I will point out, though, that along with Miles--and more 1A and 1B than second and third in importance--the keys to Jack Johnson are white guys John McLaughlin and Teo Macero. Macero, in fact, is crucial to Miles' whole electric period. He was important before that, but he was indispensible for the late sixties and seventies output. (See this interview with Teo.)
Oh, and I'm not discounting the white guys, just saying that most people wouldn't associate Miles' fusion period with white guy music. I think it's somewhere between krautrock & funk.
I think it's somewhere between krautrock & funk.
Which makes sense given Miles' main inspirations (Hendrix, Sly, JB & Stockhausen) for this portion of his career. And the band's resident Kraut, Joe Zawinul. Yeah, I know he's Austrian. Vienna native Billy Wilder had a great line: "The genius of the Austrian people: we've convinced the world that Beethoven was Austrian and Hitler was German."
I just loaned JJSessions Disc Five (which has the original album tracks on it) to the trumpet-playing jazzbo down the hall, who said "Joe Zawinul's on this, right? 'Cause he's the shit." Which cracks me up, because he's a trumpet guy more excited about Zawinul than Miles.
Is he one of the "Jeez, I have more chops than Miles" guys who just doesn't get it? My friend Bob is a jazz and classical trumpeter (he's a monster) and he said his Dad was like that ("Miles couldn't carry Dizzy's mouthpiece") despite Bob's thorough explanations as to why he was wrong.:-)
Calexico is on Soundcheck (WNYC.org) and is covering "ALone Again Or" as I type this.
Calexico is on Soundcheck (WNYC.org) and is covering "ALone Again Or" as I type this.
Their version is on an EP that came out recently.
This was an in-studio performance. Only 4 of the 6 guys were there.
Is he one of the "Jeez, I have more chops than Miles" guys who just doesn't get it? My friend Bob is a jazz and classical trumpeter (he's a monster) and he said his Dad was like that ("Miles couldn't carry Dizzy's mouthpiece") despite Bob's thorough explanations as to why he was wrong.:-)
Nah, he's a self-described Miles fanatic. I think he's more into the Bop period, though.
Oh yeah, I picked up Filles at your recommendation last year. And I can see exactly how "He Loved Him Madly" influenced Eno. I was pretty unprepared for the McLaughlin v. Sharrock guitarfest on the Jack Johnson Sessions. I mean, the album itself rocks like hell, but the Sessions are like Can with Thurston Moore sitting in.
Oh man, I've been meaning to pick this up. I guess now I HAVE to. JJ is one of my favorite of Miles' albums, if not my absolute favorite.
Actually, one of the "Willie Nelson" tracks has a fan-freakin-tastic Bop solo on it, now that I think about it.
Oh man, I've been meaning to pick this up. I guess now I HAVE to. JJ is one of my favorite of Miles' albums, if not my absolute favorite.
Yeah, man. It blew me away. I thought On the Corner was as good as it gets, but I was wrong, wrong, wrong. (edit - but, just for clarity, "He Loved Him Madly" is on Get Up With It, and GUWI seems pretty uneven.)
