MILES DAVIS - Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series Vol. 5
Disc 1:
1. Freedom Jazz Dance (session reel) 23:15
2. Freedom Jazz Dance (master take) 7:14
3. Circle (session reel) 11:45
4. Circle (take 5 – closing theme used on master take) 5:23
5. Circle (take 6 – released master take excluding closing theme) 5:48
6. Dolores (session reel) 5:17
7. Dolores (master take) 6:23
Disc 2:
1. Orbits (session reel) 14:44
2. Orbits (master take) 4:41
3. Footprints (session reel) 5:48
4. Footprints (master take) 9:52
5. Gingerbread Boy (session reel) 3:44
6. Gingerbread Boy (master take) 7:45
7. Nefertiti (session reel) 11:05
8. Nefertiti (master take) 8:04
Disc 3:
1. Fall (session reel) 19:44
2. Fall (master take) 6:40
3. Water Babies (session reel) 8:33
4. Water Babies (master take) 5:09
5. Masqualero (alternate take/take 3) 7:59
6. Country Son (rhythm section rehearsal) 7:43
7. Blues In F (My Ding) 7:29
8. Your Eight (Miles Speaks) 0:06
** All session tracks are previously unreleased**
Miles Davis: trumpet; Wayne Shorter: tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock: piano; Ron Carter: bass; Tony Williams: drums
This release, Volume 5 of the Bootleg series, is a disappointment. Nothing to do with the music. The group that Miles led from 1964 to 1968 was one of the greatest jazz groups: every musician was at their peak and the ensuing music is as fresh today as when it was laid down.
The Bootleg series started well with Volume 1 ‘Live in Europe 1967’. The great group was recorded across Europe in that year and the music was bootlegged across the world. Sony took this material, sonically cleaned it, added a DVD and gave the world additional beautiful performances by the quintet.
Since then the various editions of the bootleg series have drifted further and further from the definition of bootleg as ‘an illegal musical recording, especially one made at a concert’. Now, with Vol 5, Sony who owns all the material, it’s hardly illegal, could be accused of cynically marketing material that is barely saleable. If you have bought the original albums you will have some of the tracks. The ‘new’ material is the 'session reels' which consist mainly of barely audible mumbling between the musicians sporadically testing ideas, trying out themes before a breakdown. You are advised in the notes to listen to most of this with headphones so that you can make out the exchanges.
The collection includes the master takes of performances which would eventually appear on the Miles Smiles (1967), Nefertiti (1968) and Water Babies (1976) albums alongside more than two hours’ worth of previously unreleased studio recordings.
CD3 is the most satisfactory because it contains more almost complete takes and less talk. The 'Fall (session reel) is the most enlightening. The rhythm section rehearsal of 'Country Son' is particularly intriguing.
The important question is why some of this material was omitted from the Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968 box; which was not generous with previously unreleased material compared with the other box sets. Sony appears not to understand ‘bootleg’ and, obviously, also struggles with the concept ’complete’.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that for some this material will be fascinating but for most people one hearing will be enough. You need to consider: is this the kind of box that will gather dust on the shelves after the first hearing? If you are not a musicologist or researcher, it probably will.
The music when the quintet plays is magnificent. The presentation, as always in the boxes, is good. There are notes by Ashley Kahn which go some way to ease the pain of purchase. However, Sony would be better employed seeking out some of the other real bootlegs of this quintet to improve the sound to put before a welcoming world. There are a number of recorded European concerts in 1964 which have been circulating as real bootlegs for years.
Finally, I wonder what expletives Miles would have bestowed on this issue of his work?
Reviewed by JackKenny
Disc 1:
1. Freedom Jazz Dance (session reel) 23:15
2. Freedom Jazz Dance (master take) 7:14
3. Circle (session reel) 11:45
4. Circle (take 5 – closing theme used on master take) 5:23
5. Circle (take 6 – released master take excluding closing theme) 5:48
6. Dolores (session reel) 5:17
7. Dolores (master take) 6:23
Disc 2:
1. Orbits (session reel) 14:44
2. Orbits (master take) 4:41
3. Footprints (session reel) 5:48
4. Footprints (master take) 9:52
5. Gingerbread Boy (session reel) 3:44
6. Gingerbread Boy (master take) 7:45
7. Nefertiti (session reel) 11:05
8. Nefertiti (master take) 8:04
Disc 3:
1. Fall (session reel) 19:44
2. Fall (master take) 6:40
3. Water Babies (session reel) 8:33
4. Water Babies (master take) 5:09
5. Masqualero (alternate take/take 3) 7:59
6. Country Son (rhythm section rehearsal) 7:43
7. Blues In F (My Ding) 7:29
8. Your Eight (Miles Speaks) 0:06
** All session tracks are previously unreleased**
Miles Davis: trumpet; Wayne Shorter: tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock: piano; Ron Carter: bass; Tony Williams: drums
This release, Volume 5 of the Bootleg series, is a disappointment. Nothing to do with the music. The group that Miles led from 1964 to 1968 was one of the greatest jazz groups: every musician was at their peak and the ensuing music is as fresh today as when it was laid down.
The Bootleg series started well with Volume 1 ‘Live in Europe 1967’. The great group was recorded across Europe in that year and the music was bootlegged across the world. Sony took this material, sonically cleaned it, added a DVD and gave the world additional beautiful performances by the quintet.
Since then the various editions of the bootleg series have drifted further and further from the definition of bootleg as ‘an illegal musical recording, especially one made at a concert’. Now, with Vol 5, Sony who owns all the material, it’s hardly illegal, could be accused of cynically marketing material that is barely saleable. If you have bought the original albums you will have some of the tracks. The ‘new’ material is the 'session reels' which consist mainly of barely audible mumbling between the musicians sporadically testing ideas, trying out themes before a breakdown. You are advised in the notes to listen to most of this with headphones so that you can make out the exchanges.
The collection includes the master takes of performances which would eventually appear on the Miles Smiles (1967), Nefertiti (1968) and Water Babies (1976) albums alongside more than two hours’ worth of previously unreleased studio recordings.
CD3 is the most satisfactory because it contains more almost complete takes and less talk. The 'Fall (session reel) is the most enlightening. The rhythm section rehearsal of 'Country Son' is particularly intriguing.
The important question is why some of this material was omitted from the Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968 box; which was not generous with previously unreleased material compared with the other box sets. Sony appears not to understand ‘bootleg’ and, obviously, also struggles with the concept ’complete’.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that for some this material will be fascinating but for most people one hearing will be enough. You need to consider: is this the kind of box that will gather dust on the shelves after the first hearing? If you are not a musicologist or researcher, it probably will.
The music when the quintet plays is magnificent. The presentation, as always in the boxes, is good. There are notes by Ashley Kahn which go some way to ease the pain of purchase. However, Sony would be better employed seeking out some of the other real bootlegs of this quintet to improve the sound to put before a welcoming world. There are a number of recorded European concerts in 1964 which have been circulating as real bootlegs for years.
Finally, I wonder what expletives Miles would have bestowed on this issue of his work?
Reviewed by JackKenny
