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50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Tribute to McLaughlin and Macero, October 15, 2003
This review is from: The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (Audio CD)
I would suggest to you that this assembly is for the completist. The Jack Johnson sessions are a tribute to the protean guitar work of John McLaughlin, well-reined in by the counter punching of Miles Davis, and to the incredible editing skills of Teo Macero. The sessions themselves show Miles in terrific command of his horn, but the real dynamics exist in the lunge and parries of Davis and McLaughlin. How Macero managed to pull such a finished gem as what became the TRIBUTE TO JACK JOHNSON album from these sessions is all the more remarkable when you remember that this was all done long before digital editing. What you also hear throughout is what wasn't working for a number of sidemen. In many respects this was a turning point for those who played with Miles. It is clear that De Johnette could not have been happy as mere timekeeper. These sessions play to none of his strengths. So too with Jarrett: he was never happy with his role on electric piano, and in fact, never returned to that instrument after this tour of duty. His artistic distate for McLaughlin was legendary, but it is audibly clear from these takes that he also had no desire to be a Hancock or Corea clone. Other musicians were essential players in teh drama of these sessions, but had it not been for Macero's considerable skills in weaving them into the African braid of the final form, their contributions would be relegated to just so much filler. All of that is background drama and subplots to what is the main attraction: McLaughlin and Miles. McLaughlin's personal and spiritual discipline were a challenge to the excesses of Miles' lifestyle, and so it is easy enough to imagine that the double helix that these two weave is really the core dna of what was jazz's venture into fusion. In the hands of everyone after them, it was a disastrous experiment. But here! The Power is Terrifying! Honestly, you need to be a dyed in the wool McLaughlin fan and Miles completist to rejoice in this release, but if you are either, there is much to consider. You might also consider this as you would a Wagner opera: the first two discs basically state the themes that will reach their culmination in the remastered full renditions of "Right Off" and "Yesternow." Those themes begin to burn incessantly and incandescently through discs 3 and 4. Wagner was a bit like that. It usually took him a couple of hours to get warmed up and then, LOOK OUT! It helps understanding that this complete sessions workout is heading towards what became Miles' best rock track, "Right Off", and what basically looked back over the fusion experiment and pointed, in fact towards where he would resume in the 80's with "Yesternow". Sure, he had no idea what '75 would mean, but listen carefully, and it is undeniably present the directions that would resurface as he returned from his debilitating hiatus. Miles as Opera? In the true Wagnerian sense, yes.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
mix it up, and you have a winner, October 28, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (Audio CD)
Wow, five discs of incredible jamming by Miles Davis joined by some of the finest musicians of their time (and the present day). The Complete Jack Johnson sessions has a lot to recommend it. The playing is very groove oriented with the soloing setting apart each track. I frankly enjoy the raw material much more that Teo's final edits for the original single disc album. One warning, even the greatest Miles and John M. fans will find it hard to listen to 5 or more takes of tracks like "Willie Nelson" in one sitting. I strongly recommend mixing up the tracks by either burning a mixed copy of each disc or programming your CD player. Listened to in this way, you don't tire of the same groove for an hour, and you'll find that just about every track in this box set holds a wealth of treasure (disc four is a bit out there, but I'm sure a lot of listeners like this flavor of Miles as well). If you enjoy electric Miles, especially with a streamlined guitar oriented band, this set is priceless. It would also appeal if you like instrumental King Crimson, the Grateful Dead's jams on a good night, or other progressive rock and fusion. Packaging and remix sound quality are outstanding.
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42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now we really know Jack..., October 6, 2003
This review is from: The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (Audio CD)
Miles Davis' most prolific period of activity in the recording studio (1967-1970) ended with the sessions issued here. It was rumored that by the 1st half of 1970 Davis was recording far in excess of what could possibly be released, and with this nearly-comprehensive boxed set series one can see the truth to the rumors. In this case, 34 pf 42 tracks are unissued. If ever progressive strains of jazz, rock, blues, and funk found common ground--without selling any of the above short--I'd argue it was in the sessions that comprise the bulk of this box. Most of what's here rocks steady, gets on the good foot, and does so with jazz intuition and blues feeling. What I find most impressive: (1) Miles' trumpet playing is incredibly strong, full of power across the entire range of his horn. Invariably he builds solos that find a perfect balance between basic and abstract improvisational lines (he plays mostly with open horn, with occasional muted passages). (2) Guitarist John McLaughlin also turns in hall-of-fame performances...like Miles he expertly mixes silence with imaginative solo lines, and he has an ability to crank up his axe so that sonically he captures the power one associates with the likes of Hendrix, Clapton, Page, etc., without remotely falling into imitation. And on Sonny Sharrock's few appearances...well, I hear the wheel being reinvented. (3) the "tunes" are melody-free, drums-n-bass defined mini-structures that are designed to propel the soloists to think out of the box. More often than not you can overtly hear Davis' influences (Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, etc.), yet Miles and his bandmates consistently put their stamp of individuality on those inspirations. (4) The reedmen are also impressive, with Steve Grossman sounding better here than on the live dates (where imo he often seemed to be spinning his wheels, overusing the same improvisational phrases). And when it isn't Grossman playing, it's some even-better reedman like Wayne Shorter or Benny Maupin. (5) Several tracks from these sessions were originally issued with post-production ping-ponging of instruments from left-to-right in the stereo mix...that irritance is thankfully eliminated here. Furthermore, the remastering /remixing brings out the power of the music as never before, with the guitar(s) in particular now sounding up front as you would expect in rock-influenced music. (6) Quite a bit of the music here sounds awfully close to drums'n'bass, electronica, acid jazz, and other genres that solidified many years after these recordings were cut. Nice touch to add great jazz-like interplay and solos. (7) The funky/rocky/jazzy rhythm section, courtesy of Dave Holland, Michael Henderson, Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette and others. Although I don't take the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame picks all that seriously, I might if Davis got in it--and based on what's heard here he should be a shoo-in.
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