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Evolution, not revolution; faltering and recouping, not spontaneous combustion or creation. Such was the development of "electric" Miles Davis, the transition from his mid-sixties quintet (Shorter, Williams, Hancock and Carter) to the larger ensemble, multi-keyboard, rock-inflected framework for such legendary creations as the inimitable "Bitches Brew."
The 3-CD Complete...Sessions is revelatory precisely because it shows that Davis had to work at changing the face of jazz. The two simple queries may have been "what is this thing, the electric piano, and how do I [Miles] make use of it" and "what are these rock rhythms, and how do I make them a part of jazz?" Because, in fact, those are the underpinnings of six months of recordings,.
The era commenced with the "Filles de Kilimanjaro" recordings where the electric piano was insinuated as a chaste accompanying instrument. Then came a number of studio sessions, some where the instrument befuddled Miles and reduced him to an almost-caricature of Cannonball Adderley, making soul-jazz but without the cache of a "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy." The experiments continued, sometimes with little more than a four-note skeleton for the trumpet and saxophone to lay atop the electric piano, or the instrument used in a too-romantic, diluted manner.
And from failure and discards came an immeasurable achievement—the actualization of "In A Silent Way," one of the most soulful and soft compositions in electrified jazz and one too often overshadowed by its successor album, "Bitches Brew". And from this collection come two results—an appreciation of the creative push and triumph of Davis, and an abundance of fascinating, and often excellent, music. This is a study in creation, and a rewarding several hours of listening. Drink deep.
— Jules Epstein, October 2001
Release Date: 23 October 2001
The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions (Columbia/Legacy)
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last update 4 November 2001