MILES DAVIS — E.S.P. (review)

MILES DAVIS — E.S.P. album cover Album · 1965 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
darkshade
My first Miles pre-fusion album.

I had heard So What long before I even got into Miles’ music, but when I got the urge to check out his pre-fusion albums, I went with this one first. I bought it mostly because of the lineup. Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter are a who’s who of jazz-fusion (well except maybe Carter) but I knew it wasn’t jazz-fusion. I did, however, want to hear what they were doing with the great Miles Davis before the fusion scene exploded.

I fell in love with this CD. At the time I thought this was one of his best, and perhaps one of the best jazz records of all time. As my jazz collection has grown over the years, I can tell you this is a great record, one of Miles’ best, but not the best of all time. It is like a slightly avant-garde post-bop record, mostly due to Wayne Shorter having probably the most contribution to the music on this record.

What’s funny is that if you’re listening closely, you can hear all the sidemen’s nuances that they would later capitalize on later on in the 70s. Hancock with his neo-classical style mixed with R&B flavored chords, Williams being the usual monster on the set, and Shorter displaying his great talent for melody which would become classic in Weather Report.

Then there is Miles himself. The thing about this lineup is he seemed to take a backseat to the other members, and there is a lot of time where he is not playing. This is not unusual for him, but it is even more so here. However, I think this era of his music was his peak technically and playing-wise. Miles’ playing is just hot fire, and his solos are fast a lot of times, but of course never forgetting to be melodic. I think working with younger musicians at this stage in his life kept his chops up and made his playing fiercer (and not the kind of fierce heard on albums like Bitches Brew). His playing is very bright. Of course, there is still the cool Miles Davis, as heard on Little One, where I personally get this mid-60s vibe, very relaxed playing.

This lineup would evolve throughout the 60s and make even more interesting music. If you’re looking for great Miles jazz, this is a good place to start. I got this one and went chronologically into Miles’ fusion period. Good addition to any jazz collection.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Symphonic Blues No. 6 Third Stream
CORKY SIEGEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recut Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
SKALPEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Yuval Cohen Quartet : Winter Poems Post-Fusion Contemporary
YUVAL COHEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Just Nu Jazz
JIM HART
Buy this album from MMA partners
Skrifum Post-Fusion Contemporary
JON BALKE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

SOLSTICE album release • Duo Russo - Holst
PAOLO RUSSO
js· 85 minutes ago
Akiko Yano & Hiromi - Kawarushi (Official Audio)
HIROMI
js· 1 day ago
All I Want For Christmas Is You
DAVID HAZELTINE
js· 1 day ago
Chicken
QUATUOR EBÈNE
js· 2 days ago
Det er en egen lomme
THE LEIF
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed