Miles from India (TWO CD SET)
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Free Music Notes for Miles from India (TWO CD SET)
Free Music Review: This is what music is supposed to be about...especially the music of Miles Davis
Hit: 5 Stars
I avoided this one for a while. I'm not an obsessive Miles "purist," by any means, but I approach any project featuring his music with an extreme sense of caution.
Mark Isham made a bold move with Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project, which admirably and lovingly recaptured some of the prime moments from the Bitches Brew era.
Bill Laswell scored with Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969-1974.
But the concept of Miles alumni collaborating with "world" musicians, adding layers and nuances to the music? This is the kind of project that begins with true 50-50 odds for success.
To my surprise, this is a powerful, well-rounded set. At first, the wordless "vocalizing" during certain pieces was a bit jarring. These compositions are so well known among Davis followers that the introduction of any "unfamiliar element"...whether it's an instrument, a voice, or both...demands that you sit back and see where it will take you, rather than react negatively to it as an intrusion.
I've heard various people who knew Miles say that the posthumous box sets...things like The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions...would have truly angered the man, because the music was released the way he wanted it released in its original form.
Would Miles have loved "Miles From India" or hated it? The answer is one or the other. I don't feel that he would have greeted it with indifference.
It's no substitute for the actual work of Miles Davis, nor is it intended to be. But if you are a follower of his music, it's a refreshing alternate view of his craft from a substantial group of men who helped make it happen, along with some new friends.
Miles was all about shattering labels and boundaries, creating new horizons. In that spirit, I encourage you to give this album a spin.
Free Music Review: An essential addition to the canon of reworked electric Miles
Hit: 5 Stars
Some people have been disappointed that this project did not realise its full hybrid potential, and perhaps not unduly so. However, we must remember that the music of Miles' electric period was already inflected with Indian musical structures and musicians, irrespective of the extent of explicitly Indian instrumentation (surely part of its appeal to me). On Miles From India I will concede that some tracks are more successful than others in their achievement of indo-jazz synergy. But for example, Spanish Key is absolutely incredible- a really distinctive interpretation with a pronounced Indian inflection, and reason alone to purchase this. As an obsessive about this era of Miles' music, this rendition really caught my attention, filling me with delight.
Others have complained that the project suffers from the segregation of its recording, with separate sessions in India and the US (reducing the carbon footprint of its production), with the music only combined in production, thereby depriving the musicians from the dynamic intersubjectivity of shared being. This too I will partially concede. Again however, I will defend this project by noting just how successful the dynamic integration of component parts has generally been. And after all, so much of this era of Miles' music was a cut and paste job by Teo Macero anyway.
In recent years we have been treated to Bill Laswell's Panthalassa project and its dance remixes, to Henry Kaiser and Leo Wadada Smith's Yo Miles! project (producing three wonderful CDs), and to the potent live performances on the Children on The Corner album. Miles From India represents another worthy addition to a body of work that so warrants celebration through reinterpretation. Whether these projects try to innovate or replicate, I'm still happy to hear alternative versions of so many tracks that I love so much. Great stuff.
Free Music Review: Miles Reincarnated
Hit: 5 Stars
Miles from India features an all star cast of jazz legends, contemporary jazz stars combined with a stellar group of Indian musicians in an unbelievable tribute to Miles Davis. The first time I listened to this double CD set I was absolutely floored. This CD is more than just a brilliant concept. The execution is flawless and the arrangements are beyond perfect. This CD set will make you think Miles Davis' songs were meant to be played by Indian musicians. Everything about this album is a class act. To start with an incredible group of Miles Davis alumni were assembled. You've got Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Gary Bartz, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Lenny White and that's just scratching the surface of the legends whom play on this album. Producer Bob Beldon did not stop there though. He also got one of the top trumpet players, and perhaps the trumpet player whose tone most sounds like Miles, Wallace Rooney and Indian saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, one of the hottest rising stars on saxophone to contribute on the album as well.
The songs selection and arrangements could not be better. The chanting voices on Spanish Key fit in beautifully with the cacophony of sounds. The sitar playing on All Blues will make you think that Miles wrote the song for a sitar player. The frenetic tablas and percussion meld perfectly with the class bass line in So What. This is the clear front runner for jazz album of the year in 2008. When all is said and done, this might be one of the best jazz fusion albums ever.
Free Music Review: Must be part of your jazz-fusion collection!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the first announced/released CD since John spent 6 months in India, so I had no reason to not buy it. If you are expecting Shakti like music in this album, don't. This is an amalgamation of Indian music with some of the original music of Miles Davis, including some participants of the original music. I have been trying to put my finger on which song I liked best, but every single song is amazing.
A very strong percussion team represented by Ranjit Barot, Sivamani, Gino Banks, Selvaganesh, Vinayakram, Lenny White, Sridhar Parthasarathy, Jimmy Cobb, Ndugu Chancler and Vince Wilburn Jr. It was a surprise Zakir did not participate in this album.
If this album is any hint, Sikkil Gurucharan has made his debut into non-traditional music and is likely to become another Shankar Mahadevan. Of course, I don't count Umamahesh is this league at all.
This album is a very good experiment and a must try for every Jazz lover curious about Indian music (and the other way round as well)
I don't know why some pieces in this album remind me of techniques Ilayaraja uses in his background scores for movies.
Read my full review at [...] if you will
Free Music Review: Essential listening for any jazz fan
Hit: 5 Stars
This stunning East meets West collaboration brings together an all star line up of jazz players and Indian musicians to explore the nexus of Miles Davis' and Indian music. Featuring an amazing crew of players including many alumni of Miles' late 60's and early 70's beyond category musical adventures. The jazz line up includes John McLaughlin, Lenny White, Badal Roy, Wallace Roney, Marcus Miller, Pete Cosey, Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Gary Bartz, Mike Stern and many more. The Indian contingent includes Louiz Banks, Gino Banks, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Ravi Chari, Vikku Vinayakram, V. Selvaganesh, U. Shrinivas, Brij Narain, Dilshad Khan, Sridhar Parthasarathy,Ranjit Barot, Taufiq Qureshi,A. Sivamani, Kala Ramnath, Rakesh Chaurasia, Shankar Mahadevan and Sikkil Gurucharan.
Co-producers Louiz Banks and Bob Belden have created a seamless fusion of the two styles that jumps from the speakers and is endlessly fascinating.
John Coltrane, The Beatles, Miles and many other musicians have looked to the music of the Indian sub-continent for new perspectives and inspiration. This recording is the latest priceless fruit from this cross pollination.