I’ve had this eight-disc set for about seven years, and I’m only now just beginning to appreciate how fantastic it is. I’ve paid lip service to the second great Miles quintet, but how great they really are! The group was booked for two weeks in December and early January, 1965-66, at Chicago’s Plugged Nickel club, the present set presenting December 22 and 23 in their entirety.
Forget the fact that audible splices join pre-existing tapes with then newly discovered ones, allowing for complete versions to be issued of theretofore truncated takes and producing some dizzyingly strange sonic phenomena. Disregard, also, the ebullient fellow off to your left, the guy shouting “Miles, you lucky Miles” during a Ron Carter solo, and “Blew Miles right off the bandstand” after an admittedly fine Wayne Shorter contribution. I let distractions like these put me off one of the greatest recorded documents in music history for too long! None of the group’s studio material, no matter how probing and penetrating, demonstrated such telepathy, such a wealth of spontaneous compatibility. Check out “Agitation” from December 22’s second set for an extraordinary venture toward free jazz, prefiguring the so-called “lost” Corea/Holland quintet’s musings of 1969; Hancock works inside the piano, time becomes elasticized, and all is propelled by Tony Williams’ supremely and incomparably energetic drumming.
Yet, somehow, nothing is overstated in this music. Even the loudest portions of “So What,” from the second night, maintain a feeling of control, of something about to explode but contained at the last moment. Much of the music is understated, whether in Herbie’s beautifully wandering lines that never quite loose focus, or in the insanely fast interlocking as Williams and Carter blaze through up-tempo tunes. Shorter is heard as he really is, blowing through a third space somewhere between Coltrane and Jimmy Lyons, cranking out tiny compositions moment by moment, Hancock with him at every turn. The set demands much more space than I’ve afforded it, but as I’ve been unable to put it down all week, it seemed the only logical choice. Spin it again, and enjoy!
~ Marc Medwin
Posted by derek on May 13, 2007 6:22 PMRIght on. I have to say, in addition to everything mentioned above, I love Miles' playing on this as well. I've heard people dog his playing on these recordings, but I don't agree with them at all. He's playing exactly what he wants, and its weird and awesome!
Absurdly great music.
Posted by: Matt Mitchell at May 16, 2007 5:38 AMMiles makes a lot of "goofs," but who cares? He's trying. How boring this music would be with a Freddy Hubbard or Woody Shaw (not to mention Pope Wynton the 1st) in that chair.
Miles was hip enough to give these young guys the keys to his band. Tony became the driver and Wayne the map reader. I guess that means Herbie handled the Turtle Wax and Ron Carter changed the tires, to beat that metaphor to a bloody death...
btw this set is rumored to be OOP. Until recently you could get the whole thing on filesharing, here: http://194142434445.blogspot.com/
Posted by: djlL at May 16, 2007 10:23 AMDamn, I never even mentioned Miles!! Quite right, his playing is a strange but beautiful mixture of bop and freedom!
Posted by: marc at May 16, 2007 10:13 PMMedwin, you still owe me. Pay up or I'll start addin' points to da vig.
Posted by: djll bixson at May 16, 2007 10:20 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................