FunkFreak75 Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street Studio, New York City, on October 24 and October 25, 1966. Whereas the previous studio album (recorded all the way back in January of 1965) showed the band experimenting with very subtle structural elements in what felt like very profound and skill-building ways, this one shows a return to more dynamic, loosely-constrained improvisational music. The band has had over a year and a half of almost continuous touring and live performing to hone their skills as well as play with and express their transcendent subliminal connections, and now they're ready to re-enter the studio not just as a machine but as a fully-fledged organic organism capable of fluid and united here-and-now morphing: something like the murmurations of a flock of starlings. A1. "Orbits" (4:35) the first of three Wayne Shorter compostions, it opens with Miles, Wayne, and Tony bursting out some riffs before smoothing with Ron Carter's twinkle-toes support into a The nuances Tony is throwing at us from his sticks is extraordinary: it's as if he's playing multiple percussion instruments over there (in the right channel) all at the same time! Oddly, there is absolutely no presence of Herbie Hancock's piano until the 2:45 mark when he's given a solo slot. I like Herbie's lower octave piano phrasing here: it's very smooth and virtuosic--even understated--in its imitation/regurgitation and development of the main melodies offered by the horn players. (9.125/10)

A2. "Circle" (5:52) a song attributed to Miles, it harkens back to the softer, more subtly populated fare of old Miles' songs like Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain. Miles' muted trumpet presents the melodies for the first 90-seconds and then Wayne comes in with one of his masterful melancholy solos--the kind that feel so simple and easy and yet contain untuold numbers of virtuosic touches that you and I could never duplicate. Then Herbie's solo starts and it's a beauty: so well proportioned with the play of Ron's bass and Tony's brushes. I'm glad to have Herbie's gentle phrasing bridge the rhythmatists and melody-makers for the full length of this song. Miles, Wayne, and Herbie each take second solos in the middle of the song: these being even more melodic and emotionally-charged than the first ones while Ron and Tony exude magical techniques that I've never heard before (from the double bass' upper registers and from Tony's hi-hat), and then Miles' muted trumpet takes us out--ever so gently--as everybody else also dials down their inputs. Wow! What a great song! (10/10)

A3. "Footprints" (9:44) the second Shorter composition, this one is overflowing with pleasing melodies! At the same time, the confidence exuding from the instrumental sounds played by all of the band members has grown in geometric proportions; it's as if previously Miles was tearing his young collaborators down in order to rebuild them better than before. The success shows commensurately. (18.5/20)

B1. "Dolores" (6:20) on Wayne's #3 contribution, it sounds like a slight variation on the previous track: slightly faster, slightly more dynamic, giving more open reins to Tony, in particular. It's not the dynamic, rock-muscling drumming of Lifetime, but it is virtuosic. The oddest thing about this song is that I hear absolutely no piano until 3:15! (9/10)

B2. "Freedom Jazz Dance" (7:11) something I see less frequently on Miles' studio albums: Miles covering someone else's composition--here a song by Eddie Harris. I love the interplay among the musicians--that includes Ron and Herbie as Wayne and Miles lead the way. In the meantime, underneath it all, Tony is again set free to play! And amazing is his exhibition! I have to keep going back to try to listen to the other musicians because I always seem to end up being drawn to Tony's drum play. Teo has Herbie mixed a little low in the mix--off in the left channel with Wayne and Ron, Miles right-center, while Tony is left pretty much alone in the right channel. (No wonder I can't stop listening to him: my right ear is my better ear!) The construct and play is a little more angular and less melodic in the solos, but as long as Tony is there to wow me, I don't really care. And then the song comes to a proper, natural end (as opposed to being faded out). (14/15)

B3. "Ginger Bread Boy" (7:40) another cover song, this one of a song by saxophonist Jimmy Heath. The band opens with Wayne and Miles riffing together while Tony drives his kit like he's weaving in and out of traffic on the Autbahn (while Ron tries to keep up with him by fast walking on his fretboard). Once again there is minimal (if any) piano play in the support sections. Miles gets an awesome solo in the second and third minutes in which he verily feeds off of the energy being issued by Tony. Then Wayne, too, offers up something lively and inspired--not quite as entwined with Tony's playing as Miles' solo (and mixed a little into the background) but still quite impressive. Herbie rather awkwardly gets the nod to jump in toward the end of the fifth minute. His choppy solo feels less connected to the rest- -more heady and experimental than loose and free-flowing. As Wayne and Miles duet to bring us back to the opening motif with a minute to go, you think it's going to fade out, but instead they give Ron a little spotlight time with which to bring the song to a close (with the additional rasp of Miles talking to Teo at the very end). Mr. Williams is incredible and it's Miles who does the best job of feeding off his drummer's phenomenal energy. (14/15)

