Four decades later, it remains the great game changer, the genre-bending, barrier-smashing double LP that would become Miles Davis’ first RIAA gold album, and influence two – three! (so far) – generations of jazz and rock musicians to come. Released in April of 1970, Bitches Brew refracted the chaos and beauty of a society stretched (and stressed) to its breaking point, the penultimate creation of Miles’ career.
BITCHES BREW LIVE adds yet another dimension to the album’s prismatic reputation. Its nine rare live performances comprise repertoire from the studio album and the one that preceded it, 1969’s In A Silent Way. The live tracks were recorded at festivals nine months before Bitches Brew’s release (Newport Jazz, July 1969, the first three tracks, previously unissued) and four months after (Isle Of Wight, August 1970, the final six tracks). This fascinating 59-minute glimpse into ‘the evolution of the groove’ will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting February 8, 2011, through Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
“When I hired Miles [for the 1969 festival],” recalls Newport founder and impresario George Wein in 2010, “I thought it would be with Wayne Shorter and Herbie and Ron and Tony.” Wein refers to Miles’ so-called ‘second great quintet’ (of Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams).
“Miles Davis was a beautiful human being,” muses Wein, who first began booking him around New England in the 1950s. “He had a charisma about him that a lot of people love to write about. People grew up making love to Miles Davis’ music. They were playing his records while they were in bed with their mistress or their lady or whatever. That’s legend. He was the only one, the bebop era, that came out of it playing the melody that people could understand. When he played ‘On the Street Where You Live’ or ‘Bye, Bye Blackbird’ and then Kind of Blue, it was all simple, sweet music — but with a modern tinge. And that’s where the legend grew.”
BITCHES BREW LIVE by MILES DAVIS
Selections: 1. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down • 2. Sanctuary • 3. It’s About That Time/The Theme • 4. Directions • 5. Bitches Brew • 6. It’s About That Time • 7. Sanctuary • 8. Spanish Key • 9. The Theme.
Tracks 1-3 recorded at Newport Jazz Festival, July 5, 1969, previously unreleased.
Tracks 4-9 recorded at Isle Of Wight Festival, August 29, 1970.