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  | MILES DAVIS ~ MILES IN FRANCE 1963 & 1964: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL.8
COLUMBIA 198028016728 (Barcode: 198028016728) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1963 - 1964 Released: 2024
This is the 8th installment of the “Bootleg Series” recordings by American trumpeter / composer / bandleader / visionary Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, released by ColumbiaFind albums on this label Records. It presents mostly previously unreleased material by Davis, captured during the early days of the legendary second quintet, recorded live in France. It follows the previous installment in the series, which was released in 2022 and offers 6 CDs of live material.
CD1 to CD4 present three full concerts recorded on July 26, 27 and 28, 1963 during the Antibes Jazz Festival, a total of twenty-seven tracks, performed by Davis, saxophonist George ColemanFind albums by this artist, pianist Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, bassist Ron CarterFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist.
The material recorded on July 27, 1963 (appearing here partly on CD2 and on CD3) was previously released on the “In EuropeFind albums with this title” album, in several versions, often edited, as well as on some compilations. This is the first time the full concert can be heard in its original form.
CD5 & CD6 present two full concerts recorded on October 1, 1964 during the Paris Jazz Festival, a total of ten tracks, performed by Davis, saxophonist Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist, Hancock, Carter and Williams.
The music offers a wonderful glimpse on the development of the second quintet. The concerts, separated by just over a year, and with Shorter joining the quintet, show how the music takes a quantum leap forward, as does the young Williams, who offers some truly brilliant drumming displays. Coleman, an excellent musician by all means, was simply too much rooted in the Bebop tradition, while Davis was trying to push the boundaries of the genre.
Overall, as usual with any archival material by Miles Davis, the music is absolutely Godly, stressing again his unshaken position as the greatest Jazz musician of all time. Although the music does not reveal any surprising elements, it affirms his status, and for every Davis’ follower on this planet is absolutely essential.
| | Updated: 31/12/2024Posted: 31/12/2024 | CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | MILES DAVIS ~ SEVEN STEPS: THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA RECORDINGS OF MILES DAVIS 1963-1964
COLUMBIA 90840 ~ USA ~ Jazz
This is the 3rd chapter in the ColumbiaFind albums on this label’s epic series of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist Box Sets, which is a monumental reissue project of recordings by the most important Jazz musician of the 20th century. Recorded mostly live during 1963 & 1964, the music documents the so-called in transition period of Miles between his two legendary Quintets. Miles was, as always. In search of the next step he wanted to take musically and was searching for the right musicians who could accompany him in his journey. Therefore, although this set includes music performed by a constantly changing line-up, the crystallization of the second great Quintet is well documented here, with Ron CarterFind albums by this artist (bass), Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist (drums), Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist (piano) and finally Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist (sax) gradually joined his group. All the other musicians playing with Miles here (George ColemanFind albums by this artist and Sam RiversFind albums by this artist on sax, Victor FeldmanFind albums by this artist on piano and Frank ButlerFind albums by this artist on drums) were admirable of course, but somehow lacked the special chemistry Miles required from his players.
The music contained here was originally released on the following albums: “Seven Steps To HeavenFind albums with this title”, “In EuropeFind albums with this title”, “My Funny ValentineFind albums with this title”, “Four & MoreFind albums with this title”, “In TokyoFind albums with this title” and “In BerlinFind albums with this title”. As usual, a plethora of previously unreleased tracks and tracks released on other albums and various compilations is also included, all present in full chronological order.
All of the material is painstakingly remastered and sounds superbly. Of course all this stuff is heavenly and although the musical progress here is slow, every note played by Miles is absolutely right on. There is a lot of tension in the air as Miles tests the ground for the next leap, pushing his musicians to the limit. The youngster Williams re-defines the meaning of Jazz drumming here, with more freedom and space than ever heard before, even with the parallel Free Jazz drummers. Hancock’s highly evolved musicality and deep sense of melody is already quite evident and Carter’s powerful and precise bass cements the entire concept together.
This stuff is as essential to any Jazz lover as air and water are to his physical existence. The box packaging is as lavish and extravagantly beautiful, as all the other items in this series, with extensive liner notes, detailed discography and many superb photographs.
A special note to collectors:
The initial release of all the Miles Davis Box Sets in this reissue series is packaged in an exquisite metal-bound (except chapter 5 which is cardboard-bound) frame housed in a hard cardboard CD-sized slipcase (except for chapters 1 & 8 which have a metal slipcase). Once the initial release is sold out, the CDs are repackaged in a tall-box digipak book format. Naturally the tall-box issues have a much lower retail price tag. All the initial release CD-sized issues become priceless collectors’ items in time.
| | Updated: 11/01/2024Posted: | CD 7 Box Set Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHARLES MINGUS ~ CHANGES: THE COMPLETE 1970S ATLANTIC STUDIO RECORDINGS
ATLANTIC 603497838363 (Barcode: 603497838363) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1973 - 1978 Released: 2023
This 7CD Box Set combines all the studio recordings made by the great American Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Charles MingusFind albums by this artist for the AtlanticFind albums on this label label during the last period of his life between 1973 and 1978. These recordings were released on seven albums, which appear here in their remastered versions: “Mingus MovesFind albums with this title”, “Changes OneFind albums with this title”, “Changes TwoFind albums with this title”, “Three Or Four Shades Of BluesFind albums with this title”, “Cumbia & Jazz FusionFind albums with this title”, “Me, Myself An EyeFind albums with this title” and finally “Something Like A BirdFind albums with this title”. All the music on these albums, with a few exceptions, was composed by Mingus. CD1 adds two outtakes and CD5 adds one outtake. The LP version of this Box Set adds an entire LP8 with seven outtakes.
The list of participating musicians on these albums looks like the who’s who of the American Jazz scene at the time, with the most notable ones being saxophonists George AdamsFind albums by this artist, George ColemanFind albums by this artist and Ricky FordFind albums by this artist, pianist Don PullenFind albums by this artist, drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jack WalrathFind albums by this artist, guitarists Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist, and many others.
The above albums mark the second period of Mingus recordings for Atlantic. Between 1956 and 1961 he recorded several albums for the label, but he was not under exclusive contract with the label at the time. Those albums can be found in the great Box Set released in 1997, called “Passions Of A Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings 1956-1961Find albums with this title”.
Overall, this Box Sets presents some of the most important American Jazz recordings of all time, preserving the incredible legacy of one of its most important protagonists. Mingus was a great innovator and at the same time a key keeper of the flame, combining the American Jazz tradition with modern trends, unlike most of his contemporaries, who preferred to be stuck in the past. This last period of his life turned out to be also perhaps his most productive and daring, definitely the most mature and aesthetically balanced. All of the music in this Box Set is a Holy Grail of American Jazz, sadly also one of the last displays of its productivity and genius. For Jazz lovers, who don’t own all these albums separately, this Box Set is an absolute must, but those who already have all this material in their collections, it adds almost nothing new, except for neat packaging and remastered sound quality.
| | Updated: 11/01/2024Posted: 11/01/2024 | CD 7 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
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