Total Time 40:35

Boy! Have these guys come a long way! It's so amazing to actually hear and feel the tremendous growth they've achieved as a band. My only complaint with some of the songs is the choice to not have Herbie's piano act as an accompanist: he's given solos in the second half of these songs but allowed no presence in the opening or closing portions of three songs!

A/five stars; a masterpiece of wonderfully-cohesive quintet jazz. This band is not called "great" for no reason! Highly recommended to anyone wanting to experience a full album of really high-quality jazz music.

FunkFreak75 After a couple of years of touring, testing out new lineups and new formats while trying to form a new quintet (and releasing several live albums in the interim), Miles has his new dream lineup--what will be remembered as his "Second Great Quintet"--as superstar Wayne Shorter has finally come aboard to join Miles and Ron Carter with wunderkinder Tony Williams and Herbie Hancock. The first studio album to feature the full lineup of the Second Great Quintet is recorded at Columbia Studios in Los Angeles on January 20-22, 1965. Producer Teo Macero has by now been exposed to the amazingly new and expanding possibilities of sound engineering (he's had lots of fun practicing with a couple of live albums released between this and 1963's Seven Steps to Heaven as well as the long process of finishing the classic Gil Evans big band collaboration, Quiet Nights, which had been recorded in 1962 and early 1963 but not released until December of 1963), thus the six months between recording sessions and the final Columbia Records release.

A1. "E.S.P." (5:29) there is a sense of comfort and ease from the very onset of this song: this band "clicks." Wayne Shorter leads on his tenor sax from the opening note with Ron Carter and Tony Williams running like mice beneath and Herbie accenting the mid-range on piano. When Miles takes over the lead in the second minute it feels like everybody kicks into hyper-focus: "Got to impress the boss" they're thinking. Herbie gets the next solo starting at 4:05. His melodies are impressive for how quickly things are moving along. At the advent of the sixth minute Ron slows down as Wayne and Miles recapitulate the main melody together, bringing the song to a close. Impressive jazz. (9.125/10)

A2. "Eighty-One" (6:14) Herbie leads on this one while Miles and Wayne inject a few interesting blasts before the reins are handed over to the bandleader. There is a definite fresh, innovative feeling to this song: I'm not sure if it's the odd structure or mix of changing motifs from partial elements of the group while the soloists play, but there is something very interesting here. It's like the band members are each allowed to change things up--to shift gears or styles-- whenever the mood or whim excites them. Tony, Herbie, and Ron all do it and a few times the whole band follows suit but sometimes they don't! I'm not sure what you call that which I'm listening to here but it's very different from the jazz I'm used to hearing. When Miles and Wayne join forces to play in tandem over Herbie's solo in the final minute, it is so cool! It's as if they're playing a game: trying to read each other's minds while not taking too much away from Herbie. A very cool jazz song that feels as if it's pushing boundaries. (10/10)

A3. "Little One" (7:21) soft, slow, and spacious piano-led (and Herbie-composed) jazz music over which Miles and Wayne each take turns soloing with pensive intent. Ron and Tony are there in the background, trying to feed off the leader's energy (Tony trying to hold back his penchant for more dynamic play) and Wayne's "thought trains" a little more active-preoccupied than Miles' reflective ones. Even Herbie in the background feels as if he's ready to exude more enthusiasm than his leaders have laid down, yet his turn in the spotlight is perhaps the most beautiful in its contemplative expression of all of them. (It's between he and Miles.) The support from the rhythm section backs way down in the seventh minute, giving the song a much more "finished" feeling to its end. Nice exercise in mental discipline. The boys did well! (14/15)

A4. "R.J." (3:56) back to a quicker pace with Tony keeping time while Ron runs through a two-measure sprint over and over with a brief piano-filled break in between each race. Wayne takes the first solo but I find myself so distracted by the intriguing little dance that Herbie and Ron are doing that I find it hard to pay attention to the soloists. Fascinating! (9.3333/10)

