VOTE FOR MILES - ILM artist poll #32, Miles Davis - Results Thread

That's a lot of 80's stuff you put in there. I had one song up for consideration from the 80's: 'Mr. Pastorious.' Obviously didn't make my list in the end though.

Still a good one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oaqwh_Y6VXc

Not too surprised that my #1 didn't place, I guess.

1. Yesterdays (Miles Davis Volume 1)
2. Rated X
3. Shhh/Peaceful
4. Spanish Key (Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That Time, second show)
5. Concerto de Aranjuez
6. 'Round Midnight ('Round About Midnight)
7. Right Off
8. Footprints (Paris '67)
9. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
10. Boplicity
11. On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin' One Thing and Doin' Another/Vote for Miles
12. Solea
13. Agitation (Plugged Nickel, 12/23/65)
14. When I Fall In Love (Steamin')
15. Moja
16. Generique
17. Calypso Frelimo
18. Moon Dreams
19. Gone
20. Bitches Brew
21. He Loved Him Madly
22. Julien Dans L'Ascenseur
23. Prelude (Agharta)
24. Nefertiti
25. Milestones
26. Circle in the Round
27. Blue in Green
28. No Blues (Plugged Nickel, 12/22/65)
29. Mademoiselle Mabry
30. So What

Great poll, WilliamC! Thanks for doing this!

balls:

http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/CulturalStudies/AfricanAmericanStudies/~~/dmlldz11c2EmY2k9OTc4MDE5NTM5Mzg0Mg==

It's been a great poll for opening my ears to some pre-Columbia stuff. I can't say it did the same for 1981 and after, but I have issues with the slick 80s production on a lot of it.

hey can anyone recommend a good book on the second quintet? analysis + history/anecdotes

this looks heavy on the musicological analysis, hence it has been sitting unopened on my shelf for a while

xpost

Full results! Albums on one sheet, tracks on the other.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmhW_PgsyKKodFJMbzI2aFBSUlFySUhqaGlLRkZZVEE&usp=sharing

On the tracks page, where there were point ties, sometimes I had to override the spreadsheet's placement order (alphabetical by song title) with the number of votes, which was the first tiebreaker. I didn't bother trying to change the spreadsheet though.

great poll william I enjoyed it lots. Thank you!

1. Zimbabwe
2. Funky Tonk
3. He Loved Him Madly
4. Fat Time
5. Round Midnight
6. Iris
7. On Green Dolphin Street
8. Fall
9. Jean Pierre/You're Under Arrest/Then There Were None
10. Sivad

11. Blues For Pablo
12. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
13. Tout de Suite
14. Riot
15. On The Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin' of One Thing and Doin' Another/Vote for Miles
16. Summertime
17. Milestones
18. Human Nature
19. Great Expectations
20. Red China Blues

21. MDI/Something's On Your Mind/MDZ
22. Soaking
23. Dear Old Stockholm
24. Mood
25. Shhh/Peaceful
26. Concierto de Aranjuez

Just the 26 because I had to rush mine out in the end. I feel defeated by the whole exercise, really - if I'd had a year then maybe I'd've done a better job. But it was great fun anyway, I second the 'learning a lot' thing.

i think 'Tutu' (from Live Around the World) was the only '80s track on mine

Good work WilliamC, really enjoyed this poll - I had no idea what the consensus tracks would be beyond a handful of obvious ones so this has been an eye-opener.

