That's not necessarily a knock on the music, but from such a restless and innovative musician it is surprising.
I think the key notion here is that Miles was looking for the right players. By all accounts, discovering Tony Williams put a fire under Miles' ass, and then getting Wayne Shorter brought in a whole new set of compositions to explore.
Miles was one of the greatest band leaders of all time because he drew so much inspiration from collaborators with distinct styles - whether that was Coltrane, Gil Evans, Bill Evans or Williams and Shorter (and Hancock, another major composer in the group).
Miles and Duke both have that Shakespeare-and-his-repertory-company thing going on, where they created to the talents of their collaborators.
Hey there, wise music people. I have a question for you - if I could only afford one Tim Buckley album, which one should I buy?
Hey there, wise music people. I have a question for you - if I could only afford one Tim Buckley album, which one should I buy?
Happy Sad - it's perfectly poised between his folkier/prettier (though occasionally precious) early stuff and his later jazzy experiments. From AMG:
Easily Tim Buckley's most underrated album, Happy Sad was another departure for the eclectic Southern California-based singer/songwriter. After the success of the widely acclaimed Goodbye and Hello, Buckley mellowed enough to explore his jazz roots. Sounding like Fred Neil's Capitol-era albums, Buckley and his small, acoustic-based ensemble weave elegant, minimalist tapestries around the six Buckley originals. The effect is completely mesmerizing. On "Buzzin' Fly" and "Strange Feelin'," you are slowly drawn into Buckley's intoxicating vision. The extended opus in the middle of the record, "Love from Room 109," is an intense, complex composition. Lovingly underproduced by Jerry Yester and Zal Yanovsky, this is one of the finest records of the late '60s. — Matthew Greenwald
But the Rhino compilation, Morning Glory is an excellent primer that covers his whole career and if you're going to jump in I think you'd probably find even more to enjoy there. He did a lot of good stuff.
Happy Sad - it's perfectly poised between his folkier/prettier (though occasionally precious) early stuff and his later jazzy experiments.
But the Rhino compilation, Morning Glory is an excellent primer that covers his whole career and if you're going to jump in I think you'd probably find even more to enjoy there. He did a lot of good stuff.
Thanks so much! I know I never post in here, but I read this thread sometimes and I am just in awe of you guys.
Thanks so much! I know I never post in here, but I read this thread sometimes and I am just in awe of you guys.
Jump in any time - we've all got opinions.
One reason I'm pimping the Buckley collection is just because he went through many many different phases from straight folk to orchestral psych folk to very jazzy folk to pornagraphic funk (no kidding). Happy Sad is a great record, and I think finds the mean of his interests, but he ranged far to either side of that.
Jump in any time - we've all got opinions.
That's the thing. You've got opinions. Whereas I have almost complete and total ignorance.
ETA: The pornographic funk intrigues me; I'm buying the collection.
The pornographic funk intrigues me; I'm buying the collection.
It was very controversial at the time, but in retrospect it's kind of an interesting detour. It's on the Greetings From LA record.
The pornographic funk intrigues me
"No Head No Backstage Pass", now there's some pornographic funk. (Yes, it's a real song.)
How cool is it that the guy who reviews Funkadelic for Allmusic also reviews the Lothars?
Our first endorsement is a good one. Back cover blurb #1:
"Scram's Capricious Guide is a genre-surfing Smithsonian of overlooked musical marvels. Without fetishizing obscurity for its own sake, the Guide sidesteps cynical cool vs. uncool upsmanship and celebrates castoffs -- by both the forgotten and the famous -- which exude trend-transcending merit. Each entry compels you to seek out the music."
Irwin Chusid