B1. "Agitation" (7:45) Tony, sticks on the skins, for the first two minutes of this before Miles' muted trumpet squeaks into the soundscape with Ron and Herbie tip-toeing beneath. Eventually, Ron, Tony, and Herbie fall into sync with one another creating what feels like a motif that is intended to mesmerize the listener; they're sneakily trying to brainwash us! Miles distracts us from "behind" with his muted trumpet while the other three go through their Marth Graham-like angular motions with the consistency of time pieces. Wayne steps in to give a gentle solo that continues to lull us while the scientists do their work underneath. Again: fascinating! Miles and his collaborators are definitely exploring the structural rules of jazz--testing the confining boundaries with these mathematical exercises. I find myself really enjoying this (and the process)! A Miles composition, I imagine he was quite exacting of his demands on the rhythmatists here. (14/15)

B2. "Iris" (8:31) opening like a late-night piece from Kind of Blue we are informed very early on by Herbie that this is in no way anything like anything from Bill Evans or Wynton Kelly. Ron and Tony stay pretty firm in their commitment to standard jazz support, but Miles and Wayne are definitely stretching the familiar routes of melody and dynamics on this Wayne Shorter composition. While I truly enjoy all of the solos, it is Herbie's humane piano solo in the seventh minute that I love the most. (It is actually quite a lot like something Bill Evans or Vince Guaraldi might do. Lovely!) Wayne, too has manifests some pretty awesome ideas here. One of the few songs on which it is the soloists/melody- makers that impress me the most! This might actually be my favorite song on the album! (19.25/20)

B3. "Mood" (8:49) once again we've got a set up in which Tony is keeping time while Ron and Herbie play off of one another to help create a kind of see-saw rhythm track. Then Miles, playing another muted trumpet, and Wayne, here playing a breathy (slightly muted?) sax, play off each other in a way that is similar to Ron and Herbie. In both duo's cases one of the members is being more steady (Ron and Wayne) while the other is spicing things up a bit (Herbie and Miles). But then, in the fourth minute, Wayne is given the spotlight while Miles sits back and watch/listens. Nice solo here, Wayne! For the sixth minute, Herbie gets the next solo. Again, I am so impressed by his discipline and presence: the way he takes time to let the next chord or phrase emerge out of him without ever seeming to press or rush. Amazing! Miles and Wayne return to their original binary star dance for the final minute. Interesting, lovely, though a bit soporific. (17.875/20)

Total Time: 48:23

I am rather surprised at the way the music on this album somehow manages to keep the band's usually-hyperactive drummer in a rather sedate state. The dynamic rock inputs of the previous album are totally absent. (Perhaps Tony is spent or distracted from the energy he is putting into his solo projects at the time. Or perhaps Miles put some heroin into Tony's chamomile tea.)

A/five stars; a masterpiece of jazz music that I hold up as one of the finest demonstrations of boundary-pushing jazz I've ever heard. Though there is little to no influence of rock music here, the mentality of mathematical experimentation with structure that is supremely present here is something that I find very essential to the "progressive" part of both high arts of Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion. HIGHLY recommended--even essential to any music lover's album collection.

FunkFreak75 Recorded for Columbia Records in Hollywood (tracks A1, A3, B2) on April 16, 1963 and in New York City (tracks A2, B1, B3) on May 14, 1963.

(Note. This was the beginning of the Quintet, no Wayne Shorter yet but Herbie Hancock, Ron, Carter, Tony Williams were present for 50% of the album.)

A1. "Basin Street Blues" (10:29) a quartet piece (no George Coleman) with Frank Butler on brushes in the right channel, center occupied by Ron Carter and Miles playing his muted, New Orleans-sounding "piccolo" horn (Miles up high and forward), and Victor Feldman's romantic piano in the left channel for the first minutes of this gentle "late night" tune. For the first five minutes this is really calming, but then a little bluesy vim and vinegar creeps into the tune before Miles finally backs down to allow someone else a chance to have some shine. Victor at the end of the seventh minute (where I keep expecting Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis, Jr. to step in with an impassioned "hep cat" vocal) and then a return to Miles to close. Nice--though nothing that wows me or that will replace my memories of other great Miles tunes (like "Flamenco Sketches"). (17.75/20)

