Post Bop

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Part I

Post Bop is a modern jazz style that continues the distinguishing characteristics that separate jazz from the world of pop and rock; swing rhythm and extended harmonies (9th chords 11ths, altered chords, etc). Post Bop grew out of the Hard Bop genre during the early to mid 60s as musicians such as Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock began to introduce more extended harmonies, abstract structures and looser rhythms in their playing and compositions. When Hancock and Shorter joined Miles Davis’ quintet in the mid-60s, that group became the perfect vehicle for extending the boundaries of what could happen in a Post Bop format. The Miles Davis Quintet albums, "Nefertiti" and "Sorcer", continue to be pinnacles of Post Bop composition and performance. Some styles of free modal jazz, such as Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", are also part of the Post Bop sound. Sometimes referred to as 'spiritual jazz', this style has made a comeback with young musicians, especially in London and Los Angeles.

While still in its infancy, Post Bop was pushed off the radar during the 70s as many of its early proponents pursued the far more lucrative fields of fusion and smooth jazz. As the fusion fad began to fade, musicians began to tire of three chord vamps and the limitations of rock/pop rhythms and yearned to work with sophisticated chord changes and jazz rhythms again. The stage was set in the early 80s for the “young lion” movement and a return to both Post Bop and Hard Bop for a lot of young musicians and their fan base.

Today’s Post Bop covers a wide variety, from radio friendly to borderline avant-garde, and it’s a genre that is still ripe for more exploration. Generally speaking, the difference between Post Bop and Hard Bop is that Hard Bop carries a stronger trace of the blues and a more straight forward driving rhythm, but when you are trying to analyze certain artists or pieces of music, that difference is not always clear. Much of Branford Marsalis's music is a good example of jazz that sits right between post and hard bop. With some music, arguing whether it is Post Bop or Hard Bop becomes pointless, since depending on perspective, either genre can be seen as a subset of the other. Although we use the genre term Post Bop to tag the music described above, in a more generic sense, post bop can be the name of any swing based jazz music created after the passing of the be-bop era.

Part 2 - Post Bop in the New Century

As jazz continues to grow and develop, the worlds of modern fusion and post bop have grown closer together as many musicians; such as Dave Douglas, Craig Taborn, Greg Osby and others, freely mix elements into new hybrids.

At JMA, the distinction between Fusion and Post Bop continues to be that distinctive African syncopation known as "swing". Generally Post Bop should swing, while Fusion, quite often does not. What has changed, as we move further into the 21st century, is the way in which modern drummers are 'swinging'. Inventive drummers such as Jeff "Tain" Watts, Rudy Roystan and others are no longer putting the swing beat solely on the ride cymbal. Instead, they are liable to use any, or all pieces of the drum set at once, while they swing the beat. Also, the swing feel itself is often a bit disguised in modern jazz, it may not be so obvious, and the drummer may move in and out of swing feel, sometimes even within one phrase.

post bop top albums

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JOHN COLTRANE A Love Supreme Album Cover A Love Supreme
JOHN COLTRANE
4.84 | 104 ratings
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HERBIE HANCOCK V.S.O.P.:Tempest in the Colosseum Album Cover V.S.O.P.:Tempest in the Colosseum
HERBIE HANCOCK
4.96 | 10 ratings
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KEITH JARRETT At the Blue Note: The Complete Recordings Album Cover At the Blue Note: The Complete Recordings
KEITH JARRETT
4.85 | 10 ratings
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MCCOY TYNER Sahara Album Cover Sahara
MCCOY TYNER
4.71 | 24 ratings
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MANU KATCHÉ Neighbourhood Album Cover Neighbourhood
MANU KATCHÉ
4.86 | 5 ratings
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MCCOY TYNER Song for My Lady Album Cover Song for My Lady
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4.69 | 12 ratings
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GARY BURTON Gary Burton / Chick Corea ‎: Crystal Silence Album Cover Gary Burton / Chick Corea ‎: Crystal Silence
GARY BURTON
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HERBIE HANCOCK V.S.O.P. : Five Stars Album Cover V.S.O.P. : Five Stars
HERBIE HANCOCK
5.00 | 3 ratings
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OLD AND NEW DREAMS
5.00 | 3 ratings
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CHRIS POTTER The Sirens Album Cover The Sirens
CHRIS POTTER
4.77 | 6 ratings
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HERBIE HANCOCK Empyrean Isles Album Cover Empyrean Isles
HERBIE HANCOCK
4.58 | 34 ratings
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JOHN COLTRANE Africa / Brass Album Cover Africa / Brass
JOHN COLTRANE
4.58 | 28 ratings
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post bop Music Reviews

