Miles Davis - My Funny Valentine
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Free Music Notes for My Funny Valentine
Free Music Review: Sheer brilliance
Hit: 5 Stars
I can't add much more to all the previous reviews, except to say that I'm astonished & deeply moved by this recording. The mood is so palpable that you can feel it tingling across your skin. "Magic" is such an overused word, but there's no better one for the seemingly telepathic unity of the musicians, the apparently effortless ebb & flow between them. In fact, anything else I might add is superfluous -- this IS Miles Davis, after all! -- so just put this CD on & lose yourself in its stunning music. Most highly recommended!Free Music Review: A Valentine For The Ages
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a splendid live recording, and probably one of my favorite Miles Davis CDs (I own about 30). The original recording at Lincoln Center was obviously of very good audio quality. The 1992 CD version--COMPLETE CONCERT 1964--sounded quite good. This remastered edition, which represents half the concert (disc 1 from the original set, which I prefer over disc 2) sounds even better, with more detail. Two other improvements in this new edition: 1) it starts right off with music, rather than the lengthy (1:40) Introductions by Mort Fega; 2) the liner notes include a nice new essay about the concert by bassist Ron Carter. If you haven't heard this music before, note that Miles is in very good form, George Coleman provides what's probably some of the best recorded work of his career, and Hancock, Carter, and Williams are, well......not too shabby. A most elegant performance.
Free Music Review: the underrated george coleman
Hit: 5 Stars
certainly one of my favorites, miles or any other recording. each song is a stellar performance. particularly the playing of george coleman; based on this recording, coleman remains one of my favorite tenors, whether it's the setting, the selections, or inspiration of the moment, i accept his masterful performance without question.Free Music Review: Just Shimmers With Beauty. This One is Magical.
Hit: 5 Stars
From the very first chord that 23 year-old Herbie Hancock plays the listener realizes that they've popped something very special (dare I say magical?) into the CD player. I am a huge fan of Miles's electric period but lately I've been collecting the earlier releases. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, I picked it up along with its sister release "Four and More" that was recorded during the same concert.
Surely this release was inspirational to Manfred Eicher who founded the ECM record label, known for its extraordinary sound production. "My Funny Valentine" sounds as though it could have been produced for that label, in fact, I'm very much reminded of Kenny Wheeler's 1975 release "Gnu High" (that featured x-Miles sidemen Jarrett, DeJohnette, and Holland). After listening to this I can understand why Miles's earlier fans were so upset with Bitches Brew - it hasn't changed my mind about the brilliance of Miles's electric music but this release is a testament to his ability to create great music in any genre (except maybe polka music).
I don't think I can add much more to what anyone else has said in the other reviews other than it is clear that on this disc and on "Four and More" that these musicians were playing and communicating on a level that is a rare achievement, thank God the tapes were rolling that night in February 1964! All of the players far exceed their usual brilliance. In particular I want to point out Herbie's playing on this release. I've always been aware of Herbie Hancocks abilities and brilliance, but his incredibly sensitive touch on those keys is almost overwhelmingly beautiful in places.
Not sure why everyone equates Miles's second great quintet with the addition of Shorter to the Carter-Williams-Hancock group. In my mind the second great quintet started with this band that included Coleman.
It's all good folks. I can't fathom why anyone who in musically knowlegeable would give this release less than 5 stars. Buy this along with its sister release "Four and More" You will not be disappointed!
Free Music Review: What jazz is all about
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1964, Miles brought his quintet, with George Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams, to give a concert as a Civil Rights benefit. The gig was unpaid and some of the band members threatened to leave when they found out, but Miles pulled them back together and they went out on stage to play. This album documents half of the material yielded by the concert, the other half being released on "Four & More."
The price of the CD is more than worth it for one tune, a fifteen minute version of "My Funny Valentine" which is the quintessential jazz performance. It begins with a beautiful piano introduction with Miles coming in and stating the melody (sort of) in a very rubato duet with Hancock. Eventually the band comes in and the groove establishes itself and peaks with an amazing chromatic trumpet run. The band just explodes. Coleman takes a lengthy but very very pretty saxophone solo (he was never as inventive as his replacement, Wayne Shorter, but he acquits himself well here) before Herbie waxes a GORGEOUS improvisation with only Carter behind him most of the way. I have a transcription of said solo and I am amazed that anyone could even write that, let alone make it up on the spot. Miles comes back in with the melody at the bridge and the tune ends quietly, the close of a magnificent melodic journey filled with amazing interplay and near-telepathy between the band members. This is what jazz is all about, creating spontaneous beauty that has never existed before and never will the same way again. Of course, we have the record to play it over and over.
The rest of the album follows in more or less the same mold: extended standard performances that are beautiful and top quality, though none of them quite reach the poignancy and power of the title track. The way the material was divided between the two albums is a little strange in that most of the medium tempo material is here while the faster material is on "Four & More," so it can get a little repetitious listening to "My Funny Valentine," "All of You," and "Stella by Starlight" all in a row, with little variation of tempo and approach. My suggestion? Either listen to the tunes one at a time or buy this album and "Four & More" and shuffle them...just a thought.
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