Willie Bobo on bongos. He played on some of the 1962 Quiet Nights era sessions, I think the only Miles recordings with Afro-Cuban hand percussion before 1969.
Side note- what’s the best vinyl pressing of Big Fun? I’m kind of obsessed with it this week and might want it on vinyl... Also can anyone report on the quality of the oop Sony SACD of Big Fun?
Big Fun just got reissued in one of those Original Album Classics sets. I wonder what masters were used? It, along with Water Babies, has bonus tracks...
So... I've got the Sony Legacy remasters with the bonus tracks... Are Big Fun and Get Up With It, and Water Babies different mixes to the original CD issues? Do I need to hunt down original early CD issues of these for original mixes or suchlike? I'm hoping someone here can help. Thanks in advance.
If I recall correctly, the post-Bitches Brew material was never remixed. The Legacy remaster of Water Babies features remixes by Mark Wilder.
I love this thread - I’ve been pretty much lurking, due to life commitments. I only saw a little discussion of the ‘72 - ‘75 era tracks that were unreleased until The Complete On The Corner Sessions box, so I don’t think this has come up. One of my favorite 70’s Miles tracks is on there: “Hip Skip,” which provides a neat little window into one of Miles’ main non-musical pastimes. The repeated descending melodic figure that features throughout is derived straight from the theme song to M*A*S*H. Miles sure loved his television. I never see this adaptation mentioned, but it’s hiding in plain sight.
I've got the Sony SACD of Big Fun which I enjoy. It's a long time since I've heard any other version of this album so although I can say it sounds good I wouldn't like to make any claims as to just how good it is.
Except for Bitches Brew and Agharta/Pangaea, I believe for all albums from In A Silent Way onwards the CDs use the original mixes. However, for most of the studio material the unedited takes appear on the complete album box sets in new mixes.
That's funny. I always thought that melody reminded me of something. Meanwhile, former Miles sideman Bill Evans did a jazz version of the M*A*S*H theme itself in his last years.
I'm not sure that's correct for In A Silent Way. The MFSL SACD which uses the original mix sounds quite different to the CDs & earlier SACD. But I could be wrong; it could all be in the mastering.
It is all mastering. The Legacy CD version has the same original mix, but I believe they tried to smooth over some of the more obvious edits.
Next up for discussion: Grab-bag of late ’70s compilations and leftovers To round off our survey of Miles' '70s electric phase, here are some of the releases that contain stray tracks from the period we are discussing, but also go back in time for unreleased Miles tracks from the vaults: Complete On the Corner box (which we haven't officially discussed yet), Miles at Newport 1955–1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (which contains a track recorded after Agharta/Pangaea), and the Columbia mid-'70s/early '80s compilations of unreleased and rare recordings Circle in the Round and Directions. More details to follow.
Water Babies was a November 1976 album of previously unreleased Second Quintet and post-Kilimanjaro-era tracks recorded in 1967 and 1968. The tracks were: "Water Babies" "Capricorn" "Sweet Pea" "Two Faced" "Dual Mr. Anthony Tillmon Williams Process" Circle in the Round was a compilation released in November 1979. It contained the following previously unreleased tracks: "Two Bass Hit" from Miles' first sessions with Columbia in 1955; "Love for Sale" from the sessions that wound up on the album Jazz Track—this tune stayed in the vaults until released in Japan only in 1974 on 1958 Miles; "Blues No. 2" from the Someday My Prince Will Come sessions; "Circle in the Round" (edited), "Teo's Bag", "Side Car I" and "Side Car II" from sessions with the Second Great Quintet; "Splash" and "Sanctuary" later appeared on The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions; "Guinnevere" from the 1970 sessions after Bitches Brew. Directions was a compilation released in 1981. Some more unreleased tracks: "Song of Our Country" from the Sketches of Spain sessions; "'Round Midnight" from the live Blackhawk sessions; "So Near, So Far" from the Seven Steps to Heaven sessions; "Limbo", an alternate take from Sorcerer; "Water on the Pond" and "Fun" from sessions with the Second Great Quintet; "Directions I & II" and "Ascent" from The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions; "Duran", later reissued as "Duran (Take 6)" on the Complete Jack Johnson Sessions; "Konda" (edited) and "Willie Nelson" from the Complete Jack Johnson Sessions.
I’ve never really listened to Circle in the Round, so I look forward to discussing that along with Newport. Sadly the OTC box is going to have to wait for me to be able to afford it! On the topic of Directions, this thread got me looking online for a copy the other day and now I’m wondering: has it EVER been released on CD in the US?
I don't think it has. I searched for it quite a bit in the last year and they were all Japanese copies I came across. I bought one. It's great, obviously.
I absolutely love the version of Sanctuary on Circle in the Round, actually I love the whole album & the title track is one of the greatest things I've ever heard. The only problem is finding a spare 26 minutes to listen to it properly. I bought Directions (CD) from Japan last week & am looking forward to hearing it, I mainly wanted the version of Duran on there, which is phenomenal.
I enjoy Circle In The Round and Directions a great deal. These were released during Miles' '76-80 hiatus as stopgaps of course. Directions is slighty more enjoyable. It's odd that the title track went issued for 10 years despite being the standard set opener between 1969 and 1971. Both studio versions are really good.
I much prefer "Circle in the Round" in its longer, remixed form on the Second Quintet box. It has better sound there, too. Speaking of which, the vintage mixes on Circle in the Round, Directions and even Water Babies aren't very good, in my opinion. They sound like they are many generations down from the original multitracks and a have a slightly pinched and hollow sound. Not even the Japanese CDs could do much there. Of course, all domestic US CDs that contain those tracks as bonus tracks have them in remixed form, so it's not an issue anymore. But still, if you want to hear them as originally released, those Japanese CDs are your only bet. Here is my copy of Water Babies on CBS Holland which actually contains an original US cut, 2A/2A.
I was afraid of that! I’ve never seen one in a shop, but I didn’t make much of that (There are loads of Blue Note RVGs hat I know for sure came out domestically but I’ve never seen in a store.) Anyone have a link for the best version of Directions to buy? Jewel case preferably?
any idea what mix was used for the aghartha/Pangea downloads that were up on Pono..? As for Bb, I recall reading that the original mix is what is used for the hdtracks download... thx
