By this point in the ’70s, Miles was moving away from jazz fusion’s popularity to something more primal and harsh. His band grew more Afrocentric, and thanks in no small part to his wife of one year Betty Davis (Mabry), Miles started listening to Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stone. But he also had an ear tuned to Aretha Franklin, and Ann Peebles. In one of his signature turns of phrase, Miles told DownBeat magazine: "If Al Green had one tit, I’d marry that motherfucker."
The sessions that makeup 'Get Up With It' span from 1970 to 1974, and include a line up that reflects Miles and the transient nature of his ever-changing priorities: Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Billy Cobham, Al Foster, Airto, John McLaughlin, Reggie Lucas, Pete Cosey, James Mtume, David Liebman, and many more appear. Behind them sat producer and editor Teo Macero, who transformed hours of sessions and chaos into something majestic.
The one stabilizing force, on these recordings, is teen bassist Michael Henderson, whom Miles lifted from Stevie Wonder’s band and dropped in to solidify each incarnation of Miles' groups for the next seven years. Many members of the "Jazz Cognoscenti" deemed Michael Henderson too simplistic of a player. To my ears, Michael sounds sublime.
'Get Up With It' is not the sound of jazz to come, and it's not even the sound of Miles Davis to come. But, if you listen closely, along with jazz, funk, rock, the avant-garde, you'll hear many genres/sub-genres still to come: ambient, no wave, world beat, jungle, new jack swing, and post-rock.
The freeload is the 1996, 2 CD limited edition remastered reissue, from Sony Japan, as part of their "Master Sound" series.
For the freeload, ask me a question.
Can you name your musical cornerstones.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Iggy - Lust for Life, a few years later Dome I and II another few years later Napalm Death and a year later The KLF. After that nobody made that much impact
Do you mean individual albums?
DeleteIn my case it was the song Lust for Life, The 2 Dome albums, the Napalm Death live gig 1987 and the first time I heard Pure Trance 1 by KLF. It is just ten years and there is so much more good music, but these things tower over all (with the sad exception of Lennon's death)
DeleteHow many albums do you own?
ReplyDeleteHard to say, I started cataloging them using the PostgreSQL database, and got bored with it, and stopped at around three thousand or so officially released LPs and CDs. Then there’s Dead shows…lots and lots of Dead shows. All kinds of bootlegs, some on cassette, and reel to reel.
DeleteI would estimate somewhere around a “shitload”.
When will you publish your memoir?
ReplyDeleteInquiring minds want to know!
Little by little, I’m publishing them on this blog.
DeleteBabs -- I have 2 questions that are related.
ReplyDelete1. Do you have a dedicated area in your place at the Button Factory for listening to music with your fantastic hi-fi setup that you detailed in an earlier comment?
2. And how are the acoustics overall?
I'm guessing high ceilings and original wood floors with maybe area rugs for aesthetics and to help dampen sound. Thanks!
I live on the top two floors, the top floor is what real estate folk call a “great room” (meaning big), the hi-fi setup is at one end in the sitting area there’s also a kitchen and a dinning area at the other end.
DeleteThe building also has 3 foot thick walls. An audio engineer friend scanned the room with a room acoustics software program (I don’t remember which one), it showed where on the walls and ceiling to place acoustic panels. I recently replaced the panels using the Primacoustic brand.
So, with the lower floor serving as a sound buffer and the 3-foot-thick walls and the acoustic panels - you can have your system as loud as you like with nary a complaint from the neighbor? A nice luxury in NYC.
DeleteAnd the Vanilla Fudge box set is FANTASTIC! Thanks.
DeleteToilet paper roll placement: paper tear over the top, or tear on the bottom?
ReplyDeletePaper tear, over the top.
DeleteI knew you weren't a savage! ;-)
DeleteANON RF: The only correct answer.
DeleteFun Fact: cultural anthropologist, Margaret Mead, was fascinated by this question.
DeleteDaryl Hall song "Babs & Babs"... your opinion?
ReplyDeleteI had to google it, as I don't think I've ever heard it.
DeleteThe overall vibe reminds me of a Terry Callier penned song.
I loved that Miles quote about marrying Al Greene and couldn't agree more about Henderson's role in Miles's evolving funkification. To me, most the great bassists are simplistic in a really good way. I can appreciate the musicianship of someone like say, Jaco Pastorius, but in the end it's the players who create an enveloping, sustained pocket that float my boat. Leroy Hodges of the Hi Rhythm Section, Motown master James Jamerson, the MG's Duck Dunn, the Meters' George Porter, and the Famous Flames original bassist, Bernard Odum, all shared one trait: they lag the beat, creating tension with the hi-hats and snare—locking in grooves that are hard to resist.
ReplyDeleteANON RF: Your opinion of Scott Lafaro? [Careful now....]
DeleteIt's not about "the best", but rather "the right" musician.
DeleteLove Scott!!!!
DeleteOn the freeload question, what do you like to listen to while cleaning the bathroom, or other times music isn't front and center?
ReplyDeleteNew music.
DeleteWhat was the best Dead show you attended?
ReplyDeleteI don't know about "best", but many favorites were from the Brent Mydland era. Brent's musicianship and perfect pitch, was amazing.
DeleteWhich group/artist did you miss out seeing that you really wish you could have. BTW thanks very much for these Miles releases.
ReplyDeleteJohn Coltrane
DeleteYou can read about it here:
https://babssez.blogspot.com/2024/07/john-coltrane-newport-63.html
Out of curiosity, describe to us your current sound system. Take care.
ReplyDeleteMain system: Luxman - L-505Z Integrated Amplifier, Rega Saturn MK3 CD, Rega Planar 78 (only plays 78 rpm records), Rega Planar 8 Turntable, and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 speakers. Plus a few DACs, I'm "auditioning".
DeleteThanks Babs. Did you ever see Moondog/Louis Hardin on the streets of New York? Follow up, have you heard Kronos Quartet/ Ghost Train Orchestra - Tribute to Moondog? 2nd follow up (sorry). Thoughts? Thanks Babs
ReplyDeleteI once saw Louis Hardin on 6th Avenue, from a bus window. I would have gotten off the bus, but I had an appointment I had to keep. On the return trip, he was gone.
DeleteIs there an album in your collection from the back in the day that you have no idea what possessed you to buy it?
ReplyDeleteIf the answer is to that is no. Are there any artists / bands currently you wish you had in your collection but currently don't?
Two albums come to mind, both greatest hits by The Carpenters and Bread.
DeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/xSfVAtmxwkx
Taken into account that yoou've probably also been to a shitload of concerts,
ReplyDeletewhich artist or group did you not catch in concert , but really wish you did?
You can read about it here:
Deletehttps://babssez.blogspot.com/2024/07/john-coltrane-newport-63.html
What is/was your favorite musical venue in NYC?
ReplyDeleteThe Village Vanugard.
DeleteMs Babs Lady thank you for all your efforts....I love this blog (along with Mr One Bucks). My question is was there a band who you saw as a support act and thought 'We'll! These are crap!' and then went one to think were great.
ReplyDeleteMine were Blondie supporting Television at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, Two songs in, I went to the bar! What was I thinking??!!
In December 1966, myself and some friends took a road trip from Pasadena up to San Francisco to see Otis Redding at the Filmore. The Grateful Dead were on the bill. Based solely on their name, I thought they'd sound a lot different than they did. At the time, I had no idea they would follow me everywhere I went until 1995.
Delete