My ballot:

TRACKS
1. Gone, Gone, Gone
In a Silent Way
All Blues
Bitches Brew
Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)
John McLaughlin
Shhh/Peaceful
My Funny Valentine
Maiysha
Concierto de Aranjuez (Adagio)
Milestones
He Loved Him Madly
So What
Great Expectations
Black Satin
Eighty-One
Little Church
The Pan Piper
‘Round Midnight
Spanish Key
Bags’ Groove
Right Off
E.S.P.
On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin’ of One Thing and Doin’ Another/Vote for Miles
Yaphet
Dear Old Stockholm
Freddie Freeloader
Fall
Ascent
Two Bass Hit

ALBUMS
1. In a Silent Way
Porgy and Bess
Bitches Brew
Sketches of Spain
On the Corner
Kind of Blue
Agharta
Tribute to Jack Johnson
Get Up With It
E.S.P.
Milestones
'Round About Midnight
Bags Groove
Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
My Funny Valentine
Miles Smiles
Big Fun
Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants
Cookin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet

Loved this WC -- this must be the first poll I've voted in where the top two weren't even on my ballot!

1. Pharaohs Dance
2. Right Off
3. Nefertiti
4. Milestones
5. Fall
6. Rated X
7. Sivad
8. My Funny Valentine
9. Concerto de Aranjuez
10. Spanish Key
11. So What
12. Freddie the Freeloader
13. All Blues
14. Zimbabwe
15. Miles Ahead
16. Summertime
17. My Man's Gone Now
18. Gondwana
19. Ife
20. Someday My Prince Will Come

Albums
1. Bitches Brew
2. Kind of Blue
3. Sketches of Spain
4. Pangaea
5. In a Silent Way

since voting i've been mostly only in the mood for Miles when i'm at home listening; and also just scored a handful i'd never thought to check out before: Pangaea, MFV, Four + more, oh and that KILLER Montreux box stuff. thx for all the work William!

The size of the discography made this tougher for everybody -- and I'd say from the somewhat lower turnout that it did chase off some potential voters -- so I'm glad y'all thought it turned out ok. Thanks again to everyone who voted/listened/commented! I just updated the Spotify playlist with the top 2.

1. Shh/Peaceful
2. All Blues
3. Bags' Groove
4. Moja
5. Concierto de Aranjuez
6. Gone
7. Spanish Key
8. On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin' One Thing and Doin' Another/Vote for Miles
9. Airegin
10. So What
11. In a Silent Way/It's About That Time
12. Right Off
13. Pharaoh's Dance
14. Black Satin
15. Boplicity
16. Tabu
17. Freddie Freeloader
18. Toute de Suite
19. Wili
20. Bitches Brew
21. Solea
22. Flamenco Sketches
23. Yesternow
24. Springsville
25. Generique
26. Filles de Kilimanjaro
27. My Funny Valentine
28. Summertime
29. Saeta
30. Blues by Five

Oops, forgot to bold "Springsville" in there, too. And "Wili," too. Most surprised at "Bags' Groove" not placing, but the one I'd really love to direct more love to is "Gone" -- the only original on Porgy and Bess, and straight classic.

"Gone" love seconded. The outtake sequence on the box is fascinating for how Gil Evans manages to consistently trip up these insanely accomplished musicians; even on the master, Philly Joe and the bass clarinetist still fuck up one of the sequences.

So What
Rightoff
In a Silent Way/It’s About That Time
Boplicity
Shhh/Peaceful
All Blues
Concierto di Aranjuez
Yesternow
Gondwana
Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)
Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
Vote for Miles
Prelude
Black Satin
Helen Butte

I need to shout out what is probably my favorite track that has not even been mentioned in this thread so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWBWF2mxNBI

you have to let it run for a while, it's a builder

1. Flamenco Sketches
2. Milestones
3. It Never Entered My Mind
4. Blue in Green
5. I Want to Stay Here
6. So What
7. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
8. In a Silent Way
9. Right Off
10. Shhh/Peaceful

Followed this to learn, and I got some direction on what to look for, so thanks.

I need to shout out what is probably my favorite track that has not even been mentioned in this thread so far:

It was actually a toss-up for me between this and "Mademoiselle Mabry" on my ballot. Definitely an underrated track.

