Good Times

 

Just got the sad news that Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea has left us. The inventive jazz fusion keyboardist, who founded Return To Forever in the early seventies, was 79. Before that, he was a prime member of the groundbreaking Miles Davis electric band, contributing to milestone albums as In A Silent Way, Bitches Brew, and On The Corner. Miss him.

Miles Davis - It's About That Time (live '70)

Oh Vienna

Much bootlegged but now officially available: electric Miles, live in Vienna's Wiener Konzerthaus back in '71. Apart from the trumpet maestro, the lost septet consisted of Gary Bartz, Keith Jarrett, Michael Henderson, Ndugu Leon Chancler,  Charles Don Alias, and Mtume. And lord, they sure were cookin'.

Miles Davis - Honky Tonk (live Vienna '71)

Milestone

Carlos runs the voodoo down while latinising Miles. Admirable job for sure.

Santana - In A Silent Way (live)

I Remember

Just got the sad news that jazz legend Lee Konitz has passed away. The esteemed alto sax player of the 'cool school', who played on the landmark Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis, was 92. Happy to report I saw him live once: pure jazz magic all around. Miss him.

Lee Konitz - You Go To My Head
Lee Konitz - There Will Never Be Another You
Lee Konitz & The Gerry Mulligan Quartet - I'll Remember April

Strange Brew

If you, like me, can't get enough of electric Miles, here's yet another piece of the puzzle. Recorded live in Rotterdam for a radio broadcast back in '69, The Lost Quintet precedes the release of the revolutionary Bitches Brew. Backing the man with the horn are Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. And fun was clearly had by all. Run that voodoo down...

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (live '69)

We'll Be Free

And while we're talking free jazz: isn't it about time this way out, Africa-oriented spiritual jazz exercition from the seventies by electric Miles sideman Mtume finally got released on cd? Cherry on top?

Mtume - Cabral

All That Jazz

Just got the sad news that Rudy Van Gelder passed away last week. The brilliant recording engineer was 91. RvG helped shape a ton of legendary jazz albums for illustrious labels as Blue Note, Prestige, and Impulse. Here's a swinging six pack in his honour. Miss him.

Miles Davis - If I Were A Bell
John Coltrane - Witches Pit
Kenny Drew - Groovin' The Blues
Dexter Gordon - I Was Doing All Right
Eric Dolphy - Something Sweet, Something Tender
Sonny Clark - Eric Walks

Over The Edge

Patience, people... The famous For The Sake Of The Song end-of-year list will be revealed shortly, but let's start with the best of the oldies-but-goldies bunch released during 2015. Don't you dare miss 'em.
 

1. Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge '65-'66 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 12

Bob Dylan - Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again (Take 13 Alternate)

2. Miles Davis - Miles Davis At Newport '55-'75 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 4

Miles Davis - Directions

3. various artists - Ork Records: New York, New York

Richard Lloyd - (I Thought) You Wanted To Know

4. various artists - Punk 45: Extermination Nights In The Sixth City - Cleveland, Ohio

Pressler-Morgan One Plus One - You're Gonna Watch Me

 
And talking about oldies but goldies, I just got the sad news that Lemmy has passed away. The Motörhead frontman was 70. Miss him.

Motörhead - Love Me Like A Reptile

Run It Down

Just in case you missed it: there's a new volume of the Miles Davis Bootleg Series on the market. At Newport, as you've probably guessed already, focuses on the man with the horn's appearances at the Newport Folk Festival between 1955 and 1975. Great stuff all around, but my absolute fave's the heavy heavy voodoo fusion played by his Dark Magus formation, recorded in '73 in Berlin, as part of Newport in Europe.

Miles Davis - Turnaroundphrase (live Berlin '73)

Smiley Smile

Some more Miles? Why not. How about my fave ballad of his? Just might be the delicate Circle from '67. Great solos from the man with the horn himself and from Wayne Shorter on sax, but it's Herbie Hancock who really steals the show here with a classy, pseudo-classical tour de force. Please let me know your poison in the comments. Back in a week, ciao ciao.

Miles Davis Quintet - Circle

Milestones

Could be you love the otherwordly mid-seventies Miles groove albums - Agharta, Pangaea, Dark Magus - as much as I do. Could be you didn't dare to take the plunge just yet. Whatever the case, you really should read one excellent recent article on this still rather uncharted jazzrock territory, by Angus Batey in The Quietus magazine. Like the man said: "Listen."

Miles Davis - Maiysha

Is Two

Prayers for better weather answered for now, so you can find me on the corner again, wearing my Vote For Miles shirt. Still amazing after all these years, this is. And that fat bass - courtesy of Michael Henderson - is boss.

Miles Davis - One And One

Wild Weekend Vol. 31

Right at its tail end, here´s another edition of Wild Weekend, which means the iPod shuffle once again came up with a flaming six pack of goodies. This week it´s all about getting your fortune told, running the voodoo down while blood runs down King Street, meeting the Venus de Milo, and chasing a vampire. All for a price of course. All for a price.

We´ll get this show on the road with a track from one of my all-time fave albums: the amazing Marquee Moon. An organic musical entity if ever there was one, Television defined artrock for years to come. And no one ever came close. "Didja feel low? Not at all... Huh?" I´ve never been too fond of jazz fusion to be honest, as it often tends to disappear up its own backside, mindboggling virtuosity notwithstanding. But I have to make an exception for that revolutionary 1970 Miles masterpiece called Bitches Brew. Jazzy on the outside, funky on the inside, now that´s how you run the voodoo down.

Television - Venus MP3

Miles Davis - Miles Runs The Voodoo Down MP3

Recently saw Werner Herzog´s brilliant movie Nosferatu on the telly again, and it struck me just how perfect the soundtrack by krautrockers Popol Vuh accompanied the on-screen action. Or is the fact that their music works just as good on its own, as the minimalist Höre, Der Du Wagst shows, an even bigger feat? Anyway, it´s time for a Vuh revival, folks. New Orleans soul singer Benny Spellman is best known for his cool hit single Lipstick Traces, but the uptempo Fortune Teller should have been an even bigger smash. No wonder the Stones covered it early in their career. Listen up and get your fortune told for free.

Popol Vuh - Höre, Der Du Wagst MP3

Benny Spellman - Fortune Teller MP3

Vivian Jackson a.k.a. Yabby You, who sadly passed away last January, was a Christian dread who recorded an amazing oeuvre both as a singer and as a producer. Never really famous during his heyday, his talent was finally recognized in the nineties thanks to the tireless work of reggae reissue label Blood & Fire. This heavy heavy track comes from the much-recommended Deliver Me From My Enemies (´77). And for the last song in this weekend´s installment, we turn to one of the best postpunk singles ever: We Are All Prostitutes by Bristol´s finest avant-funk noisemakers The Pop Group. "Everyone has their price..." Right? You bet.

Yabby You - Blood A Go Run Down King Street MP3

The Pop Group - We Are All Prostitutes MP3

Springsville

Bringing you a steaming jazz six pack today, if only because spring has finally sprung. Saxes on the backburner for now, let´s blow them trumpets. Here´s hoping for a long hot summer, spent in your own sweet way.

Lee Morgan - These Are Soulful Days MP3

The Art Farmer Quartet - I Waited For You MP3

Miles Davis - Springsville MP3

Freddie Hubbard - Cry Me Not MP3

Kenny Dorham - Blue Spring Shuffle MP3

Chet Baker - Summer Sketch MP3