EBERHARD WEBER Yellow Fields

Album · 1976 · Post Bop
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FunkFreak75
With the creation of 1976's Yellow Fields we find Eberhard returning to a jazz combo/quartet format for the exposition of the exploration of his rather unique musical ideas. It helps that he has chosen three of my very, very favorite European jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion musicians as his collaborators.

1. "Touch" (4:58) I am not usually much of a fan of the saxophone but Charlie Mariano has a rare gift for playing with sound and style that rarely irks my sensitive nervous system. Eberhard's underwater bass is the second most attention-grabbing performer here while Rainer and Jon do excellent work holding down the rhythmic foundation of an eminently-enjoyable song. (9.3333/10) 2. "Sand-Glass" (15:40) with a tuned percussion melody that sounds Gamelan (and, thus, marimba), Jon, Eberhard, and Rainer create a peaceful if-oddly-melodized foundation within which bass, Fender Rhodes, soprano sax, and even Jon's cymbal work have plenty of room to add infinitely creative and never-overdone flourishes, flashes, nuances, undertones and overtones. At the end of the fifth minute Charlie switches to the nasally sound of the shehnai for his soloing for about two and a half minutes. Then it's back to his soprano sax--here doubled up--before giving way to Rainer's Fender Rhodes. The creative, fluid play of Eberhard on his underwater bass is so unusual--and yet prepares one for the sounds and stylings he dominates with on his next album, The Following Morning (my favorite of his). Jon Christensen really shines in this section of the song: truly playing off of his band mates and their own expressions of fervor and subtlety. The style subtly shifts over the course of the 12th minute as Eberhard and Jon change their approach to more of a straightforward rock-like bass-and-drum team approach while Rainer continues his almost-too- subtle/gentle Fender Rhodes play. (He really could have stepped up more--or the engineers could have mixed him in front of the cymbals, Gamelan marimba, and bass instead of burying him in the back. A pretty decent composition that shows some of the exploration Eberhard was into at the time--and which he will improve upon/perfect on future albums. (26.5/30)

3. "Yellow Fields" (10:05) I hear a LOT of CHICK COREA and RETURN TO FOREVER in the structure and performances of this song--especially from Rainer and Jon; Eberhard and Charlie sound more like they're from WEATHER REPORT. Therefore, I call this a clever merger of the two, something that could only be managed by four absolute virtuosos of their instruments--which we have here. The only thing really missing from this tune are hooks that anchor themselves in the listener's memory. (17.75/20)

4. "Left Lane" (13:35) with extended sections with only Rainer and Eberhard playing with and off of each other, this one really preps the listener for the duo's next album, The Following Morning on which there will be no drumming, loads of lush orchestration, as well as plenty of areas, like this, where the two are left alone in a large, starkly-empty space. Eberhard convinces Rainer to back down from an extended solo with the establishment of a structured bass line that ushers Jon and Charlie back into the jazz mix, with Charlie taking the lead with his rapid-fire spewing of notes on his soprano sax. At the ten-minute mark Charlie relinquishes the lead for Rainer's Fender Rhodes. It's a nice solo, egged on by Jon and Eberhard's flawless though relentless encouragement. Nice. Charlie returns to a subdued lead for the final ninety seconds, being joined in the last minute by tracks of his nadaswaram and shehnai until the song's slow final fadeout. (26.66667/30)

Total time 44:18

B+/four stars; an excellent addition to any Jazz or Jazz-Rock Fusion lover's music collections. Recommended if mostly for the magnificent displays of virtuosity from all four of the contributors.