TRACKS
1. Shhh/Peaceful - In a Silent Way
2. Bitches Brew - Bitches Brew
3. Pharaoh’s Dance - Bitches Brew
4. Spanish Key - Bitches Brew
5. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down - Bitches Brew
6. Sanctuary - Bitches Brew
7. So What - Kind of Blue
8. All Blues - Kind of Blue
9. He Loved Him Madly - Get Up With It
10. Footprints - Miles Smiles
11. Rated X - Get Up With It
12. Blue in Green - Kind of Blue
13. Boplicity - Birth of the Cool
14. Orbits - Miles Smiles
15. Circle - Miles Smiles
16. Freedom Jazz Dance - Miles Smiles
17. Dolores - Miles Smiles
18. E.S.P. - E.S.P.
19. Agitation - E.S.P.
20. Iris - E.S.P.
21. Black Satin - On the Corner
22. Stuff - Miles in the Sky
23. Black Comedy - Miles in the Sky
24. Tout de Suite - Filles de Kilimanjaro
25. Petits Machins - Filles de Kilimanjaro
26. Filles de Kilimanjaro - Filles de Kilimanjaro
27. Solea - Sketches of Spain
28. Calypso Frelimo - Get Up With It
29. Maiysha - Get Up With It
30. The Sorcerer - Sorcerer

William will agree you need to watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxSFSdcGPLM

1. Go Ahead John
2. Shhhpeaceful
3. Great Expectations
4. Freddy Freeloader
5. Lonely Fire
6. It's About That Time
7. All Blues
8. Tout De Suite
9. Solea
10. Will O' The Wisp
11. The Little Blue Frog
12. The Pan Piper
13. Petits Machins
14. Black Satin
15. One And One
16. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
17. Blue In Green
18. All Blues
19. Filles De Kilimanjaro
20. Spanish Key
21. Pinocchio
22. Country Son
23. Paraphernalia
24. Honky Tonk
25. Frelon Brun
26. Eighty-One
27. Footprints
28. Mood
29. Dual Mr. Anthony Tillmon Williams Process
30. Splash

Really enjoyed this poll, thanks for the effort William. Only just getting acquainted with Porgy and Bess and Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. It is such a huge, multifaceted beast is the Miles oeuvre. I don't know how he fitted it into one lifetime.

My ballot --

TRACKS

#1
Flamenco Sketches
He Loved Him Madly
In A Silent Way/It's About That Time
Black Satin
Footprints
On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin' of One Thing and Doin' Another/Vote for Miles
Shhh/Peaceful
Nuit Sur les Champs-Élysées (take 4)
Circle in the Round
Generique
Sanctuary
Fall
Blue in Green
Pharoah's Dance
Seven Steps to Heaven
So What
Gone
Saeta
Rated X
Concierto de Aranjuez
Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)
Bitches Brew
Spanish Key
Go Ahead John
Masqualero
Eighty-One
All Blues
Summertime
Blues for Pablo
Round Midnight - #30

ALBUMS

1. In A Silent Way
2. On the Corner
3. Kind of Blue
4. Ascenseur Pour l'Echafaud
5. Miles Smiles
6. Sketches of Spain
7. Dark Magus
8. Bitches Brew
9. Get Up With It
10. Seven Steps to Heaven
11. Porgy and Bess
12. Birth of the Cool
13. Filles de Kilimanjaro
14. Miles in the Sky
15. Nefertiti
16. The Complete Concert 1964
17. Miles in Tokyo
18. E.S.P.
19. Milestones
20. Miles Ahead

SIDEMEN

Tony Williams
Bill Evans
John McLaughlin
Dave Holland
John Coltrane

William will agree you need to watch this


These videos make me realize that as intense as the music from those live records is during the 70s, in some ways you still don't quite understand how radical they were until you see the performances -- the living room-like setup, guys in their 20s w the enormous Afros and silk shirts, Mtume playing thumb pianos and the like. For a Miles Davis band, who was playing to stuffed shirt white audiences only a few years earlier, it's pretty incredible.

