Miles at Antibes
Submitted by Jazz Note SDP
As we approach the fiftieth of Kind of Blue, maybe it’s good to return to the roots of this blog: Miles Davis and his magnificent quintets of the fifties and sixties. I got into serious collecting when I discovered the great Prestige recordings Workin’, Steamin’, Relaxin’, and Cookin’. These great platters were spun, legend has it, merely to satisfy contracts. Each of them is a gem.
Miles second great quintet featured George Coleman and later Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. It was Coleman’s misfortune that his tenure with Miles was sandwiched between Coltrane and Shorter. Coleman may not have had the same compositional genius as Trane and Wayne, but he played a superb Tenor.
In 1963 he played with the quintet at the “Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival” in Antibes, France. The recording was original released as Miles at Antibes. I searched for it for a long time until I found out that it had been rereleased as Miles in Europe. I bought my son an iPod Touch for his birthday, and slipped it into the order. I hope my wife doesn’t read this.
The Antibes date is worth having for the introduction alone. The announcer announces: Kwnatee du Miles Davees avec le jzun Tonee Weelyums ala battree… I know some French, and I gather batree means drums. Anthony Williams was indeed jeune when he played with Miles at Antibes. He was eighteen. Avec Run Cartayer ala Contrabass… That’s Ron Carter. Contrabass, well that’s just the bass. Avec Erbee Ancook an piano. Herbie Hancock. Jzhorg-ah Colemahn, an Saxophone Teenor… and, drumroll please… aey Miles Davees. I love different accents and tongues, and that turns me on.
Well, here’s Mile, Tonee, Run, Erbee, and Jzhorg. Oh, and the intro, so you can check my transcription.
I am constantly amazed at the perfection of Miles’ bands on stage. Enjoy this and get the disc. I got it for the price of a good meal at Chipotles. Coleman’s solo is worth the burrito alone.
ps. I am getting lots of traffic, but no comments. I am lonely. If you want to see this blog continue, post a comment.
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February 27th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Te posteo solo por que me das lastima…Great Blog!