This year marks the 50th anniversary of the best selling jazz album of all time, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. 1959’s classic is a great starting point for someone getting to know Miles Davis for the first time. I, on the other hand, started with a bit more than I was ready to absorb.
My Miles Davis journey almost ended before it started. A couple of decades ago, I decided to “expand” my musical tastes by randomly picking up some old jazz albums. At the time, I was feeling my tastes were pretty limited--alternative, punk, college radio, an occasional classic rock album--typical middle-class, white college kid stuff. One of the first jazz albums I picked up was the Miles Davis Bitches Brew album. Hated it. Listened to it once, then exiled it to the bottom of my musical pile.
Ten years later, I ran into it again, dusted it off, and put it on. Over the preceding decade, I had forced myself to listen to more and more jazz, so I was ready for it this time. In fact, it was almost a religious experience. For some reason, I just got it. To this day, Bitches Brew is one of my all-time favorite albums.
Miles had a lengthy career and evolved through many styles, but the albums he put out starting in the late sixties have always been my favorites. 1969’s In A Silent Way, although more subtle than the albums to come, was his first full blown jazz fusion album. John McLaughlin, who may be my favorite guitar player of all time, met Miles the night before they went into the studio. Miles was so impressed he invited him to show up.
And if you think jazz is not for you, check out Right Off (listen to it here) off of 1970’s documentary soundtrack A Tribute to Jack Johnson. It opens with John McLaughlin improvising riffs on his guitar. Awesome stuff.
And finally, Miles released 1970’s Bitches Brew, which was greeted much like Bob Dylan’s foray into electric, with mixed enthusiasm, to say the least. But over time, it became one of his best selling albums and recognized as a turning point in modern jazz, influencing musicians of all genres for decades to come.
If you don’t know Miles, check him out. And if you are as slow as me, stick with him. You will understand him eventually. And Happy Anniversary Kind of Blue.
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4 comments:
I am in that rut now.
I'm tired of the new rock that I've been listening to and have been dabeling in some old classic stuff. I recently got a hold of a 6old Pink Floyd cds from a friend and put them on my ipod, pretty good.
I have never been much of a jazz fan but I think I will go out and buy kind of blue to check it out. Like you said, sometimes you have to listen to music a bunch to appreciate it.
Miles Davis has always been at the top of my jazz list, along with Thelonius Monk and Dave Brubeck. Jazz is not something I listen to on a regular basis, but there are times when it just seems to fit the mood I am in at the time. Same goes for classical.
One of the things that I've grown to realize with jazz is that no matter when you turn it on you can't help but like it. Jazz music throughout the years has been mostly recognized by the individual that recorded the music, but you have to admit, the group as a whole is where you will find the magic of jazz. Some of my favorite jazz music is recorded live and you can't beat the energy that you feel from the group feeding off of each other when they're on stage. It can be truley magical.....just my opinion.
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