EDDIE HENDERSON Heritage

Album · 1976 · Post Bop
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FunkFreak75
Co-opting the "Oakland sound" of Paul Jackson-Mike Clark--the rhythm section that Herbie Hancock had been using on his post Head Hunters Headhunters albums (Thrust and Man-Child)--is an indisputably brilliant idea. Add Patrice Rushen, Julian Priester, and Mtume and you have the formula for instant magic.

1. "Inside You" (4:49) reminds me quite a little of FREDDIE HUBBARD's wonderful version of The Stylistics' "People Make the World Go Round" from Polar AC, his final album for Creed Taylor's CTI production team. Like Hubbard's song, this is soothingly hypnotic with some nice ARP synth strings work from Patrice Rushen throughout. (8.875/10)

2. "Acuphuncture" (3:42) there is no mistaking the Smooth Jazz influence of GEORGE BENSON's recent MONSTER hit, Breezin' on this one. Nicely melodic and funky in an early Smooth Jazz kind of way. (8.875/10)

3. "Time & Space" (5:16) a beautiful and contemplative opening to this one opens the door for some great play from Eddie and Patrice. I feel a bit sad for the constrictive restraints spirited bass player Paul Jackson finds himself under. Great soprano sax work from Hadley Caliman. Still, this is an eminently enjoyable Smooth Jazz tune. A top three song for me. Patrice Rushen's multiple instrument contributions should not go without appropriate praise. (9.3333/10)

4. "Nostalgia" (4:10) Yes, sometimes you just can't help but go back to reminisce--which, of course, conjures up inspiration for new songs from the spirit of 1917-73 and the Mwandishi-Crossroads-Sextant-Realization sessions with Herbie and the gang. I love this though it's not very dynamic or fresh. (8.875/10)

5. "Kudu" (6:07) a slow sustained intro leading into a very funky motif started by Paul Jackson's bass at the one-minute mark reveals a song that is very fitting to the Miles Davis school of jazz-rock fusion. Nice clavinet and trumpet accents and flourishes during the next 90 seconds before there is a James Brown-like R&B bridge that shifts the band into support for an even-wilder Miles-like performace from Eddie. Patrice Rushen's electric piano work beneath is so lively that it threatens to distract from Eddie's superlative outbursts. Then Paul Jackson seems to take over at the end of the fifth minute with Patrice amplifying her rhythm guitar-like clavinet play to take us out. Despite the similarities in sound and style to those of 1970s Miles Davis, this is a great Jazz-Funk tune! (9.75/10)

6. "Dr. Mganga" (7:29) the Swahili name that Eddie self-adopted while living in the Mwandishi world, the band pull together a very full, very active, very funky motif that feels as if it's incorporating a variation on Eumir Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)" My other top three song. (14/15)

7. "Dark Shadow" (6:54) opens with Hadley Caliman playing bass clarinet sounding like a cross between Herbie's "Hidden Shadows" and Weather Report's "Birdland." Eddie throws in a "Nature Boy"-like melody with his muted trumpet to add to the mut-like mélange feeling of this tune. Julian Priester's contributions on trombone in the second and third minutes is awesome. (I've always loved trumpet and trombone way more than that of any saxophone or clarinet.) Patrice Rushen is also doing some very clever and interesting things beneath the horn soloists. The main bass-and-bass clarinet "Birdland" melody playing beneath it all, however, begins to feel a bit worn out: by the time we're approaching the end (which is, thankfully, quite dynamic) I've about had enough of it. Even Patrice and drummer Billy Hart seem to go to sleep around this point--and then, in the middle of the sixth minute, they do! They crash! Everything falls apart: rubbernecks before popping back to action. Unfortunately, they choose to just pick up the same parts they were all playing--the very ones that brought on the group narcoleptic fit! Not my favorite--and a sad way to close an album (cuz it leaves me with a sour feeling of disappointment). (13/15)

Total Time 38:27

Despite Eddie's tendency to "borrow" themes from other songs/artists in order to start/build his own songs, I cannot ignore the contributions to the progression of Jazz-Rock Fusion that Eddie Henderson and his collaborators have made.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion that falls into the category of early Smooth Jazz.

