MOV or 4MWB Dark Magus...hmm...decisions, decisions... And to think I kept telling myself I was going to cut back on my frivolous spending in 2018
Dark Magus is an essential document for those interested in the Cosey era but it's also quite an unusual performance. While the first half is basically a standard type of set for this lineup, the second half is quite different. So the first set opens with 'Moja' - or Turnaroundphrase & Tune in 5 (as per Peter Losin's commonly accepted titling system) - a typically dense and confrontational opening sequence familiar from near enough every '73 show. It's likely that Liebman played a tenor solo around the 5 minute mark edited out on the LP. Next up is 'Wili', made up of Funk followed by For Dave. Funk originally developed throughout the 73 shows in the performances of Right Off. Here it's played as a standalone piece with a slow bassline, but the trumpet themes are familiar from the Agharta version a year later. For Dave is a great performance here, with Liebman unsurprisingly on top form. It's worth mentioning that Miles plays plenty of trumpet during the first half of the show - it's the second half that seems to stick in many commentators' minds when things like the supposed lack of trumpet playing is referred to. So next up is the opening of the second set. 'Tatu' is made up of a long jam, (basically a second version of Funk) followed by Calypso Frelimo - criminally cut short at the end of the LP side. The big difference here is the addition of Gaumont & Lawrence, who the rest of the band hadn't even met let alone played with. Their contributions have been widely criticised but they certainly make an impact. The funk jam is built around the organ bassline that would be taken forward into future versions, but there is no musical hook here and what is most noticable is that Miles plays only keyboard for 16 mins until his typically plaintive trumpet solo at the very end. I think this piece is insanely funky, completely unlike any music made by this band let alone anyone else. Calypso is great while it lasts but unbelievably fades out in the most funked up Miles solo. The final part is 'Nne' which begins abruptly as the band are transitioning into Ife. Plenty more Gaumont on this side, a fair bit of general meandering too, plus a rarely seen effectless Miles solo at the end of Ife. A reprise of Turnaroundphrase wraps things up. Pardon me for going on a bit. Some people see Dark Magus as a record of a real off night (most notably Paul Tingen in his 'Miles Ahead' book) - but I love this band and this LP.
Thanks for this well written review. I relistened to Dark Magus and enjoyed it a lot, partly thanks to your comments. I fail to understand why Paul Tingen doesn't like the sound quality - it sounds pretty good to me. I've owned and listened to Agharta since the mid 80s and it just blew me away (especially the first half) to the point that I have been unable to connect properly with the other live sets. I look forward to someone being an advocate for Pangaea, which I still am trying to grapple with.
While listening to Dark Magus I tried to distinguish Gaumont's contributions from Cosey's. My crude description of Cosey's tone is that it has a certain "shriek" quality to it, a quality I hear in varying degrees in other recordings as well. Gaumont's tone tends to sound more buzzy/fuzzy to me. You gearheads out there probably know if he's using a certain brand fuzz box to get that tone. As already noted, Gaumont seems to be heard a lot on the second set. That's my best guess at it - does that seem right???. Does Reggie Lucas solo at all on Dark Magus? That frantic superfast Turnaroundphrase at the end of the "Nne" track (starting at 19:40 on my version) with Gaumont and Cosey freaking out at the same time...unbelievable!
I think in the stereo mix Cosey is on the left, Lucas on the right and Gaumont also on the right although panned sometimes during his solo.
I was rewinding "Wili (Part 1)" a bit and was struck by how much it sounded like something from "Uncle Meat" when played backwards.
Looking again at Dave Liebman's liner notes from the digipak CD, he wrote that Gaumont played on the first set which I think is incorrect.
I would like to know this as well. He doesn't solo often, in general, with Miles' band? In most of the footage that I've seen he seems to be back there adding shades/textures and looking cool as hell.
I think on Pangaea Lucas has a solo, but would need to relisten. On the In Concert from 1972 he was the only guitarist and played solos.
During '73-'74 after Cosey joined, Lucas played an occasional solo but not always (none on Dark Magus) - he plays a short one here around the 55minute mark: However, after Gaumont left Lucas started to play more solos, and by 75 he pretty much plays one solo per show. In Agharta it's towards the beginning of (vinyl) side 4, in Pangaea it's during 'Zimbabwe' after the sax solo midway through side 2. In the Tokyo 22 Jan 75 show there's a pretty good one in Ife.
On another note, for those interested in how Funk developed out of Right Off, see this video from Paris 73 where the transition is at 26.46
When distinguishing between the guitarists it's worth remembering that Cosey is often playing percussion (cowbell, woodblock, shakers etc) - so for example in the second set Dark Magus you can tell it's Gaumont soloing when Cosey is playing very prominent cowbell on the left! Their styles are quite different too - even with the effects, Cosey's broken up, scratchy phrasing is quite distinctive, while Gaumont tends to play more conventionally buried beneath a more Ernie Isley-like effect.
Exactly; this is my reference too - when there's a 2nd percussionist audible it's Gaumont soloing. I like DM a lot. It's a bit stiffer then the Japan 1975 albums and not as good frankly, but Gaumont is a welcome addition. Azar Lawrence basically does a failed audition and his playing is very disjointed.
Yes, he seems lost. Too bad since on the only other record I own where he plays (McCoy Tyner's Enlightenment) I think he was very good.
I think he plays a lot more during the first part of Tatu pt 1 but has been mixed out - listen on headphones and I think you can hear the sax behind Gaumont. The mix implies Gaumont is soloing whereas it was probably more of a free for all jam. Another reason why I would love to hear a remix / unedited version - which I assume is impossible as it seems the original tapes are gone - or even an audience tape, to know what what heard on the night.
Agree with you all. All these years I've had a hard time trying to figure out who plays what on this album. Not even liner notes or reviews are helping. Several videos are available of the band... but unfortunately not this particular concert. The same applies to Agartha/Pangaea - but there the "who plays what" is clearer.
There's live footage of Dominique on YouTube, recommended. Sadly yes it seems he went into heroin addiction after Miles fired him and he returned to Paris.
Titles probably down to creative Japanese producers. The side titles are Swahili and translates to the prosaic one, two, three, four.
"Off night" or not, give me Dark Magus over Agartha or Panagea any day. Of course, truth be told, give me the June 19 '73 Tokyo soundboard recording over all three, that performance smokes! That's how it sounds to me as well. The first time I watched the 1973 videos on You Tube and actually saw Cosey in action, I could not believe it...man, that dude could play! Up and down the fretboard a mile a minute...my best friend plays guitar like that. I couldn't play like that in a million years! I think Lucas gets in a lick or two here and there but mainly sticks to the wah-wah rhythm when there are other guitarists around. On In Concert I must admit sometimes I have a hard time distinguishing if it's Reggie Lucas playing a solo or the electric sitar player!
Have to find that one you mention. For a long time this was my favorite set from 73 (sound+image): July 8, 1973, Montreux (Switzerland) Second set Ife Calypso Frelimo Untitled
I bought the Music On Vinyl edition of Dark Magus a while ago and must say I am very happy with the sound quality. Imagine the Japanese original is very expensive (managed to snag a Jap original of Pangaea though).