Herbie on 'Nefertiti', confirming the 'lost first take' story (although there still weren't solos on that version):

http://www.scribd.com/doc/122187618/Herbie-Hancock-The-Nefertiti-Interview

HH: By the way, that was me, who said to Miles “let’s play the melody only.” That was my suggestion. I thought that the rhythm sections could give colors from underneath. Miles said “Wayne, let’s do the melody,” and they did. We succeeded. You can hear how the rhythm section develops. By the way, you know that the first take of “Nefertiti,” wasn’t actually recorded on the original album? We were all really trying to find the real meaning of the song, and no one pressed the “record button”. In take 2 we tried to reproduce the sound of take 1. The first take was the real original, but we didn’t record it. So you’re actually listening to take2 on the album.
--Oh, really?
HH: Yes. That’s right. When we finished the original “Nefertiti” album, Miles said to Teo Macero, “Teo, from now on, press the “record button,” whenever we grab our instruments; whenever you hear anything!!! Never mind about take 2,3,or 4, CBS record L35 or any of that kind of shit man!!! Get the music on the tape!!!” So after that, the music was always recorded. He never forgot to push the “record button”again, (laughs). Anyway, the first version was a masterpiece. Who listened to it? Only people inthe studio at that time. They never forgot that. Ask Ron Carter. He can tell you about the“Nefertiti,” which was not recorded. That was more than 20 years ago.

Ohhhh, man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teo_Macero.jpg

=

http://0.tqn.com/d/animatedtv/1/0/Y/K/familyGuy_Meg_single1_72.jpg

Rather,
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Teo_Macero.jpg

=

http://0.tqn.com/d/animatedtv/1/0/Y/K/familyGuy_Meg_single1_72.jpg

No way!

Way.

Miles Davis Way.

Volume 3 of the Bootleg Series coming out in March.

Looks to be the complete/unedited At Fillmore shows.

Sweet, I was just jamming Vol 2 the other day, there will never be enough live Miles boots!

yeesh i still need to get vol 2. this should be good, though "a substantial contribution from Carlos Santana" in the liners ehhh.

"a substantial contribution from Carlos Santana" = a picture of Santana wearing a tie-dyed Miles t-shirt

honestly i'd rather they throw it over to keith jarrett so he can explain why all of this music is terrible. at least that would be kind of entertaining.

I wonder if Jarrett winces and writhes around when he's typing.

lol probably

but seriously, whatever jarrett thinks, him and corea dueling during this period is some seriously killer stuff.

Totally. I love how Miles got such amazing performances out of musicians by forcing them to do what they didn't want to do. I don't think Jarrett touched an electric instrument (or Corea an Echoplex) after his stint with Miles.

Paul Tingen chimes in on the upcoming release: http://miles-beyond.com/news.htm

Also, huh:

There's a nice, impressionistic essay by Michael Cuscuna, who was at one of the concerts, and the pre-release version also contains an interview with Santana. Reportedly Santana was unhappy with the album's cover, which he said had nothing to do with Miles, and he withdrew his cooperation and his section of the liner notes will be omitted from the release when it sees the light of day on March 25th. These are the rumours I've heard, let's see what the reality is.

Weird song ID request, but just wondering if anyone knows what Miles song was used in the clip from his entry in Microsoft Encarta circa-1994.

can't help you, but i am smiling b/c i spend shit loads of time as a 10-14 year-old exploring music clips and articles via this mid-1900s CD-ROM from Billboard/All Music Guide. got into tons of jazz as a kid b/c of this

"b/c i SPENT spend shit loads of time as a 10-14 year-old"

to clarify i am no longer a pre-adolescent

Was reading PDF's ranking of Miles' studio albums this morning and had a desire to listen to You're Under Arrest -- and WTF?? -- it seems to be the sole album of his not on Spotify.

Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4

looks good... though i'm not actually that crazy about the newport 58 set.
is that 75 set the last time he played in the 70s?

It's his last live recording of the 70s, but supposedly the last performance was a few months later.

And yeah, there's a bit too much already-released stuff here. I would've rather they didn't include the 1969 set and instead included the full 1975 set.