to be heard........2006-09-06

At last this album reaveals itself in sound worthy of its creators. I dearly love this album, but I must take exception to a comment in an earlier review:

"Anyone who is a fan of jazz already knows that the form, when executed properly, is readily capable of tapping into pith and pathos of the truly human experience. It addresses issues that "proper" classical music ignores. This is not to say that I don't like classical music but, considering the general history of humanity, the emotional content of music prior to the mid-nineteenth century is a bit antiquated and doesn't express the true spectrum of experience of a post-atomic society."

I am in complete agreement with the first sentence. One could say this album, among a number of others, is 'living proof' of an inherent truth. However, I disagree with what follows, and I note that the mid-nineteenth century is chosen as a cutoff: late romanticism, Mahler, Debussy, Stravinsky, Berg, Bartok, Prokofiev, Shostakovich... and others all speak to the modern condition in works ranging from chamber music to that on the largest scale. I assume the writer agrees.

But I find, along with T.S Eliot, Aldous Huxley and others, music that is eternally contemporary in the late string quartets of Beethoven, in the last piano sonatas of Schubert, in Bach -- and if we cannot find resonance in Mozart -- think of the prison yard scene in SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION -- then we are sadly diminished, indeed.

Every society since Aeschylus has been 'post-atomic' from it's own point of view, and the range of emotions humans experience has not changed from that time. In "Miles Ahead" the mode of expression is close to us -- it is our vocabulary -- but even now that is lost on a generation that knows only rap and hip-hop, and to whom Miles is as distant as Mozart.

Average customer rating:

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Columbia ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sketches of Spain ASIN: B000222YN2 Release Date: 2004-04-12

Tracks:

1. Springsville
2. Maids of Cadiz
3. Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues for Pablo
7. New Rhumba
8. Meaning of the Blues
9. Lament
10. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)
11. Springsville [Remake Take 7][*]
12. Blues for Pablo [Take 1][*]
13. Meaning of the Blues/Lament [Rehearsal][*]
14. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You) [*]

Album Description

Import-only collection from the Back Up label includes 'Dig', 'Out Of The Blue', 'Darn That Dream' and more.

Average customer rating:

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Sony Bmg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B00092QUGC Release Date: 2006-01-30

Tracks:

1. Springsville
2. Maids Of Cadiz
3. Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues For Pablo
7. New Rhumba
8. Meaning Of The Blues
9. Lament
10. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)
11. Springsville (Alternate Take)
12. Blues For Pablo (Alternate Take)
13. Meaning Of The Blues Lament (Alternate Take)
14. Lament
15. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You) (Take B)

Average customer rating: Track Listing and illustration don't match.

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B000002AJT Release Date: 1997-07-01

Tracks:

1. Springsville
2. Maids of Cadiz
3. Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues for Pablo
7. New Rhumba
8. Meaning of the Blues
9. Lament
10. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)
11. Springsville [Remake Take 7][*]
12. Blues for Pablo [Take 1][*]
13. Meaning of the Blues/Lament [Rehearsal][*]
14. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You) [*]

Customer Reviews:

Track Listing and illustration don't match........2006-04-09

This is a great album - see reviews under the other version Amazon offers, another would be redundant. However, the illustration on this page is of the Columbia remaster [CK 40784], which contains ten tracks - those on the original album. The four bonus tracks are NOT included on this release.

Average customer rating:

Miles Away Manufacturer: Bella ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music ASIN: B000C0LYJE Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

1. Deep Mist
2. Miles Away
3. Colours
4. On Green Dolphin Street
5. No Te Preocupes
6. Waltz For Frank
7. Don't Stutter Around
8. Child

Average customer rating:

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Columbia ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000HBK1TW Release Date: 2006-10-09

Tracks:

1. Springsville
2. Maids of Cadiz
3. Duke
4. My Ship
5. Miles Ahead
6. Blues for Pablo
7. New Rhumba
8. Meaning of the Blues
9. Lament
10. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You)
11. Springsville [Remake Take 7][*]
12. Blues for Pablo [Take 1][*]
13. Meaning of the Blues/Lament [Rehearsal][*]
14. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You) [*]

Album Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. Sony. 2006.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

Average customer rating:

Miles Ahead ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music ASIN: B00022UBJQ

Average customer rating:

Miles Above the Mainland Kevin Fox Band Manufacturer: Kevin Fox Band ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B00005AWO3 Release Date: 2003-07-22

Tracks:

1. Candida's Smile
2. Wedding in Memphis
3. Careful
4. Last Hopeless Romantic
5. Letter to a Friend
6. Master of Your Fate
7. On and On
8. Racin' with the Sun
9. Anyway
10. Every Little Part
11. My Father's Son
12. Up on the Roof
13. Track #13
14. Triskaidekaphobia

Average customer rating:

Miles Ahead Miles Davis Manufacturer: Msi Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B00005GA1R Release Date: 2002-08-05

Average customer rating:

Can't Buy Me Love Miles Cope Manufacturer: Independant Artist Production *(No Lable} if name is needed (Sho ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CA6PFM Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

1. Can't Buy Me Love
2. Sasha Bossa
3. Willow Weep for Me
4. Georgia
5. Room with a View
6. Lucky So & So
7. Do Noth'in Till You Hear from Me
8. Face to Face with Love
9. Bules Medley
10. Sweet Lorraine
11. Angel Eyes
12. One for My Baby
13. Bye Bye Blackbird

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