HERBIE HANCOCK Empyrean Isles

Album · 1964 · Post Bop
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FunkFreak75
Herbie is back with two of his cohorts from Miles Davis' "Second Great Quintet": drummer extraordinaire Tony Williams and bass legend Ron Carter--plus long-time collaborator and Miles replacement, Freddie Hubbard.

A1. "One Finger Snap" (7:21) Freddie Hubbard can sure get inspired by a spirited swing! He's on fire--prompted, to be sure, by the play of Tony Williams and Ron Carter. Only Herbie feels a little out of place (which may have something to do with his one minute of silence beneath Freddie's solo). But then he shows that he's certainly improved and matured with his own great high-speed solo in the fourth and fifth minutes. He definitely has a gift for cleverly and subtly varying the melody with each pass through the phrases. Tony's amazingly entertaining solo in the seventh minute is so cleanly recorded, top to bottom, that it feels as if the sound of a full drum has never been captured so well. So cool! (14/15)

A2. "Oliloqui Valley" (8:30) here's an interesting song whose opening sounds so much like the clip from THE DRIFT's 2008 song "Uncanny Valley" that is used as the main theme song for The Moth Radio Hour podcast! Herbie is the front man from the very start and, I must say that his gift for pleasing melodies (despite his penchant [and talent] for varying them with each and every recapitulation) is quite remarkable. At the end of the fourth minute Herbie finally relinquishes the spotlight in lieu of Freddie's cornet. Freddie's great--quite dynamic and exciting--but he still can't prevent me from gravitating to the extraordinary play of both Herbie and Tony. At 5:40 all but Tony's cymbal play and the odd piano chord step aside to allow Ron Carter to be heard in solo. Ron chooses to take the melody and rhythm off into an mind-bending psychedelia of pitch distortion and pace warp. Never expected that! When Herbie and the others return and push Freddie back to the front the song is about over and I'm sad! That was one of the fastest 8:30's I've ever experienced! (18.75/20)

B1. "Cantaloupe Island" (5:33) We are here once again (like "Watermelon Man") exposed to Herbie's genius for pop-friendly melodies and earworm "hooks." It sounds to me like a bit of a combination of variations on the main melodies of the famous samba-inspired songs, "Mas que nada" by Jorge Ben (released in 1963; later, in 1966, made famous by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66) and Billy and Gene Page's "The 'In' Crowd" (which was, coincidentally being recorded for the very first time by and for Doby Gray just before Empyrean Isles was released). Nice cornet soloing over the two-part Brasilian-influenced song. (9/10)

B2. "The Egg" (14:01) built over one of the strangest rhythm motifs I've come across: there is a third-world (African) tribal ecstatic dance feel to this--a tense environment that Herbie's piano play is only encouraged and --until 5:15 when things "break" for another creative Ron Carter solo--this time with his bow on his double bass--while Tony (or someone) adds percussive accents and support to the odd "Aquatic Astronaut" sounds Ron is playing. Around the seven minute mark Herbie re-enters and steps up front to play some very angular, mathematical 20th Century "classical" piano stylings before turning it into jazz in the ninth minute as Ron and brush-handed Tony return to jazz-like support. The tneth minute sees a run in which Herbie parades a cascade of more unconventional "classical"-sounding chord progressions before heading off into a mouse/bug-like scurrying mode of play runs on the right handed keys. In the 12th minute Ron and Herbie (mostly) cut out to allow Tony to channel some of his own "weird hee-bee-gee-bee" ideas/inspirations. By the arrival of the 13-minute mark, Freddie is returning and the band is recongealing into a variation of the opening motif for the song's close. Interesting! Fun for a live performance or an internal band exercise, but not so much for the gentle listener. Of the musicians' performances I can say that only Herbie's really wowed me; the rest of the improvised expositions felt a little forced, faked, or soulless. (25.75/30)

Total time: 35:25

Though the growth of all four musicians is on keen display, I find myself a bit let down and turned off by the final piece, "The Egg."

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of melodic and yet sophisticated and often experimental jazz. Highly recommended for its first three songs.

MILES DAVIS Miles Davis Quintet : Miles Smiles

Album · 1967 · Post Bop
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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.

MILES DAVIS E.S.P.

Album · 1965 · Post Bop
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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.

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