A2. "Seven Steps To Heaven" (6:24) clean, clear sound with acoustic double bass front and center, clean, clear capture of Tony Williams' crisp drumming relegated to the right channel, Herbie Hancock's choppy-style of piano zip occupying the left, George Coleman's tenor sax also in the right, and Miles' intimate trumpet front and center. My favorite parts are in the final minute when Miles and George harmonize the speedy melody in perfect unison. Fun tune--though fully-entrenched in the be-bop category. (9/10)

A3. "I Fall In Love To Easily" (6:47) a pretty late-night quartet cover of the Julie Styne Sammy Cahn classic has Frank Butler playing with some gentle stick play while a very active and smoothly melodic bass plays from Ron Carter while Victor Feldman accents and bridges from the left. Miles is up front with his muted trumpet again but for some reason he doesn't feel like the show on this one as he did on "Basin Street Blues": the performances of Ron and Victor feel equally important. I like the more respectful and collaborative feel of this one. (13.375/15)

B1. "So Near, So Far" (7:00) a cover of a Tony Crombie & Bennie Green composition, this turns out to be the most progressive and refreshing tune on the album as each of the musicians seems to be working in their own universes while being cleverly overlayed as they are all woven together quite magically as one beautiful (though busy) tapestry. Herbie and Tony are present on this one with both adding their own syncopated accents beneath Miles' dominant- though-relaxed open trumpet play. George Coleman is given the green light for a solo in the third and fourth minutes. Starting out rather stiffly he sticks to the script pretty tightly for the first minute, but then he loosens up and starts to slur and spew some cool little riffs and flourishes. Herbie is given the sixth minute before the band returns to the neat little five-part harmony weave for the final minute. I like this song! (13.75/15)

B2. "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" (8:27) a more traditional slow swing song with Miles playing a muted trumpet and Victor Feldman and Frank Butler sitting in behind him with Ron (no George). The song is a Charles Warfield and Clarence Williams (grandfather of contemporary stage and film actor, Clarence Williams III) composition from way back in 1919, here given shifting tempos throughout the song (my favorite thing about the song). Though considered a blues classic, Miles, Ron, and Victor have definitely brought it fully into the realm of jazz. Other Miles, Victor is the only other significant soloist on this quartet performance. (17.75/20)

B3. "Joshua" (7:01) the third and final song involving the full quintet, all parts are up and running from the opening notes: Ron walking all over that upright fretboard, Tony contributing his otherworldly syncopated and off-center accents, Herbie stretching out his harmonic gifts, while Miles and George explore the melodic possibilities up top. A great, adventurous, spirited, and highly-creative tune that really puts on full display the talents of these artists. It's so nice to hear Herbie, Ron, and Tony given a short leash: feeling alive! (14.125/15)

Total Time: 46:20

Though produced by Miles' longtime "finisher," Teo Mecero, this was still before the explosion of new sound engineering ideas and possibilities had emerged, so there is more of Miles and the band here than Teo's cut-and- splicing. Too bad that there are no original compositions on this album--especially with all of the talent he's got with him.

Though not a Jazz-Rock Fusion album--and by no means exhibiting the fire and brimstone of the fully-formed "Second Great Quintet"--there are a couple of songs here that push the envelope of traditional and accepted jazz modalities a bit ("So Near, So Far" and "Joshua").

A-/4.5 stars; a very solid contribution of skillful and accessible Jazz that shows some interesting ideas being developed in Miles' thinking.

FunkFreak75 Recorded in June and July of 1967, it was the fourth studio album to come from the pioneering trumpeter's "Second Great Quintet." To be sure, this has to be one of the most talented lineups ever in jazz history and, despite Miles' young collaborators being (mostly) in their 20s and most definitely showing signs of some immaturity, the greatest innovation occurring here (in my opinion) is with 21-year old Tony Williams' drumming.

1. "Nefertiti" (7:52) a rather dull and slightly melodic lead song with Miles and Wayne up front has some rather adventurous performances from Herbie Hancock and, especially, the dynamic Tony Williams. (13.25/15)

2. "Fall" (6:39) another pleasant, melodic song in which the musicians are operating more nearly on the same wavelength--until fourth minute, that is, when Tony begins to go off into his own world, rhythmically, beneath Herbie's piano solo, but then he backs off and gets very quiet during Wayne's following solo and what follows. Interesting! (8.875/10)

3. "Hand Jive" (8:54) a much more dynamic song construct with Ron Carter walking all over his upright double bass while Tony Williams flies around his cymbals and toms. There is an odd, subtle shift in tempo in the third minute that I do not think is intentional but obviously not considered significant enough to correct or redo--and Ron Carter is not always "in the pocket" (at least not according to these amateur ears), but the song certainly displays the skills of all of the band members, with a considerable amount of time given to Wayne Shorter's solo in the middle. When Herbie is next given his turn, he seems a bit lost at first, but, after he gets warmed up, he starts to move better. Maybe everybody's just a little overwhelmed or intimidated by Tony's creativity (and Ron's hot-and-cold conformity to the "pocket"). (17.5/20)

4. "Madness "(7:31) more of the same as the previous song with Ron's fast walking and Tony's cymbal play providing the bulk of support beneath one of Miles' more dynamic and passionate solos on the album. The trio seem quite entrained. Then Wayne is given the nod to take over from Miles. He's not quite as dynamic but very impressive for his softer, breathy notes. When it comes time for Herbie's turn, everybody nearly cuts out, with only Ron and Tony remaining beneath part time, not flying around the fretboard and cymbal like they were. But then they return to their earlier form as Herbie heats up, though not quite as synched as they were with Miles--which may have something to do with Herbie's less smooth, less-melodic approach. And then they all come back together ever-so briefly before bringing the song to a quick close. (13.375/15)

5. "Riot" (3:04) Same cymbal play from Tony while Ron machine guns around the upper registers of his bass and Herbie plays a lot of chords beneath Wayne's initial lead. Then Miles is there, too. It's nice to hear the whole band working together (and Tony does get a little more active as the song develops). (8.875/10)

6. "Pinocchio" (5:08) a song that feels more like standard or old Miles bebop or hard bop. Opening with the whole rhythm section behind Wayne and Miles, Ron and Tony become more active as the song develops, something that is more noticeable during Wayne's solo (as Miles and Herbie check out). Tony really picks it up here, even when Miles and Wayne return to recapitulate the main melody. Then Herbie gets his solo. It's good, probably the best on the album, but then its over and the band pulls together to close. Very tight, "standard" jazz tune. (8.875/10)

Total Time 39:08

I think this album is most significant for confirming how much of a force drummer Tony Williams is (and is going to be). As impressive as Tony is (and Miles and Wayne, as well), I think Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter are showing how much growth they have yet to achieve--especially to be able to achieve the moment they are called upon.

B/four stars; an excellent album for prog rockers to gain insight into the genius of some of Jazz-Rock Fusion founders and all-stars--especially the phenom that was drummer Tony Williams.

Again, I cannot help but mention the unfathomable error that Columbia Records made when mistakenly switching the two album covers intended for this album and its predecessor, Sorcerer. How do such colossal blunders occur? Wasn't it obvious that "sorcerer" is a male assignation and thus deserving of a male cover photo and "Nefertiti" female and thus deserving of a female cover photo? Was Miles (and his team) not paying attention?

js This review is based on the original vinyl LP version of the soundtrack to the French film L' Ascenseur Pour I' Echafaud, featuring a French jazz trio augmented by Miles and US drummer Kenny Clarke. The understated jazz atmospheres on this soundtrack tell a lot about where jazz will be heading in the next five decades. This film music marks the first time that Miles will depart from playing jazz per se and instead finds him using the style as something to objectively manipulate and shape into something more original and personal. In formulating the music for this film, Miles eschewed actual songs and instead wrote bare riffs and repeating chord sequences for him to solo over and build atmosphere.

Not all is pure jazz here as some of the repeating motifs recall Satie and Ravel, as well as almost Indian style drones. Miles' playing over these drones and stark chord sequences is amplified with reverb and given that classic film noir 'jazz man in the back alley' sound that is almost humorous in it's cliché. Likewise the chord changes that Miles uses for the jazz sequences are classic cliché jazz sounds taken from a Disney film with beatnik characters, it's Miles tongue-in-cheek way of cleverly delivering the classic jazz goods that non-jazz fans want from a soundtrack..

This is an excellent album, timeless and beautifully retro like a classic noir film and in many ways, it marks the beginning of a world of innovations that will eventually blossom into cool jazz, fusion, acid jazz, trip-hop and nu jazz.