Live Miles

bluenote · Veteran Member Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 366

Anyone else get the re-release of "Live at the Blackhawk?" It has additional performances, is nicely packaged (I confess that I'm a sucker for that), and is simply great music! I'm probably in the minority here, but that particular period of Miles is my favorite.

dales · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2003 9:54 am Post subject:

The original 2-LP set, _Friday and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk_ was the first jazz record I ever loved, and I still do. It's from 1961, I think, and always defined what a live recording of a club date sounds like in my mind, with the trumpet sound and the crowd hum and even the dumb telephone. I liked it so much that I never could bear to check out the earlier CD reissues of it for fear that it would lose that club ambiance. This record is also the reason why any reference to "Wynton" always made me think of the pianist, Wynton Kelly, first. The Blackhawk record gets overlooked because the tenor player is Hank Mobley, not John Coltrane from before or Wayne Shorter from later. The band is also playing the old repertoire, 10-20 minute versions of "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Stella by Starlight." Miles had already recorded _Kind of Blue_, but wasn't performing that repertoire at the Blackhawk.

The front cover of the original had a photo of Miles in shadow. The gatefold of the original LP felt good to open and Ralph Gleason's articles made Miles sound like a cool cat. Many of the saxophone solos were edited out of that release but will be restored on the CDs.

bluenote · Veteran Member Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 366

Dales:

Yes, they did restore Hank's solos. Hank Mobley is one of my favorite musicians, period. He wasn't as groundbreaking as Coltrane or Wayne Shorter, but his playing was so beautiful and logical. Some of my favorite recordings are with Hank Mobley and Kenny Dorham. 'Live at the Cafe Bohemia,' 'Whistle Stop,' or 'the Max Roach + 4 Plays Charlie Parker' come to mind.

I think I like this period of Miles in that it was probably the closest he came to playing the the "hard bop" genre. From a purely technical standpoint of trumpet playing, I also think this is some of the most impressive Miles playing. In fact, I like the Blackhawk performances more so than I do the Plugged Nickel.

[ This Message was edited by: bluenote on 2003-06-12 17:43 ]

[ This Message was edited by: bluenote on 2003-06-13 12:15 ]

PH · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2003 6:44 pm Post subject:

Yeah! Twenty plus years ago I transcribed 3 or 4 of mobley's solos off these sessions and learned a ton.

Also, I agree with Dales...This is the Wynton that is a GREAT jazz legend.

Xenoman · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Nov 2001 Posts: 1209

I brought this recording last week but didn't get a chance to really listen to it until today... WOW.

First off, the way they have the sound mixed I swear it sounds like Miles is standing in my living room playing... he sounds GREAT. I agree 100% regarding Wynton... he is the master of swing. Heck, the whole rhythm section gets so deep in the pocket it is incredible. I found myself applauding and shouting like I was sitting in the club when they recorded it. My wife thinks I'm nuts.

So far my favorite cut is "Neo" or "Teo".... Amazing stuff. Even if you have the old recordings on CD it contains previously unreleased material and it is definitely worth the purchase. Get it.
_________________
Eric M. Brewington
http://www.jazzbrew.com

Ruechel · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:19 am Post subject:

another one where i ave to agree with eric.

the mix is so crisp, you can hear the ice cubes in patron's glasses and 'Neo' is indeed one of my favorites as well....