No jazz musician in the last 50 years was more important than Miles Davis. You could argue that Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and maybe Charlie Parker were more influential; but while those three all lived past 1950, much of their groundbreaking work was behind them; Davis' concerts and recordings in the ‘50s and ‘60s in particular continue to occupy a profound and unique place in jazz history. For that reason alone, any visual record of his career is worth checking out--especially one that predates the decade before his death (in 1991). That said, it should also be added that Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue isn't for everyone: the focus here is on Davis' appearance at the massive Isle of Wight rock festival in 1970, a year after the release of the landmark fusion album Bitches Brew, and the music he played that day (presented here in its 38-minute entirety, with strikingly good visuals and excellent, well-mixed DTS Digital sound) consists of one uninterrupted jam. It's funky, raw, loud, sometimes dissonant, even raucous--powerful stuff, but a far cry from Davis' Kind of Blue. What's indisputable is the craft that went into producer/director Murray Lerner's documentary preceding the concert itself, including a host of 2003 interviews with folks who either loved the music (Carlos Santana) or disdained it (critic Stanley Crouch calls it a shameless sell-out), as well as musicians who'd worked with Miles before (Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Dave Liebman), and Joni Mitchell, who also performed at the Isle of Wight. Best of all, the six superb players who were onstage with Davis (keyboardists Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, percussionist Airto Moreira, electric bassist Dave Holland, and saxophonist Gary Bartz) are on hand to reminisce. Add to that a couple of wonderful new solo improvisations at the end of the program by Hancock and Airto, and you've got an item that no Miles Davis fan should be without. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)
Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue
(2004) 73 min. DVD: $19.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 1
Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue
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