Stuff

Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Miles Davis (cornet), Herbie Hancock (electric piano), Ron Carter (electric bass) and Tony Williams (drums). From the album Miles in the Sky (1968).

In this album, in addition to playing the classical quintet, the guitarist George Benson also participates in “Pharaphernalia”, and they move further away from conventional jazz to get closer to what would later would be called jazz fusion. The influence of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman is also noticeable. The music is in its formative stages and more tied to the ground than it seems. Many of the rhythms are direct, incorporating rock metrics, and these are illustrated by Hancock and Benson. All these new components are tangible and identifiable, and result in intriguing music.

The group experiments with sounds and colors, layers of chromatic tones, cycles and funky rhythms. Never predictable and always on the edge of the abyss, Davis never stops before an incredible audio adventure. With its long running tracks, which seem rather like jam sessions, and the introduction of electric instruments, this is a transitional album, with elements of avant-garde, post-bop, rock and jazz fusion, which is a very interesting mix.

The introduction is performed by the rhythm section and then Shorter and Davis enter to expose the theme in unison, which is very extensive and elaborated, unusual and with many changes. Next Davis comes in with an adventurous and experimental solo using new resources. Shorter follows him playing in an incendiary way frantic and acrobatic phrases that form an intense and powerful melodic line. After that arrives Hancock making chord progressions and presents a creative and suggestive discourse while Williams encourages him with the cymbals. Then he makes a continuous harmonic succession and Williams intervenes with a brief solo. Lastly, the group re-exposes the labyrinthine theme and the rhythm section ends the musical piece.