The Miles version of "Miss Last Summer" is so cool, it's really a pity that he couldn't put together an album with that band. Coryell's own version has none of that eerie menace, and the way it starts made me think, "Oh, God. Slick bass-popping fusion ahead," but he does some appealing work on guitar and it turns out fine.
It is incredible the magic Miles often added to a tune (even when not playing horn), but you're right, this is a fine performance. I like the chopping rhythm guitar riff and Coryell's lead.
Well the trumpet is a physically demanding instrument, in a way keys or guitar is not, so Miles' health always had a bearing on his performances and even his musical direction.
Miles, Bill Evans, and Jerry Garcia/the Dead are probably my three favorite artists. It occurs to me that “What kind of drugs was he using?” and “How was his health at that time?” are frequent preoccupations of fans & writers regarding all three.
In Miles' case another factor was his love life, at least according to Ian Carr. I think this is another link between Miles and Bob Dylan, a topic mentioned either in this thread or an on going Bob thread.
Is it time to start talking about You're Under Arrest? McLaughlin and Scofield on the same album - wooh!
Before we move on I'll mention Miles Davis Septet - Live In Poland 1983 on the Gambit label. This is a double CD with 3 tracks coming from Miles' 1981 band. Most of the 1983 material is from Star People but there are some Decoy tracks. I much prefer this album to both Star People & Decoy.
The Warsaw 83 show is a great, transitional and short lived band - just a handful of shows in Autumn 83, luckily both Warsaw and Berlin exist in good quality. Who can resist Jones & Foster as a rhythm section? And while Evans is clearly out of sorts / out of favour, that just leaves Scofield more room and he makes up for it - really funky playing. After that MD threw himself into the idea of making an LP of pop tunes, though this idea had been semi-modified by the time the next LP was finally released. But I'm getting ahead...
I enjoyed Decoy as I have done with most of these 80’s albums. Slightly hard to tell them apart now but I think I could tell it is Decoy based on the synth sounds if I hear a random track.
And it's one of the few shows where Miles played "That's Right" live, one of my favorites from Decoy.
Another thing that interests me about the Warsaw 83 show are the abrupt changes in volume. Judging by the Complete Miles At Montreux concerts this was a short lived experiment.
This discussion has let me to revisit those late '83 into '84 shows. Warsaw and Berlin 83, Hollywood '84, and of course Montreux. Such great music. I realize the pop covers that began in '84 are going to get a bit of flak, but I can see that MD felt the need for an injection of a different kind of material (as would have happened in '75 if he had been able to continue). From now on the studio LP's are complemented by the live shows on the Montreux box, and the '84 shows are terrific. I love the entire Scofield era - definitely the high point of the comeback years IMO. Whatever the band was playing he took it somewhere unexpected.
I've collected Miles live tapes for decades, but at some point I drew the line at 1983, because there's just so much recorded concerts from 1984 onward, and from 1984 the shows were progressively becoming more formulaic, with more formal, keyboard-based arrangements. Up to 1983 it was really a jazz/fusion band. But Miles' playing was really really strong up to 1986. From 1986 the concerts as a whole were really becoming less spontaneous and more arranged though.
Absolutely agree about Sco! The' 85 Montreux shows are great too - the power and energy of the band is amazing.
I agree up to a point, but I do think when Kenny Garrett arrived, the shows moved up to a new level - I've always loved Garrett's solos on "Human Nature."
I liked Kenny at first, but after sitting through dozens of live recordings of Human Mature his solo struck me as a slightly cliched showpiece.
I'm sorry man, but got sick of hearing basically the same solo over and over. After the first half, band goes into double-time, Kenny starts squealing. Every damn time.
I like Garrett but agree - it did become a bit like the ‘Comfortably Numb’ of MD shows... But we’re getting ahead- we’re still in the Bob Berg era!
I was waiting to talk about the 85 shows til we’re onto You’re Under Arrest! but yes that tour was the first time I saw MD and I have a huge affection for those shows.
No need to apologize. It's horses for courses. Would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything.
You know what an impatient fellow I am! I was lucky enough to see Miles nine times between 1983 and 1991, and I have to say that the 1985 show in London really stands out for me.
